CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS. II5 



CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS— PLEURO-PNEUMONIA 

 BRONCHO-PNEUMONIA. 



Inflammation of the proper lung tissue is invariabh' preceded b}^ 

 congestion when it appears as an independent diseased condition; 

 and it will, therefore, be well to consider what can be done for the 

 congestion, as this frequently appears in the horse independently 

 and ma}' be arrested without pneumonia supervening at all; con- 

 gestion is an accumulation of blood that ought to pass on in the 

 ordinary course of circulation but does not; congestion of the 

 lungs is due to an engorgement of the bloodvessels which pene- 

 trate the substance of the lung tissue to its deepest parts; it gen- 

 erally occurs as the result of overexertion, especially in young 

 animals that have not been properly trained or fitted for the work 

 they are called upon to do; to exposure to we': and cold when in 

 an exhausted condition; the respirations are performed in a ver}' 

 laborious style; the horse evidently longs for fresh air, and if in a 

 box will make for the first opening that can be found; the eyes 

 are bloodshot, and the pupils stare and stand out; the legs and 

 bod}' are deathly cold; pulse extremely weak and small but very 

 rapid, often up to 120; breathing frequent, as many as 100 respira- 

 tions a minute, or even more; the animal stands with hi^ head de- 

 pendent, almost to the ground, and has an anxious countenance; 

 the dryness of the skin in some parts and the cold sweat that be- 

 dews others are each the more noticeable by comparison; the 

 mucous membranes of the nose and eyes are blue or even purple 

 in color, and if the ears be placed over the region of the ribs a 

 crackling noise is obser^-able, due probably to the rapid exudation 

 of fluid into the air tubes by reason of the tension from blood 

 pressure. There is one remedy that we invariably use for this 

 condition and have never known to fail, Anunoniuin caiisticuni 3X, 

 twenty drops to a dose, repeated every fifteen minutes; if this is 

 given in time and followed up the greatest confidence ma}' be re- 

 posed in it; but if the attack has been allowed to make headway 

 resort must be had to Aconite and Phosphorus. 



Accessory measures will much facilitate matters and aid the 

 remedy in its work; first, the animal must be got into a box in which 

 fresh air without draughts abounds; if there is much cold sweat 

 about the body wheat straw that is not broken should be laid 



