Acute Sero-Fibrinous Pleurisy in the Horse. Pleuritis. 329 



especially if confined to one side of the chest, pleurisy is not fre- 

 quently fatal, and under appropriate treatment recovery is often- 

 times rapid and satisfactory. A certain number of cases merge 

 into chronic hydrothorax, the inflammation apparently subsiding, 

 but reabsorption failing to take place. The hydrothorax may 

 last for months or even a year. 



Treatment. If seen during the chill and before inflammation 

 has been deflnitely established, every effort must be directed to se- 

 cure its abortion if possible. No time should be lost in placing 

 the patient in a warm, comfortable stall or box, covering him with 

 woolen blankets, and actively rubbing and loosely flannel bandag- 

 ing the legs. Warm drinks and warm injections must be given. 

 Half an ounce or an ounce of camomile or boneset in infusion, 

 in two or three quarts of hot water, or in the absence of this, 

 any of the carminatives, or etherial, alcoholic or ammoniacal 

 stimulants may be given. Pilocarpin in i J^ grain dose hypodermi- 

 cally may promptly secure a revulsion of blood to the skin, and at 

 once overcome the chill and prove a most effective derivative from 

 the pleura. Placing the legs in buckets of hot water, or the whole 

 animal in a hot air bath will often act equally well. Packing the 

 chest and even the abdomen in a blanket wrung out of very hot 

 water and covering it closely by one or two dry ones, or, better 

 still, by a rubber or other impermeable covering, will long retain 

 both heat and moisture, securing free cutaneous circulation, and 

 soothing in a most effective way the irritation in the chest. This 

 may be maintained as long as requisite to relieve the patient, and 

 then the body may be uncovered, a part at a time, rubbed dry and 

 covered with a dry woolen blanket. By using elastic circingles 

 over the compress they are adapted to the respiratory movements 

 and any restriction in the movement of the ribs is beneficial by 

 limiting the friction, pain and irritation in the pleura. 



In the second stage, when inflammation has already set in, the 

 same general measures of derivation toward the skin, and hot bath 

 or soothing derivative compress are still demanded though they 

 may be substituted by more stimulating derivatives. The bleed- 

 ing of the patient into his own vessels is sought in various ways. 

 On the continent of Europe stimulating embrocations (essential 

 oils, ammonia and oil, mustard, etc. ) are applied to the limbs. 

 In America and England similar agents are more commonly ap- 

 plied to the walls of the chest and dry cupping in the same region 



