Ill 



Avliole tube. Broucliitis affecting tlie larger tubes is less serious tliau 

 when the smaller are involved. The disease may be either acute or 

 chronic. The causes are generally much the same as for other dis- 

 eases of the respirator}^ organs, noticed in the beginning of this article. 

 The special causes are: The inhalation of iiTitating gases and smoke, 

 and fluids or solids gaining access to the parts. Bronchitis is occa- 

 sionally associated with influenza and other specific fevers. It also 

 supervenes on common cold or sore throat. 



Symptoms. — The animal appears dull; the apiDctite is partiall}^ or 

 wholly lost; the head hangs; the breathing is ver}' much CLuickened; 

 the cough, at first dry, and having somewhat the character of a "bark- 

 ing cough," is succeeded in a few daj's by a moist rattling cough; the 

 mouth is hot; the visible membranes in the nose are red; the i)ulseis 

 frecLuent, and during the first stage is hard and quick, but as the dis- 

 ease advances becomes smaller and more frequent. iVf ter a few days 

 a whitish discharge from the nostrils ensues ; sometimes this discharge 

 is tinged with blood, and occasionally it may be of a brownisli or 

 rusty color. By auscultation or placing the ear to the sides of the 

 chest unnatural sounds can now be lieai*d. The air j)assing over 

 the inflamed surface causes a hissing or wheezing sound v>-hen the 

 small tubes are affected, and a hoarse, cooing, or snoring sound when 

 the larger tubes are involved. After one or two days the dry stage of 

 the disease is succeeded by a moist stage of the membrane. The ear 

 now detects a different sound, caused by the bursting of the bubbles 

 as the air passes through the fluid, which is the exudate of inflamma- 

 tion and the augmented mucous secretions of the membrane. The 

 mucus may be secreted in great abundance, which, by blocking up 

 the tubes, may cause a collapse of a large extent of breathing surface. 

 Usually the mucus is expectorated, that is, discharged through the 

 nose. The matter is coughed up, and when it reaches the larynx 

 much of it may be swallowetl, or, as the case may be, discharged from 

 the nostrils. The horse can not spit like the human being, nor does 

 the matter coughed uj) gain access to the mouth. In serious cases all 

 the symi)toms become aggravated. The breathing is labored, short, 

 quick, \)\\t not painful. It is both thoracic and abdominal. Tlie 

 ribs rise and fall much more than natural. This fact alone is enough 

 to exclude the idea that the animal may be affected with j)leurisy, 

 because, in x)leuris3% the ribs are as nearly fixed as in the power of 

 the animal to do so, and the breathing accomplished to a great extent 

 by aid of the abdominal muscles. The horse persists in standing 

 throughout the attack. He prefers to stand witli head to a door or 

 window to gain all the fresh air possible, but may occasionally wan- 

 der listlessly about the stall if not tied. The bowels most likely are 

 constipated; the dung is covered with slimy inucus. This apjjear- 

 ance of the dung is usually defined by stablemen to be "cold on the 

 bowels," or "dung covered with cold." The urine is decreased in 



