DEOPST.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[deopst. 



and when this is the case, there can be no doubt 

 of its arising from debility. Many gallons of 

 fluid have been found so formed within a very 

 short space of time ; in some instances pus has 

 been discovered ; in others, matter and other 

 coagulahle masses. 



The causes of this disease are found prin- 

 cipally to be connected with the termination 

 of inflammation of the lungs, and are gene- 

 rally to be discovered by the peculiar action of 

 the horse in breathing, and even in his method 

 of standing — straddling wide with his fore legs. 

 Not unfrequently his breathing is accompanied 

 with a jerk ; and if close attention is paid, the 

 water in his chest may be heard to make a 

 sudden noise, as if disturbed. This arises 

 from the lungs taking in air, and, in con- 

 sequence, becoming dilated, and occasioning 

 the rumbling noise in the chest with the 

 water. Horses that are ill-treated, and have 

 bad keep, will sometimes have dropsy of the 

 chest, when little or no inflammatory action 

 has been going on. Such as have it from 

 these causes, may perform slow work for some 

 time without the disease being discovered, the 

 poverty of the masters not enabling them to pro- 

 cure assistance in time, whereby bad condition 

 is produced in the horse, and consequent debi- 

 lity, until nature takes compassion on the poor 

 animal, and finishes his career in death. On 

 opening the animal, a quantity of yellowish 

 serous fluid is found floating about his chest, 

 the lungs are contracted and smaller, on account 

 of the fluid interfering with them in the cavity, 

 when the horse is then pronounced rotten. 



In treating for this disease, care must be 

 taken not to determine too hastily on bleeding ; 

 for this should never be done, even though 

 the pulse is quick, for the quickness is in con- 

 sequence of dehility, and not arising from fever. 

 "When the aflEection is formed, it is seldom or 

 ever that any iuflammatory action remains ; 

 consequently, blood-letting would be highly 

 injurious, and the result would prove that the 

 cause had been mistaken for the eff*ect. Ex- 

 perience, of course, is the best guide in such 

 cases. 



JNIedicines to promote nausea are frequently 

 said to have a good eft'ect ; but we have not 

 found this to be the case, although we have 

 tried them several times, such as white helle- 

 bore, in two-dram doses, every five hours. In 

 236 



administering the following, however, our most 

 sanguine expectations have been realised. 



Sulphate of Iron . . . . 2 oz. 

 Juniper Berries . . . . 2^ do. 



Myrrh 2 do. 



Antimony 1 lb. 



Sulphur 8 drachms. 



Form into a mass with soft soap. 



Divide into twelve balls, and give one night 

 and morning. 



Eowels and setons sometimes do good in 

 this disease, but they are so long in acting 

 that we would recommend blistering the sides 

 and chest in preference. Give the most nutri- 

 tious food possible ; oats, with a few beans in 

 them for corn, with the best old hay, and let 

 oatmeal, or rice, be boiled in the animal's water. 

 Should the above remedies fail, the last re- 

 source is to puncture, or tap the chest. 

 Although this operation is delayed almost to 

 the latest period of the disease, and very unfre- 

 quently succeeds ; still we have been successful 

 in a cure, when driven to this extremity. The 

 earlier it is performed, however, the greatei 

 the probability of its having the desired eft'ect. 



AVe will now describe the mode of perform- 

 ing the operation. 



The situation most eligible for the opening, 

 is that wherein a depending orifice may bo 

 gained for the complete evacuation of the 

 water, without danger of wounding important 

 parts by the puncture. If it is carried too 

 low, the mediastinal folds, or even the pericar- 

 dium may be endangered ; but this would only 

 occur where the puncture was attempted per- 

 pendicularly, so as to make it between the 

 cartilages of the ribs ; but in either of the 

 costal openings, between the seventh and 

 tenth ribs, about an inch above their termina- 

 tion into cartilage,* an opening may be first 

 made by a scalpel, towards the anterior edge 

 of the rib, to avoid wounding the intercostal 

 vessels, first drawing the skin a little forwards 

 or backwards, to ensure a future closing to 

 the access of air. Having done this carefully, 

 introduce a three-inch trochar, by penetrating 

 the muscle between any of the above-men- 

 tioned ribs; then withdraw the trochar, and 

 allow the cannula to remain in until the whole 

 of the fluid is drawn off". Having performed 

 this operation, and the discharge of the fluid 

 * See Plate f Skeleton. 



