CROUP. 



Croup : croak. Acute lar3'ngitis, with spasms and perhaps pseudotnem- 

 branes. Relation to diphtheria. Causes, low, damp localities, exposure, 

 youth, form of inflammation. Symptoms, onset sudden, crowing inspira- 

 tion, hard cough paroxysmal, fever, larynx sensitive, dyspncea in paroxysms 

 or intermittent. Complications. Duration. I^esions, intense congestion, 

 false membranes on larynx, fibrinous. Treatment, fomentations, ether, 

 chloroform, chloral hydrate, laxative saline, sedative, derivative, surgical, 

 water vapor, calomel; caustic, stimulants, tonics. Croup in sheep and 

 horse. 



CROUPOUS LARYNGITIS. PSEUDO-MEMBRANOUS LARYNGITIS. 



Name and Definition. The word croup by which this disease 

 is known over the whole of Europe and a great part of America 

 is, essentially Scotch, and is familiarly used in the Lowlands of 

 Scotland to signify — to croak. The di.sease consists in an acute 

 inflammation or high vascular irritation of the larynx, associated 

 with spasms of its muscles and commonly though not invariably 

 with a firm layer of exudation on the surface of the mucous mem- 

 brane. In some cases undoubtedly croup is but a form of the 

 contagious pseudo-membranous affection diphtheria, the germs of 

 which grown on a surface freely swept by continuous currents of 

 pure air, retain too much of an aerobic habit to penetrate deeply 

 into the tissues. (See Authors, ' ' Malignancy mitigated by 

 Oxygen," Medical Record, 1881, p. 673). It does not follow, 

 however, that croup is always due to even a weakened germ. So 

 far as yet appears it may develop independently of any particular 

 pathogenic germ, from some violent local irritant in a predisposed 

 subject. Croup therefore may be treated here as a presumably 

 noninfectious disease. Being a very rare disease in horses its 

 manifestation in ruminants will first be noticed. 



CROUP IN THE OX. 



Causes. These are not well understood. Low, damp situations 



would seem most liable, especially if the animals are much exposed 



at night. So far indeed as can be observed it arises from the same 



causes as laryngitis. Age affects its development. Croup is 



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