PNEUMONIA. 93 



of inflammation of the lungs within twenty-four hours 

 from the commencement of the attack. In extreme 

 cases they have perished in twelve, and even in 

 six hours ; therefore not a moment should be lost. 

 When a fatal result takes place so rapidly as this, the 

 lungs are found completely black, being engorged or 

 suffocated, as it were, with dark venous blood. This 

 variety of disease has recently been termed pulmo- 

 nary apoplexy; and is generally brought on by over- 

 exertion. It is characterized by a more rapid and 

 distressed breathing than exists, in other affections; 

 also by a more oppressed pulse. 



The first symptom of pneumonia usually is a shiver- 

 ing: fit. This is a circumstance which should never 

 be overlooked by the attendant. The moment a horse 

 is seen to shiver, he should be most carefully ex- 

 amined ; and if there are other suspicious circum- 

 stances about him, and the pulse is feeble or sup- 

 pressed, he should without delay have a drink com- 

 posed of sulphuric ether and laudanum, of each one 

 ounce, cold water one pint. Some endeavour to cut 

 the shivering fit short by brisk exercise. The horse 

 is taken out, briskly trotted or galloped; then well 

 groomed, and a hot mash put before him. This 

 sometimes succeeds, and inflammation is prevented 

 by rousing the system to throw off the evil; but on 

 the other hand, there are thousands of cases in which 

 the disturbance of the system has been increased, and 

 a fatal result has been induced by the ill-judged ex- 

 ertion during a state of transition. 



The nature of the shivering fit should be carefully 

 observed. If one or more of the legs are icy cold, 



