THE OX AND THE DAIRY. 201 



and attendants considered as sure to die, and I have more 

 recovering." 



PLEURITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE INVESTING MEMBRANE OF THE 

 LUNGS AND THE LINING MEMBRANE OF THE CAVITY OF THE 

 CHEST. 



Although in acute pneumonia the pleura covering the cel- 

 lular mass of the lungs is generally involved in the inflamma- 

 tion, yet inflammation confined to the pleura itself is not of 

 uncommon occurrence. Many causes conduce to this affec- 

 tion : exposure to keen draughts of wind, a wet couch, over- 

 exertion, blows on the side, lying all night on the frozen 

 ground unsheltered from the weather, these and the like 

 may induce the disease. 



In pleuritis the shivering fits come on with great frequency 

 and violence, during which the shoulders quiver ; and this 

 latter symptom occurs even when there is no general shiver- 

 ing. The breathing is quick, short, and abrupt, like rapid 

 panting ; there is a short but painful cough, there are twitch- 

 ings and a wavy motion of the skin of the sides, and the ani- 

 mal shrinks as if from pain when the latter are pressed. The 

 flanks are tucked up, and the expression of the countenance 

 is distressed ; if the disease go on, it usually terminates in 

 the effusion of serum, not unmixed with coagulated lymph in 

 the chest (in fact a dropsy of the chest), which oppresses the 

 lungs, prevents their action, and destroys life. In pneumonia 

 we observed that the lungs were gorged with black putrescent 

 blood ; in this disease they are smothered in water, which fills 

 the cavity inclosing them. The treatment of pleuritis is, 

 however, the same as pneumonia. The lancet is the anchor- 

 sheet of hope, assisted by aperients, blisters, setons, and 

 low diet. 



Occasionally pleuritis changes its acute for a chronic form, 

 and the animal lingers on, becoming emaciated and weak, 

 with a dry cough, tenderness of the sides and loins, and diffi- 

 culty of respiration, as in asthma, accompanied by a short 

 groan and a drawing down of the angles of the lips, with a 

 heaving of the sides. The animal at length dies, wasted away 

 to a mere skeleton. On examination, the lungs are found 

 more or less extensively adherent to the sides of the chest, 

 bound by firm bands, the result of inflammation ; there is 

 generally fluid, also, in the chest, and in the pericardium. 

 Where the pleura of the chest and lungs do not adhere, the 



