THUMPS. 141 



have an outlet in the most dependent part. (See Wounds and their 

 treatment, p. 459.) If pleurisy supervenes, it should be treated as 

 advised under that head. 



THUMPS, OR SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 



" Thumps " is generally thought by the inexperienced to be a pal- 

 pitation of the heart. While it is true that palpitation of the heart 

 is sometimes called " thumps," it must not be confounded with the 

 affection under consideration. 



In the beginning of this article on the diseases of the organs of 

 respiration, the diaphragm was briefly referred to as the principal and 

 essential muscle of respiration. Spasmodic or irregular contractions 

 of it in man are manifested by what is familiarly known as hiccoughs. 

 Thumps in the horse is similar to hiccoughs in man, although the 

 peculiar noise is not made in the throat of the horse in all cases. 



There should be no difficulty in distinguishing this affection from 

 palpitation of the heart. The jerky motion affects the whole body, 

 and is not confined to the region of the heart. If one hand is placed 

 on the body at about the middle of the last rib, while the other hand 

 is placed over the heart behind the left elbow, it will be easily demon- 

 strated that there is no connection between the thumping or jerking 

 of the diaphragm and the beating of the heart. In fact, when the 

 animal is affected with spasms of the diaphragm the beating of the 

 heart is usually much weaker and less perceptible than natural. 

 Thumps is produced by causes similar to those that produce conges- 

 tion of the lungs and dilatation or palpitation of the heart, and may 

 occur in connection with these conditions. If not relieved, death 

 usually results from congestion or edema of the lungs, as the breath- 

 ing is interfered with by the inordinate action of this important 

 muscle of inspiration so much that proper aeration of the blood can 

 not take place. The treatment should be as prescribed for congestion 

 of the lungs, and, in addition, antispasmodics, such as 1 ounce of 

 sulphuric ether in warm water or 3 drams of asafetida. 



RUPTURE OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 



Post-mortem examinations after colic or severe accident sometimes 

 reveal rupture of the diaphragm. This may take place after death, 

 from the generation of gases in the decomposing carcass, which dis- 

 tend the intestines so that the diaphragm is ruptured by the great 

 pressure against it. The symptoms are intenselv difficult respiration 

 and great depression. There is no treatment. 



