110 



and tlie urine becomes less in ciuautity and of a liigiier color. Tke 

 skin is usually hot and drj'^, buttliere are instances when perspiration 

 is X) refuse. At the beginning- of the attack there is generally a chill 

 (in most instances unnoticed by the attendant), caused by the con- 

 traction of the blood-vessels in the skin driving the blood internally. 



Cough. — This is usually a violent effort to remove some source of 

 irritation in the respirator}^ tract. The dry co?/(/7i is heard during the 

 first stages of disease of the respiratory^ organs. In x>leurisy the 

 cougli is a dry one. The cough in x^leurisy is noticeable on account 

 of the apparent effort of the animal to supj)ress it. The moist cough 

 is heard when the secretions (following a dry stage) are re-established. 

 Cough is but a sjnnptom — the effect of a disease. Roaring, heaves, 

 XDleurisy, iDueumonia, etc., have a cough x^eculiar to each affection. 



AuscuUaiion. — This term is applied to the method of detecting dis- 

 eases of the organs within the chest by listening to the sounds. Gen- 

 erally the ear is placed directly against tlie part, but occasionally an 

 instrument called the stethoscox)e is emxjloyed. The former is the 

 best mode for horses. In order to gain any satisfaction or knowledge 

 by the practice of this method the reader must first become familiar 

 with the sounds in a healthy horse, wliich can only be learned by prac- 

 tice. Much more x)ractice and knowledge are then required to discrim- 

 inate i^roperly between abnormal sounds and their significance. 



Percussion. — As api)lied to the x)racticeof medicine this term refers 

 to the act of striking on some x)art of the bod}^ to determine the condi- 

 tion of the internal organs by the sound elicited. If a wall of a cavity 

 is struck the sound is easily distinguished from that emitted when a 

 solid substance is knocked on. When x)ercussing the chest, the ribs 

 are struck with the tips of the fingers and thumb held together, or with 

 the knuckles. An instrument called the pleximeter is sometimes laid 

 against the part, to strike on. If the surface is soft over the part to 

 be percussed, the left hand is pressed against it firml}-, and the middle 

 finger of it struck with tlie ends of the fingers of the right hand to 

 bring out the sound. This method of examination also requires much 

 practice on the healthy as well as the unhealthy animal. 



BRONCHITIS. 



As previousl}^ described, the windpipe terminates by dividing into 

 the right and left bronchi, running to the right and left lung, respec- 

 tively. After reaching the lungs these tubes divide into innumerable 

 branches, gradually decreasing in size, which xienetrate all parts of 

 the lungs, ultimately terminating in the air-cells. The bronchial tubes 

 are formed much the same as the windpixjc, consisting of a base of car- 

 tilaginous rings Avith a lajev of fibrous and muscular tissue, and lined 

 internally with a continuation of the resxjiralory mucous membrane. 



Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes. The mucous 

 membrane alone maybe affected, or the inflammation may involve the 



