354 DISEASES OF BREATHING. 



but not so painful as that of pleurisy, which is also short and sup- 

 pressed. After a few days, the cough becomes soft and moist, and 

 is accompanied by a copious discharge from the nostrils. If the 

 ear be applied to the side, a gurgling sound caused by the passage 

 of air through the inflamed tubes, which are more or less blocked 

 up with phlegm, will be heard. 



Contagious Pleuro- Pneumonia. — Seepage 454. 



General Treatment of Pneumonia, Pleurisy, and 

 Bronchitis. 



PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT.— Pneumonia, pleurisy, and bionchitis 

 appear as a rule to be diseases which have their respective local manifesta- 

 tions in the lungs, pleurae, and bronchial tubes, and. which have a definite 

 course to run. Our efforts, therefore, should be directed to tiding our 

 patient over the dangerous period during which the disease remains m his 

 system ; careful nursing being the best means by which we can accomplish 

 that desirable object. 



Veterinary surgeons and farriers of former days killed so many horses by 

 the indiscriminate and heroic manner in which they bled their patients, that 

 the inevitable reaction has caused the almost complete abandonment of 

 hleedvng in equine practice. It is, however, the one sovereign means for 

 reducing high arterial pressure (p. 17), which ia frequently met with in 

 cases of chest diseases ; and its necessity will be indicated or disproved by 

 the? state of the pulse. With respect to the pulse of high arterial pressure, 

 the mere feeling imparted to the finger ia deceptive, for a pulse of high 

 tension may be either large or small. The high tension may be associated 

 with an exhausted heart, and hence the pulse may be small, a condition 

 which is usually thought to require stimulation, but which in reality is 

 much benefited by depletion. Of all the Aaracters of a high-pressure pulse, 

 the least constant is hardness and incompressibility. Many pulses of high 

 tension certainly possess this character, but not all. A pulse of undue 

 length and of a pushing character is a more reliable indication. It is long, 

 persistent, and hard. It is the pulsus tardus, or " long pulse," of the older 

 physicians, the expression of a heart labouring against undue resistance. 

 In the diseases we are considering, there is a great waste of tissue, with little 

 or no appetite, and, consequently, rapid emaciation. Even if food were 

 ferced on the patient, he would be imable to digest it. There is, therefore, 

 imminent danger of his sinking from exhaustion before the disease has run 

 its course. Hence, we should refrain from bleeding, which under ordinary 

 circumstances would have a debilitating effect, unless when it is clearly 

 indicated, as it is in a state of high arterial pressure. 



Oownter -irritation (chiefly blisters) as a relief for acute chest inflammation, 

 has been used in the same rule-of-thumb manner as bleeding, and has 

 accordingly wrought great harm on horses. Its principles of application are 

 discussed on page 17. We are all familiar with the fact that counter- 

 irritation applied to one part of the system, has the effect of diminishing 

 congestion of blood in another part, as for instance, blistering the back of 

 the neck, or placing the feet in a bath of warm water and mustard, in the 

 case, with ourselves, of " fullness of blood to the head." As the state of the 

 internal temperature wiU be a fairly safe guide to the degree of violence 

 of the inflammation, we may accept the fact of the internal temperature 

 being high, as an indication for stimulating the skin, which is. most con- 



