Acute Sero- Fibrinous Pleurisy in the Horse. Pleuritis. 321 



inflamed pleurae on each other, and has the inspiration short and 

 suddenly checked by an audible closure of the glottis while the 

 expiration is slow and prolonged. This character of the breath- 

 ing is well observed when the ear is placed against the false nos- 

 tril. The ribs are drawn out and fixed. The laboring abdominal 

 muscles stand out as a ridge from the outer angle of the ilium 

 along the lower end of the last ribs (pleuritic ridge). A tremor 

 on this line is often noticeable in the early stages. It may also 

 be felt by the hand laid on the costal region. The horse does 

 not stand obstinately still as in pneumonia, but frequently moves 

 as if seeking an easier posture. When moved or turned he will 

 groan at each step, much more so than in pneumonia, and he moves 

 unsteadily and uncertainly, as from nervous or muscular weakness. 

 The loins are insensible to pinching. Faeces are small, dry, hard 

 balls, few in number ; urine is devoid of chlorides, scanty, dense, 

 and high colored ; appetite gone ; thirst craving. Yet a swallow 

 of cold water may cause pain and even a moan (Barreau). The 

 mouth is dry and clammy ; the eyes dull and may be semiclosed. 

 The short, hacking cough contrasts with the deep, rare cough of 

 pneumonia. The expired air is not so hot, nor the mucous mem- 

 brane of the nose so red as in the last named disease and there is 

 no nasal discharge. A twitching of the muscles of the chest is 

 sometimes seen and if the intercostal muscles are pressed upon, the 

 animal winces and frequently grunts. This last symptom is like- 

 wise seen in rheumatic disease of the intercostal muscles (pleuro- 

 dynia) but the absence of the fever, the cough, and other chest 

 symptoms sufficiently distinguish this. Auscultation detects in 

 the early stages, in addition to a healthy respiratory murmur, a 

 friction sound, audible in inspiration only, in short jerks near 

 the close of the act and comparable to the rubbing of the palm of 

 one hand over the other laid over the ear, but this is no longer 

 heard when effusion of liquid has taken place into the pleurae. 

 Percussion in the early stages detects no change from the healthy 

 chest resonance. 



If not relieved in from twenty-four to thirty-six hours, a re- 

 markable modification of the symptoms takes place indicating the 

 occurrence of effusion. The violent symptoms are suddenly re- 

 lieved. The quick catching breathing which is in many cases ac- 

 companied by a grunt, becomes easy and though fuller than 

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