107 



The character of the breathing is changed by disease. Quick breath- 

 ing refers to an incpeased number of respirations, which may be due to 

 disease or to simple exercise. Difficult breatlnng is always associated 

 with something abnormal, and is often a perfect guide to the trouble. 

 Stertorous breathing must not be confounded with the difiQcult breath- 

 ing or noisy respiration of sore throat, roaring, etc. By stertorous 

 breathing is meant what, in the human being, is called snoring, which 

 is due to a relaxation of the palate and not to disease of the part. In 

 the horse it is generally associated with brain disease, when the con- 

 sequent derangement of the nervous fuuctix)ns causes the relaxation of 

 the soft palate. Abdominal breathing is when the ril>s are kept as 

 nearly stationary as possible, and the abdominal muscles assist to a 

 much greater extent than natural in respiration ; the abdomen is seen 

 to work like a bellows. In pleurisy, owing to the pain caused by mov- 

 ing the ribs', this kind of breathing is always present. Thoracic breath- 

 ing is the opposite of abdominal breathing — that is, the ribs rise and 

 fall more than usual, while the abdominal muscles remain fixed ; this 

 is due to abdominal pain, such as peritonitis, etc. Irregular breathing 

 is exemplified in "heaves," and often during the critical stages of acute 

 diseases. 



Secretions. — In the first stages of inflammatory disease these functions 

 are noticed with benefit. For instance, in the common cold at the be- 

 ginning of the attack the membrane within the nostrils is dry and con- 

 gested, which state gradually gives way to a watery discharge, soon 

 followed by a thick mucus. In pleurisy the surfaces are at first dry, 

 which can be easily ascertained by placing the ear against the chest 

 over the aflected part, when the dry surfaces of the pleurae will be heard 

 ruljbing against each other, producing a sound likened to that of rub- 

 bing two pieces of paper one against the other. In diseases of the 

 respiratory organs the bowels are usually constipated, and the urine 

 becomes less in quantity and of a higher color. The skin is usually hot 

 and dry, but there are instances when perspiration is profuse. At the 

 beginning of the attack there is generally a chill (in most instances 

 unnoticed by the attendant), caused by the contraction of the blood- 

 vessels in the skin driving the blood internally. 



Cough. — This is usually a violent effort to remove some source of ir- 

 ritation in the respiratory tract. The dry cough is heard during the 

 first stages of disease of the respiratory organs. In pleurisy the cough 

 is a dry one. The cough in pleurisy is noticeable on account of the 

 apparent effort of the animal to suppress it. The moist cough is heard 

 when the secretions (following a dry stage) are re-established. Cough 

 is but a symptom — the effect of a disease. Roaring, heaves, pleurisy, 

 pneumonia, etc., have a cough peculiar to each affection. 



Auscnltatio7i. — This term is applied to the method of detecting dis- 

 eases of the organs within the chest by listening to the sounds. 

 Generally' the ear is placed directly against the part, but occasionally 



