THICK WIND. 103 



breathing must, therefore, be more laborious ; and 

 that consequence will sometimes exist to such a degree 

 as, during excitement, to threaten suffocation. 



Symptoms of thick wind, however, may arise from 

 other causes. Most round-chested and very fat horses 

 are disposed to become thick- winded ; because the 

 cavity of the chest cannot sufficiently enlarge to foster 

 the health of the body. This fixed diameter of the 

 chest will not permit the lungs to expand freely and 

 fully during active and continued exertion. A horse 

 may be kept too much in the stable, and, from a want 

 of needful exercise, become thick-winded ; because the 

 lungs cannot instantaneously accommodate themselves 

 to the full and deep breathing which occasional exer- 

 tion demands. A horse working on a full stomach may 

 become thick-winded, because the diaphragm being 

 forced forward by the loaded digestive organ, there is 

 not room for the lungs perfectly to expand ; and 

 during the struggle which necessarily ensues, the de- 

 licate air-cells are ruptured. 



The frequent occurrence of thick wind after inflam- 

 mation affords additional proof that prompt treatment 

 should remove the congestion, and anticipate the effu- 

 sion of febrine ; this takes place towards the termina- 

 tion of inflammation, causing hepatization of the lung, 

 or the converting it into a solid substance, like liver ; 

 and consequently rendering the portion thus changed 

 unfit for the purposes of respiration. 



Of the medical treatment of thick wind little can 



be said. The cells once obliterated can never be 



restored. All that can be done may be comprised 



under the following heads : — attention to diet ; giving 



f 4 



