BOABINO.] 



MODERN VKTK RIN'AKY PKACTICR. [ciikonic couoii. 



feeds oft* tlie grouiul ; c'oii.siuiucntly, liis uock 

 id at lull strotcli ; bul ulicn lie bicoiiies dDinos- 

 tiojitoil, this natural strolcli of it is rumovetl 

 from hiin, for ho has his rack level witli liis 

 heail, and tlie manger but littlo lower, so that 

 those muscles of the throat, counectinj; the 

 \vinil[iipe with the spur-hone, as it is sometiiiioa 

 called, and the inner sides of the posterior 

 part of the jaw, become, in a manner, useless ; 

 consequently, contraction takes place ; and as 

 nature finds but little or no use for them in 

 such a case, so absorption takes place, and they 

 become shortened. It is from this cause that 

 we frequently see cart-horses, when turned 

 out to grass for a few hours, spread their fore 

 legs so cxtraordiifarily wide. This is the 

 natural consequence of their not being able to 

 reach the ground from the contraction and ab- 

 sorption of a portion of these muscles. 



Another cause, and, perhaps, the principal 

 cause of roaring, is the partial absorption, or 

 lapping over of the ligamentous cartilego union 

 existing between each ring of the windpipe, 

 fi'om the horse's head being so bridled in by the 

 bearing rein. (See Flate). It has been re- 

 marked by a very eminent practitioner, and one 

 particularly so at the Eoyal Veterinary College, 

 that the throat-strap being buckled too tight 

 may be the cause ; but, if this were the case, 

 not one out of every cart or waggon horse 

 would escape, especially when we take into 

 consideration the heavy harness with which 

 they are appointed ; but this is not the case 

 with carriage or saddle horses, the harness of 

 which is of the lightest description, and espe- 

 cially at the present A^y. 



In treating for roaring, we must premise 

 that its cure is very difllcult, indeed not prac- 

 ticable. It may, however, be prevented; and, 

 as "a preventive is better than a cure," we 

 will endeavour to describe how this is to be 

 accomplished. In the first place, the rack out 

 of which the horse eats his hay should be 

 altered. It should be on the ground, so that 

 the horse's neck shall be on the full stretch, or 

 as it is in a state of nature when in the act of 

 cropping his food. By this means, those liga- 

 mentous attachments of the rings of the wind- 

 pipe would become elongated, or be kept in 

 their natural situation. That corrugation of 

 the membrane, which might, under other cir- 

 cumstances, become thickened, would be re- 



moved, and so prevent a contraction or reduc- 

 tion of the compass of tho air-pasnago, by 

 which tho unpleasant noise of roaring is pro- 

 duced. Nature never intended a horse to Imvo 

 his hay just opposite his nose. All horses in 

 India feed otF the ground, and it is a rare thing 

 to meet with a roarer there. 



CHRONIC COUGH. 



Chronic cough consists in a violent action of 

 the diaplu-agm, and tho abdominal muscles 

 producing a forcible expiration of tiie air from 

 the chest, ejected with much violence, with the 

 intent of removing any extraneous body that 

 may intercept the passage of tho air. When- 

 ever it accompanies a general aflection of tho 

 constitution, it most frequently assumes tho 

 chronic form. Catarrh, and inflammation of 

 the lungs, are usually attended with cough ; 

 and even if those diseases are removed, chronic 

 cough supervenes. It is, also, a very common 

 attendant of thick wind, broken wind, glanders, 

 and pulmonary consumption. Worms also 

 will produce coughs. It also exists, at times, 

 without any attendant difficulty of breathing, 

 the horse eating well, and appearing in good 

 condition Sometimes a chronic or permanent 

 cough appears to afi'ect the animal when goinfi' 

 to stable in the morning, or at the different 

 feeding times. This is in consequence of ad- 

 mitting the cold air into the stable, which 

 becomes a source of irritation to the air- 

 passages. It is no uncommon thing for horses, 

 on first go n,' out to exercise, to cough ; but; 

 this is in consequence of coming in contact 

 with cold air. A cough of this description is 

 very common, and will sometimes aflect tho 

 horse for years, yea, even his whole life. In 

 other instances it does not end in so harmless 

 a manner; but, upon any occasional cold 

 taken, becomes aggravated ; and when this 

 repeatedly occurs, the bronchiju become so 

 permanently affected, that chronic cough is 

 established. 



The eflects and termination of chronic 

 cough are dependent in a considerable degree 

 upon the causes producing it. iVom what we 

 have observed of the termination of inflamma- 

 tion of the lungs, it will be easily seen that an 

 irritation often remains iu the air-passages 

 after that disease, as well as in some cases of 

 catarrhal affections. In either of these cases, 



271 



