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principally coTisist in keeping the parts clean with the solution of car- 

 bolic acid, and applying fresh dressing as often as required to keep the 

 wound in a healthy condition. Care should be takeu that the discharges 

 from the wound have an outlet in the most dependent part. (See 

 wounds.) If the wound causes much pain it should be allayed with a 

 dose of tincture of opium in raw linseed oil, as advised in the treat- 

 ment of pleurisy. If pleurisy supervenes, it should be treated as ad- 

 vised under that head. 



THUMPS — SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 



" Thumps " is generally thought to be, by the inexperienced, a pal- 

 pitation of the heart. While it is true that palpitation of the heart is 

 sometimes called ''thumps," it must not be confounded with the affec- 

 tion under consideration. 



In the beginning of this article on the diseases of the organs of res- 

 piration the diaphragm was briefly referred to as the principal and es- 

 sential muscle of respiration. Spasmodic or irregular contractions of 

 it in man are manifested by what is familiarly known as hiccoughs. 

 Thumps in the horse is identical with hiccoughs in man, although the 

 peculiar noise is not made in the throat of the horse in all cases. 



There should be no difficulty in distinguishing this affection from pal- 

 pitation of the heart. The jerky motion affects the whole body, and is 

 not confined to the region of the heart. If one hand is placed on the 

 body at about the middle of the last rib, while the other hand is placed 

 over the heart behind the left elbow it will be easily demonstrated that 

 there is no connection between the thumping or jerking of the dia- 

 phragm and the beating of the heart. If the ear is placed against the 

 body it will be discovered that the sound is made posterior to the region 

 of the heart. In fact, when the animal is affected with spasms of the 

 diaphragm the beating of the heart is usually much weaker and less 

 preceptible than natural. Thumps is produced by the same causes 

 which produce congestion of the lungs, and is often seen in connection 

 with the latter disease. If not relieved, death usually results from con- 

 gestion of the lungs, as the breathing is interfered with by the inordi- 

 nate action of this the principal muscle of inspiration so much that 

 proper aeration of the blood can not take place. The treatment should 

 be precisely the same as prescribed for congestion of the lungs. 



RUPTURE OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 



Post mortem examinations reveal a great many instances of rupture 

 of the diaphragm. It is the general opinion among veterinarians that 

 this takes place after death, and is due to the generation of gases in 

 the decomposing carcass, which distend the intestines so that the dia- 

 phragm is ruptured by the great pressure against it. Of course it is 

 possible for it to happen before death and by strangulating the knuckle 

 of intestine that may be in therui)ture cause death; but there are no 

 symptoms by which it may be diagnosed. 



