Acute Croupous Pneumonia. Pneumonitis in the Horse. 227 



Fatty degeneration of the heart and congestions of the intes- 

 tinal mucosa, liver, kidneys, and spleen are further complications. 



Finally laminitis and rheumatoid affections occur as complica- 

 tions. 



Treatment. This must be adapted to the nature and condition 

 of the subject and to the character of the disease. A horse in 

 vigorous condition or with an acute type of inflammation may be 

 greatly benefitted by an actively depleting treatment, whereas to 

 the same animal in a low state of health, or during the prevalence 

 of an epidemic form of the malady depletion may be destruction. 

 It is not sought here, as is so often done in the consideration of 

 this disease, to ring the changes, as to the probability of a change 

 of type in disease, or a change of theory on the part of physicians, 

 having affected the practice of bloodletting. True to our primary 

 purpose of rendering the work eminently practical, we shall first 

 notice the general management applicable to all cases, then the 

 treatment of the two great types of the disease, acute (sthenic), 

 and subacute (asthenic), leaving to the enlightened judgment of 

 the reader to apply an appropriately modified system to that large 

 class of cases which occupy an intermediate position. 



A pure airy box is first demanded, with the windows or doors 

 toward the south, or at least not turned in the direction of the 

 prevailing cold winds. The craving for pure air, so strikingly 

 shown by the position which the animal assumes, ought never to 

 be ignored nor neglected. We do not advocate the system of the 

 late Professor Coleman who kept pneumonia patients in open 

 sheds exposed to all vicissitudes of temperature winter or summer, 

 and yet the fact that many recovered under such treatment as well 

 as under a more rigorous system, having been turned out into the 

 open fields amidst frost and snow, ought to open the eyes of all 

 to the incomparable value of fresh air in this disease. The box 

 then must be dry, cool and airy but without a cold exposure and 

 without draughts of cold air. 



Next in importance to pure, cool air is the comfort of the pa- 

 tient. Any tendency to chill, shivering, staring coat, or coldness 

 of the surface and extremities is to be counteracted as far as pos- 

 sible. One or more blankets according to the condition of the pa- 

 tient and the temperature of the atmosphere are valuable and for 

 the same reason a hood may be put on. Coldness of the limbs is 



