28 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



first affected. Should this condition remain unchecked and the 

 disease extend to the finer ramifications of the very small bronchial 

 tubes the sound will become high pitched like a whistle pipe. 

 Further the sounds may convey the impression that the air is 

 passing over something dry or that rough substances are being 

 rubbed together, while on the contrary the sounds may represent 

 air bubbles passing through a liquid. 



The dry, grating sound is generally observed in the earlier 

 stages of respiratory disease, and hence precedes the moist 

 sounds; the latter suggest the presence of mucus, blood or pus in 

 the cavities of the bronchial tubes. A still further modification 

 in the respiratory murmur is a crackling sound like the breaking 

 of small sticks; this again may be followed by a gurgling or drip- 

 ping sound like the dropping of fluid into fluid; these conditions 

 are generally present in cases of pleurisy, and this diagnosis may 

 frequently be confirmed b}^ observing that the acts of inspiration 

 and expiration are not regular as in health, but catchy, short and 

 very irregular. 



There is still one more abnormality in the chest sounds, which, 

 though very infrequent still invoU'es such serious consequences if 

 not recognized and properly treated, that passing notice must be 

 granted it; reference is made to that sound which is represented 

 'better than anything else by the tenn cavernous, namely, like the 

 sounds emitted from a hollow cavern in the rocks; and this des- 

 cription is very appropriate as these particular sounds never occur 

 unless a cavity, due to an abscess, is present in one of the lungs, 

 the abscess being a sequel usually, though not invariably, to in- 

 flammation of the lungs in the horse; one very unmistakeable char- 

 acteristic of this condition is, however, almost alwaj^s present, 

 nsLtnely, ''stinking breath,'" which seems to impregnate the whole 

 atmosphere of the stable. There are other sounds associated with 

 respiration that have not immediate relation to the the lungs but 

 may be due to other parts of the respiratory tract or to the supply 

 of nervous force thereto, such as grunting, roaring, whistling, 

 coughing, broken wind, .shortness of breath and so on, but it is 

 not necessary to deal with these here, as they will, with sufficient 

 treatment, have to be considered under separate headings, more- 

 over, every practical horseman can recognize them without the 

 necessity of any suggestions here. So far the consideration nf 



