378 [Assembly 



On examining the lungs by the ear, no sound of respiration was heard 

 in the greater part of the left, and in a somewhat less portion of the 

 right. The respiration of the animal was labored, not unfrequently 

 accompanied by a groan. In short, the examination rendered it ev- 

 ident to me, that the animal was laboring under a disease called 

 pneumonia, commonly known as lung-fever in mankind; which is an 

 inflammation of the snbstance of the lungs, that both lungs were seri- 

 ously affected, the left the most so; and that they were in that stage 

 of the disease called Hepatization of the lung. 



Pneumonia or Lung Fever is a disease of several stages. The first 

 is that of inflammation. The blood is then driven into the lungs, or a 

 portion of them, according to the extent of the disease. This consti- 

 tutes the active part of the disease. If this congested lung was then 

 punctured, the blood would flow freely from it, hence the utility of 

 bloodletting in this stage. In the next stage, the lung is said to be 

 hepatized, that is, the blood which filled the lung to repletion, re- 

 maining unmoved, has clotted, and the organ is then firm, resembling 

 the liver in texture, not collapsing on exposure to the air or upon 

 pressure by the hand. Cutting the lung in this state, the blood would 

 not flow out. This stage is called that of "red hepatization." The 

 third stage varies. Either the lung recovers its natural state by the 

 slow absorption of the effused blood, the red particles first forming 

 ■what is called tha state of "yellow hepatization" — and subsequently 

 return to health; or the disease advances. The substance of the lung 

 is then changed to pus, or matter as it is commonly denominated, 

 forming the state of "diffused suppuration." It is from persons re- 

 covering from this stage of pneumonia, that the report arises of the 

 curability of consumption, a disease totally different from that which 

 we are considering both in its origin and results. Pneumonia is a 

 curable disease in all its stages. Consumption can be retarded 

 but never eradicated. 



All these various stages can be determined with most absolute cer- 

 tainty by the ear, and in mankind each of these stages is curable. 

 The action of medicines upon animals is very uncertain. Advanced 

 diseases are therefore most always fatal among them. 



A full bleedmg, the blood being allowed to flow quickly, from a 

 arge orifice, perhaps even until the animal drops, followed by a sa- 

 line cathartic will most generally arrest the disease in the first stage. 

 This treatment was last year unavailing in the cow stables attached 

 to the distilleries, on account of the broken constitutions of these de- 

 naturalized animals. 



