THE EXAMINATION OF A SICK HORSE. 17 



secretion in some part of the respiratory tract. A bad odor is found 

 where there is necrosis of the bone in the nasal passages or in chronic 

 catarrh. An ulcerating tumor of the nose or throat may cause the 

 breath to have an offensive odor. The most offensive breath occurs 

 where there is necrosis, or gangrene, of the lungs. 



In some diseases there is a discharge from the nose. In order to 

 determine the significance of the discharge it should be examined 

 closely. One should ascertain whether it comes from one or both 

 nostrils. If but from one nostril, it probably originates in the head. 

 The color should be noted. A thin, watery discharge may be com- 

 posed of serum, and it occurs in the earlier stages of coryza, or nasal 

 catarrh. An opalescent, slightly tinted discharge is composed of 

 mucus and indicates a little more severe irritation. If the discharge 

 is sticky and puslike, a deeper difficulty or more advanced irrita- 

 tion is indicated. If the discharge contains flakes and clumps of 

 more or less dried, agglutinated particles, it is probable that it origi- 

 nates within a cavity of the head, as the sinuses or guttural pouches. 

 The discharge of glanders is of a peculiar sticky nature and adheres 

 tenaciously to the wings of the nostrils. The discharge of pneumonia 

 is of a somewhat red or reddish brown color and, on this account, 

 has been described as a prune-juice discharge. The discharge may 

 contain blood. If the blood appears as clots or as streaks in the dis- 

 charge, it probably originates at some point in the upper part of the 

 respiratory tract. If the blood is in the form of a fine froth, it 

 comes from the lungs. 



In examining the interior of the nasal passage one should remem- 

 ber that the normal color of the mucous membrane is a rosy pink and 

 that its surface is smooth. If ulcers, nodules, swellings, or tumors 

 are found, these indicate disease. The ulcer that is characteristic of 

 glanders is described fully in connection with the discussion of that 

 disease. 



Between the lower jaws there are several clusters of lymphatic 

 glands. These glands are so small and so soft that it is difficult to 

 find them by feeling through the skin, but when a suppurative dis- 

 ease exists in the upper part of the respiratory tract these glands 

 become swollen and easy to feel. They may become soft and break 

 down and discharge as abscesses ; this is seen constantly in strangles. 

 On the other hand, they may become indurated and hard from the 

 proliferation of connective tissue and attach themselves to the jaw- 

 bone, to the tongue, or to the skin. This is seen in chronic glanders. 

 If the glands are swollen and tender to pressure, it indicates that the 

 disease causing the enlargement is acute ; if they are hard and insen- 

 sitive, the disease causing the enlargement is chronic. 

 36444°— 16 2 



