184 Veterinary Medicine. 



atmosphere outside, we can conceive of nothing more simple and 

 effective than thorough ventilation by fan or heat extraction, as 

 referred to below. " Report of the U. S. Treasury Cattle Com- 

 mission, 1882. 



The above quotations were written with special reference to 

 cattle but the author reproduces them here as in principle applic- 

 able to horses as well. 



In both horses and cattle treated as above it is common to find 

 ingesta in the bronchia drawn in during the violent paroxysms of 

 coughing. Here we have a direct mechanical irritant and a 

 means of septic infection, highly calculated to induce unhealthy 

 broncho-pneumonia. Williams quotes the case of a horse in 

 which vomition was caused by an over dose of aconite, and a por- 

 tion of the food entered the bronchi. 



In this connection must be named the introduction into the 

 bronchia of liquids forcibly administered to horses and cattle. In 

 the horse the length of the soft palate enables him to hold liquids 

 in the mouth during his pleasure, and among the expedients 

 adopted to coerce him are the very dangerous ones of holding the 

 nostrils and of pouring the liquid through the nose. When the 

 nostrils are held the urgent demand for air leads to attempts to 

 breathe through the mouth, and, whether he succeeds in this or 

 not, the usual result is the drawing of a portion of the liquid into 

 the lungs. When it is poured through the nose the animal cannot 

 protect himself except by rapid gulping, and as he must breathe, a 

 portion of the liquid is usually drawn into the lungs. Any irritant 

 taken in this way will develop bronchitis, and some bland agents 

 like melted lard are almost equally injurious. Cattle having a short 

 palate can scarcely resist swallowing liquids that are poured into 

 the mouth, but a cough with the succeeding quick inspiration will 

 almost certainly draw a portion into the bronchia. To return to 

 the influence of cold, exposed situations which receive the full 

 force of cold winds, those from the north and west on the Atlantic 

 slope are specially conducive to bronchitis. Exposure of newly 

 clipped animals to stand without protection in winter or early 

 spring, has the same tendency. Finally the inhalation of smoke 

 or of heated and irritant gases and vapors, as in a burning build- 

 ing, is an effective factor. 



Symptoms: In its mildest form bronchitis is a transient illness 



