DISEASES OF THE THROAT. 293 



stomach is distended with food, for the lungs ought to have 

 the freest and fullest play possible. Oats will be an excellent 

 article of diet. In England, carrots are considered of great 

 benefit in this and similar diseases of the respiratory organs. 



THICK WIND, WHEEZING, ETC. 



Thick wind is the general name applied to the defective 

 respiration of the horse when there is no clearly-defined 

 unnatural noise, and there are no signs of the condition 

 known as emphysema, described in the last section. It is 

 characterized by a short, quick, and labored breathing, as 

 well of inspiration as of expiration. Sometimes the bron- 

 chial tubes are the seat of the trouble, from their diameter 

 becoming lessened by a thickening of the mucous membrane 

 with which they are lined ; but, usually, it follows pneumonia, 

 and is caused by the hepatization of a portion of the lungs — 

 that is, some of the air-cells are closed up or obliterated, so 

 that only a part of the lungs is available for the purposes of 

 respiration. This part has extra labor thrown upon it, of 

 course; and/the breathing is necessarily quicker, in order 

 that the blood, which it was intended should be acted upon 

 by the air in every portion of the lungs, may not suffer, now 

 that only a part of their air-surfaces can be used. 



This trouble often precedes "broken wind;" but, while 

 that disorder is the effect of particular afiections of the lungs, 

 nearly all of them are attended or followed by thick wind, 

 or wheezing. Unlike broken wind, the latter often passes 

 away with the disease that produced it. 



TREATMENT. 



This will be of the same character as that prescribed in the 

 last section for broken wind, and can not be expected to do 

 more than simply mitigate the symptoms. 



ROARING. 



This is the name given in England to a disease exceedingly 

 rare in this country, although some parts of Europe contain 



