176 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



Great attention must be given to the comfort and to secure 

 pure air, and soft, easily-digestible food for some time. 



CHRONIC EOAEING IN HOESES. 



This is a wheezing, whistling, or hoarse rasping sound 

 made in the upper part of the windpipe (larynx) in breath- 

 ing and especially when excited. It is usually due to pa- 

 ralysis and wasting of the muscles on the left side of the 

 larynx and which open the channel for the air, and in such 

 cases the noise is only made in drawing air in. But any 

 obstruction in the large air-tubes will give rise to roaring, 

 heard most commonly in both inspiration and expiration. 

 Thus palsy of the nostrils, fracture and depression of the 

 bones of the nose, tumors in the nose, throat, windpipe or 

 bronchi, false membranes extending across the air-passages, 

 dropsical swelling about the throat, and in stallions undue 

 accumulations of fat, may give rise to it. In the typical form 

 with palsy of the laryngeal muscles the animal grunts 

 (groans) when led up to a wall and a feint is made to strike 

 him on the ribs. If galloped up a steep hill or over a newly- 

 plowed field, or even for some distance on level ground, 

 the roaring is strikingly brought out. The same holds 

 good if made to draw a heavy load or one with the wheels 

 dragged. 



Treatment. In incipient cases with simple thickening of 

 the mucous membrane, benefit may arise from swabbing out 

 the larynx with nitrate of silver solution, as recommended 

 for croup, or firing the skin over the throat with a red-hot 

 iron. But if the muscles are wasted and fatty, these means 

 will be fruitless, and we must look to mechanical or surgical 

 measures for help. Pads attached to tlie nose-band of the 

 bridle, and so arranged that they will lie on the false nostrils 

 and check somewhat the ingress of air, will enable many 

 roarers to do moderate work with comparative comfort. In 

 the worst cases, in which the animal is rendered useless, 

 tracheotomy may be performed and the animal made to 

 breathe through a tube inserted in the middle of the neck. 

 Or finally, the larynx may be laid open with the knife, and 



