192 THE HORSE. 



off hundreds of horses ; and that breeder is fortunate, who does not now 

 sometimes suffer from its ravages. The treatment of it is very unsatis- 

 factory. The prevention may be a httle more in our power, by endeavour- 

 ing to get rid of the previous disease by one bleeding, when, in some 

 seasons, catarrhal fever appears under a form more than usually violent ; 

 and by bleeding with extreme caution, or not bleeding at all, when debility 

 begins to appear. A mild purgative may be first administered to carry 

 ott'a portion of the offensive matter contained in the bowels ; after which, 

 chalk, and ginger, and opium, and gentian, and columbo, with port-wine, 

 may be plentifully given, with green meat, or thick gruel ; but except the 

 horse be valuable, the chance of saving him is so slight, and probably the 

 danger of spreading the pest so great, that prudence will prompt his 

 destruction. 



Most frequent in occurrence among the consequences of catarrhal fever, 

 and inflammation of the lungs, is 



CHRONIC COUGH. 



It would occupy more space than we can devote to this part of our subject, 

 to speak of all the causes of obstinate cough. The irritability of so great 

 a portion of the air-passages, occasioned by previous and violent inflam- 

 mation of them, is the most frequent. It is sometimes connected with 

 worms. There is much sympathy between the huigs and the intestines, 

 and the one very readily participates in the irritation produced in the 

 other. That it is caused by glanders, can be easily imagined, because 

 that disease is, in its early stage, seated in or near the principal air- 

 passages, and little time passes before the lungs become affected. It is 

 the necessary attendant of thick wind and broken wind, for these proceed 

 from alterations of the structure of the lungs. 



Notwithstanding the clearness of the cause, the cure is not so evident. 

 If a harsh hollow cough be accompanied by a staring coat, and the ap- 

 pearance of worms, — a few worm-balls may expel these parasites, and 

 remove the irritation of the intestinal canal. If it proceed from irritability 

 of the air-passages, which will be discovered by the horse coughing after 

 drinking, or when he first goes out of tlie stable in the morning, or by his 

 occasional throwing out tliic' .ucus from the nose, medicines may be 

 given, and sometimes with advantage, to diminish irritation generally. 

 Half-doses of the digitalis, emetic tartar, and nitre, given every night, have 

 had a very beneficial eliect, especially when made up with tar, which seems 

 to have a powerful influence in allaying these irritations. These balls should 

 be regularly given for a considerable time. They are sufficiently powerful 

 to quiet slight excitement of this kind, but not to nauseate tlie horse, or 

 interfere in the slightest degree with his food or his work. A blister, ex- 

 tending from the root of one ear to that of the other, taking in the whole 

 of the channel, and reaching six or eight inches down the windpipe, has 

 been tried, and not without good effect, on the supposition that the irrita- 

 tion may exist in the fauces or the larynx ; and tlie blister has sometimes 

 been extended through the whole course of the windpipe, until it enters 

 the chest. 



Feeding has much influence on this complaint. Too much dry meat, 

 and especially chaff, increases it. It is aggravated when the horse is suf- 

 fered to eat his litter; and it is often relieved when spring tares are given. 

 Carrots atford decided relief 



The scat of the disease, however, is so uncertain, and all our means and 

 appliances so inefficacious, and the cough itself so little interfering, and 



