136 DISEASES OF THE IIOF.SE. 



The symptoms of thick wind are more obscure than those of 

 broken wind; as the- quickness of respiration after exercise is so 

 much affected by the condition of the animal, a horse weak and 

 out of condition will often, under severe exertion, breathe 

 quicker than a thick- Avinded horse in good condition. This fact 

 must be borne in mind and allowed for, when passing an opinion 

 on the case. 



It is astonisliing what great alteration of the structure of the 

 lungs may exist, and the horse be still able to perform his 

 accustomed work. I remember a horse that for some months 

 worked in a fast coach, doing a stage of twelve miles daily in 

 about one hour and a quartei'. He was seized with inflammation 

 of the lungs, and died in the course of sixteen hours. On ex- 

 amining the body after death, it appeared that one half the lungs 

 for a long time past must have been perfectly viseless for the 

 purjx)se of respiration, being so completely hepatized as to be 

 heavier than water. 



Little can be done by way of remedy for thick wind ; but we 

 may alleviate the symptoms by attention to the general health, 

 and by the treatment recommended for broken wind. — Ed.] 



CHAP. XXIX. 



ROARING. 



[This disease receives its denomination from the nature of the 

 noise made by the horse affected Avhen his respiration is quick- 

 ened by exercise. It ai'ises in fact from a diminution of the 

 calibre of the windpipe, or the larynx, or some portion of the 

 air-passages. There are various names used in horse plu'aseology 

 to express this disease, or rather different degrees of it, such as 

 grunter, Avhistler, wheezer, highblower, trumpeter, &;c. The 

 first denotes the noise made by a roarer when suddenly fright- 

 ened. All roarers do not make this noise, but Avhen it is present 

 the roaring is generally severe and confirmed. 



A ivhistler is a very bad roarer, inasmuch as the shrill noise 

 of whistling is a sign of there being a smaller passage than when 

 the graver sound of roaring is heard. This was put to the proof 

 by Mr. Percivall, Avho tied a ligature round the windpipe of a 

 horse moderately tight, and tlien, trotting the animal, found 

 that he roared ; but on drawing the ligature tighter, so as to 

 lessen the calibi'e of the windpij)e one half, a whistling noise was 

 heard. 



A ivheezer makes a noise, the character of which gives a de- 

 signation to the disease, being less loud than that of roaring. It 



