376 Veterinary Medicine. 



the lining membrane has been the subject of inflammation or not. 



Symptoms. The most prominent are the double lift of the flank 

 with each expiratory act, in the absence of fever, the short weak, 

 dry and almost inaudible cough, the wheezing noise in breathing 

 when that is accelerated by exertion, and the intestinal flatulence 

 with the frequent passage of gas. 



The cough usually heralds the advent of other symptoms. 

 Often the character of the cough draws forth the remark that an 

 animal is becoming broken winded and though no other symptoms 

 are seen at this time, they thereafter rapidly develop themselves. 

 At this early stage of the disease, the cough is paroxysmal, 

 coming on in fits during work or after a drink of cold water. 

 Once the disease is established the horse rarely coughs more than 

 once at a time. The cough is extremely short, weak and low and 

 followed by a sort of wheeze. So specific is it that if once heard 

 it can readily be recognized. The sudden effort made in cough- 

 ing usually leads to the expulsion of gas from the flatulent 

 bowels. 



The double lifting of the flank in expiration is not peculiar to 

 broken wind. It is seen as well in most diseases of the lungs and 

 even of other organs (enteritis, peritonitis), which interfere with 

 the freedom of the respiratory act. If however it is not attended 

 by fever but associated with the brokenwinded cough, the wheez- 

 ing respiration, the disordered and flatulent state of the bowels, 

 the tumultuous beating of the heart against the left side after 

 exertion, and the slight flow of clear, watery matter from the nose, 

 it is pathognomonic. The act of inspiration is quick and free, that 

 of expiration is not uniform and continuous as in health, but 

 consists of two stages interrupted by a momentary arrest. In the 

 first stage the posterior part of the abdomen is slightly raised and 

 it falls in laterally ; then comes an almost imperceptible period 

 of inaction, followed at once by the further lifting of the flanks 

 to complete the expulsion of air from the lungs. The flrst 

 stage seems the natural collapse of the walls of the chest and for- 

 ward movement of the diaphragm, the second a contraction of 

 the abdominal muscles partly due to an exercise of will to over- 

 come the obstacle to the expulsion of air. 



In very bad or advanced cases these S3'^mptoms are more marked. 

 The inspiration is sudden and manifested by a rapid expansion of 



