COUGH. — CHEONIC COUGH. 287 



when they are feeding upon hay ; in others, when travelling 

 down hill ; in others, when newly taken to work ; in others, 

 when brought in from work. In cases of the two last men- 

 tioned kinds, fits of coughing commence, and may continue 

 with intermissions for perhaps more than an hour. In others, 

 the attacks are irregular, days even may elapse without a Cough 

 being heard, when suddenly the animal is seized, without any 

 apparent cause, and for a time will cough in fits of perhaps a 

 minute's duration. In short, the varieties of Cough, both in 

 character of sound and in the conditions of its emission, are 

 endless. 



Causes.— The causes of Cough are innumerable ; amongst 

 others, I may enumerate Schirrosity of the lungs, from previous 

 attacks of Pneumonia or Bronchitis ; thickening of the mucous 

 membrane of the larynx ; atrophy of the arytenoid muscles of 

 the larynx ; the presence of rough calcareous deposits between 

 the inner surface of the ribs, and the costal surface of the 

 pleura.* Coughs arising from any of these causes are incurable. 



The more common causes are — Catarrhs ; Irritation in young 

 horses, from teething ; also Indigestion, arising either from a 

 repletion of food, or from the animal having partaken of 

 improper food. 



Treatment. — The best remedies in general are — Dulcamara 

 1, Camphor, Bryonia 1, Extract of Belladonna, Belladonna 1 

 and 3 ; also, Hyoscyamus 1 and 3, and Cupri Sulph. 3. Several 



* I was once talking with Mr. Lawson, veterinary surgeon, Manchester, upon 

 Clironic Cougli, and lie related a very curious case of the kind. A horse which 

 for years had suffered from Chronic Cough, and which had resisted much treat- 

 ment to remove it, at last died. The chest and its contents were examined for 

 the cause of the cough, and all which was discovered was a rough calcareous 

 deposit heneath the pleura, which stretched and elevated the membrane, and 

 against which the lung had suffered irritation. 



