CHAPTER XII 
DISEASES AFFECTING THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 
THE commonest disease of the respiratory system is 
catarrh, in some one of its many forms. 
Jatarrh is an inflammation of a mucous membrane, 
associated with an excessive discharge of mucus. It 
may attack any mucous membrane of the body, but un- 
less some other region is specified it is understood that 
the name catarrh refers to the disease affecting the 
mucous lining of the nose and thrvat. The two kinds 
of catarrh (of respiratory passages) are acute and 
chronic. 
ACUTE CATARRH 
Acute catarrh comes on rather suddenly, and is gen- 
erally severe. It is often associated with an infectious 
distemper, or influenza. <A “cold in the head” is a form 
of the disease. Catarrh is frequently brought on by 
exposure to cold and wet when the animal is warm or 
out of condition. It sometimes passes from animal to 
animal. Most large sale stables are infested with an 
influenza, which manifests itself as acute catarrh. 
The animal appears dull. There is often a chill 
in the early stage, followed by fever. The mucous 
membranes of the nose and eyes are congested and 
red. There is a discharge of mucus from the nostrils. 
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