298 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



PNEUMONIA, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE LUNGS. 



This follows hard after bronchitis, in most instances where 

 it occurs, and the horse generally dies. In only a small pro- 

 portion of cases is it possible to effect a cure. Where the 

 horse has a strong constitution, and his vital forces are all in 

 energetic play, if the disease be attacked in season, there will 

 be some chance of overcoming and removing it. The pro- 

 cess of treatment, however, will prove long and arduous. 

 Primary or pure pneumonia, as it is called, is undoubtedly 

 » found to exist, at times, without attendant bronchitis ; but it 

 is equally certain that the two diseases are intimately con- 

 nected, in the great majority of cases. Perhaps pure pneu- 

 monia is oftener accompanied, or rather preceded, by bron- 

 chial irritation than is now generally supposed; but this 

 symptom being so involved in th6 severer ones which follow 

 after with great rapidity, it is apt to be overlooked. When 

 the progress of the disease is slow, however, the bronchial 

 symptoms are seen clearly as a separate link in the chain. 



• Pneumonia is commonly ushered in with a chill, the horse 



shivering all over. Presently this passes off, and is succeeded 



** by an unnatural degree of warmth. Before long another 



chill comes on, more severe than the former, and lasting 

 somewhat longer. Thus there may be three or four recur- 

 rences of these chills before any other conspicuous symptoms 

 are manifested. The extremities are deathly cold from the 

 very outset. On putting the hand to the legs or the ears this 

 will be noticed in an instant. As the symptoms progress, the 

 breathing becomes hurried and distressed, averaging about 

 one inspiration each second ; the pulse, though oppressed, is 

 quick, running up to sixty-five or seventy per minute; the 

 mouth and breath are very hot; there is a short and evidently 

 painful cough ; the fore-feet are wide apart, from the animal's 

 instinctive effort to dilate the chest as much as possible ; and 

 the sound heard in auscultation is a peculiar crisp crackling, 

 which some have likened to the crackling of a dried bladder. 

 This sound is caused by the infiltration of blood into the air- 



