AUSCULTATION. 505 



In these it is necessary to kneel and keep the body in a con- 

 strained posture, which distracts the attention and pro- 

 vents the proper appreciation of the various healthy or 

 morbid symptoms elicited. The most convenient position 

 for the smaller animals is standing on a table, by the side of 

 which the investigator may stand or kneel as convenience 

 dictates. By placing them upon their sides or back, the 

 sternal and contiguous regions may be most conveniently 

 examined. 



For the better description of healthy and morbid symp- 

 toms, and to afford some guidance in exploring this part, the 

 thorax is mapped out into separate regions. Two ideal lines 

 are drawn from the posterior border of the shoulder, in the 

 direction of the central axis of the body as far as the last 

 rib, or, in the case of the ox, the second last. These lines 

 are placed at equal distances from each other, and form the 

 extremities of the ribs, so as to divide the lateral aspect of 

 the thorax into three equal regions. The lower line may be 

 said to extend along the superior border of the large pectoral 

 muscle and the external oblique of the abdomen, while the 

 upper is midway between this and the lower margin of the 

 longissimus dorsi. The other regions are designated the 

 superior, median, and inferior. 



It remains to consider the indications of health and disease 

 obtained from these various regions when subjected to physi- 

 cal examination. In the following pages will be considered, 

 seriatim, the various methods of diagnosis, and at the same 

 time will be discussed the advantages of their individual ap- 

 plication to all parts of the respiratory tract. 



Here let the reader be warned against the too common 

 error of supposing that he may learn to elicit the symptoms 

 and to give to each its proper importance, by giving close 

 attention to any written description. Without assiduous 



