DISEASES OF THE CHEST AND AIR-PASSAGES. 115 



CHAP. XXIV. 



DISEASES OF THE CHEST AND AIR-PASSAGES. 



Injlammation of the Lunrjs. — Pneumonia. 



[Some years since, when the earlier editions of this work were 

 printed, it was customary to class all the diseases of the chest 

 under one head — inflamed lungs ; and the same treatment was 

 prescribed for all. Later research, however, has consideral)ly 

 altered this opinion ; and although it is an undeniable fact that 

 inflammatory affections of the different contents of the chest are 

 often extremely complicated with each other, yet in numerous 

 instances the symptoms of the different affections are so dis- 

 tinctly mai'ked, that it would be absurd to deny their separate 

 and distinct existence. Thus, without making any distinctions 

 but what arc warranted by observation and experience, and are 

 necessary for the judicious employment of remedial measures, 

 we shall have to consider — 



Pneumonia, or inflammation of the substance of the lungs. 



Pleuritis, or inflammation of the membrane coverinsf the luncfs 

 and lining the chest. 



Bronchitis and Trachitis, or inflammation of the mucous mem- 

 brane lining the bronchial tubes and the trachea; besides 

 Catarrh, or inflammation of the membrane lining the nostrils and 

 the throat. — Ed.] 



Pieumonia, or Peripneumony. 



[Even this disease often presents itself in different forms: 

 sometimes running its course and ending fatally in less than 

 twenty-four hours, and in others extending to four or five days. 

 In the foi-mer variety the lungs after death appear black, in fact 

 gorged with blood ; this used to be considered as a state of 

 mortification, and it was common to say of such an animal, that 

 " his lights were rotten as a pear ;" and if the horse had recently 

 been purchased of a dealer, and an action were brought for the 

 recovery of the value of the horse, the black appeai-ance of the 

 lungs was generally considered as a sufficient proof that the 

 animal had been previously rotten and unsound, and the dealer 

 was cast in consequence ; whereas the congested appearance of 

 the lungs ought to have been considered, in the absence of any 

 appearance to the contrary, as a proof of the recent production 

 and rapid nature of the disease. 



Such appeai'ance of the lungs is generally affoi'ded when a 

 horse dies after over-exertion in the chase, or from being 

 violently driven when not in proper condition. 



I 2 



