364 ON PURSIVENESS, ASTHMA, 



rather from an acute than a chronic caufe, 

 namely, from a fudden and violent rupture of 

 the air-cells : the invefligation of this impor- 

 tant matter is a proof of laudable diligence in 

 his profelTional duties, but his opinion feems 

 totally unwarranted by experience or fafts, and 

 in which he may have probably raiftaken the 

 effeft for the caufe. The caufes which M^". 

 Blaine has affigned as mojl ufual, he ought pre- 

 vioufly to have brought to the tefl of fa6l : it is 

 true they have the femblance of being but too 

 probable caufes, yet I have never known, heard,, 

 or read of their producing any fuch fudden ef- 

 fe8:s. I have been Ions convinced of the 

 llrong analogy in Difpncea, human and brute, 

 and have often had horfes labouring under the 

 incurable difpncEa ficca, accompanied with the 

 dry, fhort, hufky cough, to which cows alfo are 

 liable. As to fymptoms, repeated fignals from 

 the flern-chace denote much internal diftrefs 

 from hard fervice, and it is no good prognoftic 

 on the ftate of the horfe's lungs, how found 

 foever he may cough, when, like that of Hu- 

 dibras, 



" He anfwers from behind 



" With brandifli'd tail and Waft of wind." 



I have often confidered the idea of Gibfon, 

 in refpeQ: to the too large fize of the contained 

 vifcera, in proportion to the cheft, and the dif- 

 ficulty 



