DIAGNOSIS. 



13 



in total cuilap,sc, when death ib ininiiiieiit. A 

 \\ hole volume could be written on this branch 

 of diagnosis, but it will suffice here to sum- 

 marise as follows : — 



The pulse is best felt in the lujrse at the 

 jaw where each submaxillary artery passes 

 from between the jaws around the lower 

 border of the jaw, beyond and up on the out- 

 side through the cheek muscles. It can be 

 grasped there, between the first and second or 

 second and third fingers, and the beat is 

 distinctly felt with a light pressure. If the 

 number remains persistently above 52 per 

 minute, serious illness may be inferred, and 

 there is considerable danger when 72 per 

 minute is readied. If the pulse reaches 100, 

 and remains at this height for some length of 

 time, recovery is doubtful, and in the case of 

 abdominal disease it is almost a sure sign of 

 death. Judging the quality of pulse which 

 shows the volume of blood passing through 

 the artery, and thereby inferring the condition 

 of the circulation, is an art which can only be 

 acf|uired by experience. In the treatment 

 of general diseases by an ordinary attendant, 

 such discriminator)' precision is not expected. 

 It will be sufficient for him to know that a 

 gradual and sustained greater fre(|uencv 

 means an intensity of disease, and that a de- 

 creasing volume, as felt by a lessened size of 

 the artery, shews a greater general debilitv. 

 In abdominal diseases the freciucncy of the 

 pulse, coupled with the degree of expansion 

 of the artery, unmistakably point to the pro- 

 gress of the malady, and will most clearly 

 indicate the chances of recovery or the reverse. 



5- — Tbe normal temperature of the horse is 

 100.5 tieg. Fah., and all of the specific blood 

 diseases and most of the inflammatory 

 diseases cause very distinct and character- 

 istic elevations beyond the normal. In 

 slight fevers, the temperature will rise to as 

 high as uv, degrees, or 104 degrees, and this 

 in itself constitutes not much danger, unless 

 it remains persistent at that height for some 

 days. Upon the invasion of specific patho- 

 genic germs, there may be a gradual rise 

 each day, until a maximum of J05 degrees 

 may be arrived at without necessarily fatal 

 results, but if 107 degrees or even less should 

 be reached, congestive complications very fre- 

 quently occur, and it is very rarelv the case 

 that an animal will survive "a temperature of 

 loS di\grecs. During the acute stage of most 

 inflammatory attacks, a maximum of 105 

 degrees will be reached. While great impor- 

 tance must be attached to a high temperature, 



the lact must not be lost sight of, that in the 

 horse, as in children, a very high elevation 

 sometimes occurs on the sudden access of 

 te\er, or by a check to the action of the skin, 

 or other excretory organs. However, this 

 high temperature very fre(|uently can be 

 reduced by ordinary remedies in a few hours, 

 with practically no danger to the animal. 

 Care, therefore, should be taken, in diagnos- 

 ing from such elevations, to make sure that 

 they are, or seem likely to be, fairl}' persis- 

 tent, and are associated with other character- 

 istic symptoms, indicative of »'rious disease, 

 before at once concluding that the high tem- 

 perature alone shews something very serious. 

 l'"or instance, a sustained temperature of 104 

 degrees, coupled with blood spots, or dis- 

 colorations of the mucous membranes of the 

 eyes, nose or mouth (any or all of them), 

 would be indicative of an advanced stage of 

 some pathological condition, and far more 

 serious than a temporary elevation to 106 

 degrees, soon after the first appearance of ill- 

 health. The latter might probably subside in a 

 tew hours with ordinary fever medicine, or in 

 many cases by natural reaction. In all cases 

 (jf great elevation, persistency is most to be 

 feared. The temperature should be taken in 

 the rectum, and a strong human clinical ther- 

 mometer is best for this purpose. 



6. — The importance of abdominal swellings 

 in any part of the body depends upon the 

 p(jsition, and whether they are or are not ac- 

 companied with local heiit or pain. If they 

 arise suddenly, and are associated with a high 

 temperature, and local heat and pain, they 

 constitute evidence of innammatory action, 

 which may result in structural deposits, or 

 the formation of pus. 



7. — Suspension of the natural ajjpetite of a 

 horse is invariably indicative of disease, and 

 this symptom should never be neglected. 



8. — Any serious alteration in the character 

 of the excretions, or in the frequency with 

 which they are expelled, should be at once 

 noted, and the observance of such alterations 

 will lead to the determination of a disease, 

 belonging either to the digestive or the 

 urinar\' and generative groups. 



9- — I'be various evidences of pain shown 

 by the horse are probably more characteristic, 

 and lead to a more definite determination of 

 disease, than any other svmptom. Certain 

 expressions of jiain in the horse are so char- 

 acteristic, that they may almost be taken as 

 proved indications; such as, that, in all pain 

 connected with the abdominal region, the 



