LUNG FEVER. 



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CHAPTER XXV. 



LUNG FEVER. 



A VERY common disease, particularly in the spring, 

 although it is of rare occurrence to a horse well wintered 

 in the city, but seems to affect young horses brought in 

 from the country for sale : whether from cold taken on their 

 journey or from the closeness of a city stable, the poisonous 

 air with which they are infected, or what else, it is not nor 

 cannot be known ; probably it comes from a combination 

 of causes. If the breathing is labored and somewhat 

 accelerated, although the pulse may not be very much 

 quickened, but beats with a sort of a bulge, the ears being 

 dejected, coat rough, bowels costive, and a general op- 

 pression, he is in a bad way. Bleed now from the jugu- 

 lar, but not immoderately, one quart is enough if it seems 

 to give relief; my object is now to give not take away 

 strength. After a slight bleeding, soak each foot in hot 

 water up to the knee, not scalding, but near it, for ten 

 minutes, then wrap in flannel cloths. Give him in this 

 case rock-salt in his trough, or any kind of salt, and with 

 plenty of bedding ; let him rest an hour or more, then give 

 him a bucket of gruel made of scalded shorts or ship- 

 stuff, or middlings ; after scalding, let them be cooled. 

 Put two quarts of this mash into a bucket of hot water, 

 make it very hot, even , if the weather is warm, the 

 object being to start perspiration, give him this six 

 times a day if he will drink it; let him have his legs 

 kept in the woolens until morning, and then examine. 

 If still cold, repeat the soaking process of yesterday 



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