CANINE ASTHMA. 127 



usually found with his lower jaw removed from the upper, allow- 

 ing a distinct view of the back of the mouth, and of the fauces 

 also ; which has, in more instances than one, given occasion to 

 consider it as a case of rabies ; and the poor dog has been destroy- 

 ed, without any medical relief being attempted. A well described 

 case fell under the notice of that ingenious veterinarian Mr, Cherry, 

 in IS^^, which appears in No. 32 of the Farrier and Naturalist. 

 He says, " I found the dog v.ith his mouth wide open, and a quantity 

 of frothy saliva about it. There was no difhculty in seeing the 

 back part of the mouth and fauces, which exhibited strong symp- 

 toms of violent inflammation. The muscles connected wilh the 

 lower jaw had lost their power, the mouth was easily closed by a 

 stick, or the hand put under the chin ; but so soon as this support 

 was withdrawn, the jaw again dropped, and the mouth remained 

 wide open without the dog having power to close it. When food 

 or slop was put into his mmith closed, he could swallow, but not 

 otherwise ; he was dull, and manifested uneasiness ; the breathing 

 was hurried, and the pulse quick ; but he was sensible, and danger 

 from biting was quite out of the question. I at once decided on 

 treating him by depletion, and accordingly bled freely from the 

 jugular vein, giving at the same time aperient medicine, and keep- 

 ing up the action of the bowels by frequently repeating it. The 

 food was principally oatmeal gruel given warm, and the dog was 

 enabled to take it by his friend the cook, and her assistant the 

 €oach»nan, both of whom were assiduous and expert nurses, closing 

 the mouth sufficiently to allow of his swallowing what was taken 

 into it. With this treatment amendment was soon manifes'ted, and 

 in fifteen days from its commencement medicine was no longer ne- 

 cessary ; the muscles of the lower jaw gradually recovered their 

 tone, and the dog was alive and healthy not long ago.'* 



CANINE ASTHMA, 



Whatever difference there may be between the human asthma, 

 considered as a spasmodic affection, aggravated by paroxysms, and 

 that of our present subject, which I consider as more allied to 



