PNEUMONIA. 34S 



Usually, however, the desired effect is produced within twenty 

 minutes, and then great care and some little tact are required to 

 manage the operation. If the sweating is allowed to go on 

 beyond a certain point exhaustion is produced, attended by almost 

 as much danger as inflammation ; while on the other hand, in 

 attempting to moderate the action of the skin, risk is incurred of a 

 chill, and thus upsetting all the benefit which might otherwise 

 have been derived. But by throwing open the doors to the 

 external air, which may freely be admitted as soon as the skin 

 acts, and by reducing the number of additional rugs, the amount 

 of sweat given off may be kept within due bounds, and in the 

 course of two or three hours the previously wetted rug or blanket 

 may be removed, and a dry, warm one substituted for it, but the 

 assistants must be quick and handy in effecting the change. 

 Many a case of inflammation of the lungs, kidneys, or bowels might 

 be stopped in limine by the adoption of this plan; but the misfor- 

 tune is that it requires all the skill and tact of the veterinary surgeon, 

 first of all to diagnose the case, and afterwards to manage its treat- 

 ment. Still, if a master will undertake the superintendence of 

 the operation himself, and is accustomed to disease, there is little 

 risk of failure. 



The symptoms of acute pneumonia are a quick and dis- 

 tressed respiration, averaging -about sixty inspirations in the 

 minute. Pulse quick (from seventy to eighty -five) ; hard, often 

 small, but always compressible. Nostrils distended, and the 

 lining membrane red (except in the last stage, when suffocation is 

 imminent). Cough short, and evidently giving pain, which occa- 

 sions it to be checked as much as possible. Legs and ears gene- 

 rally cold, often icy. Feet wide apart ; evidently with an instinc- 

 tive desire to dilate the chest as much as possible. On putting 

 the ear to the chest, if the attack is very recent, there will be 

 merely a greatly increased respiratory murmur; but when fully 

 developed there may be heard a crepitant rattling, which is com- 

 pared to the crackling of a dried bladder; but I confess that I 

 could never make out the similarity between the two sounds. In 

 the later stages, this is succeeded by an absence of all sound, 

 owing to the consolidation of the lungs, or by mucous rattles 

 depending upon the secretion of mucus. On tapping the exterior 

 of the cl.est with the ends of the fingers (percussion), the sound 

 given out is dull in proportion to the extent of mischief, the effect 

 of pneumonia being to convert the spongy texture of the lungs 

 into a solid substance like liver. The treohnent will greatly 

 depend upon the stage of the disease, the age and constitution of 

 the horse, and the nature of the prevailing epidemic, if there i? 

 one. In modern days bl eding is very badly borne, either by 



