202 DISEASES OF THE DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



affected side; rapid, abdominal respiration; dry cough; widening, 

 flattening or bulging of the intercostal spaces; displacement of the 

 heart-apex, especially in left-sided pleurisy; and sometimes increased 

 girth of affected side, with much effusion. Among the chief signs 

 are : At the onset, friction rubs on auscultation, and, as the effusion 

 appears, feeble or absent respiratory sounds in the lower, and inten- 

 sified sounds in the upper, part of chest. On percussion, the note is 

 flat up to a horizontal line — representing the upper border of the 

 exudate — and above this there is sometimes a tympanitic note. This 

 line changes in accordance with the upper margin of the fluid as 

 the patient changes position. Bronchial breathing is occasionally 

 heard over the area of effusion but is not characteristic. Doubt as 

 to diagnosis may be solved by exploratory, aseptic puncture. 



Treatment. — At the beginning, venesection may give relief in 

 some cases with much dyspnea, and four to six quarts may be re- 

 moved from the jugular. This measure is not commonly indicated. 

 High fever and pain are relieved by the use of phenacetin (H., 5i; 

 D., gr. x) and the application of repeated hot blankets, and mustard 

 rubbed into the chest, followed by the application of a rubber sheet 

 and dry blanket. With much pain, morphine under the skin, or 

 laudanum (§ii in a pint of linseed oil for the horse), may be substi- 

 tuted for phenacetin. 



With the approach of effusion, it is well to employ measures 

 to increase the elimination of fluid and lessen its entrance into the 

 body. Thus to the horse we give one dram of calomel (in ball) 

 with four drams of aloes; to dogs, 5 to 10 gr. of calomel in capsule. 

 Thrice daily, we may give a mixture of fluidextract of digitalis 

 (3i), oil of juniper (3i), and acetate of potash (§i) in water to 

 horses; to dogs, calomel (gr. ss), squills and digitalis (each gr. i) 

 in pills. At this time a wet blanket and waterproof covering over 

 the chest keeps up a mild hyperemia of the surface and may be 

 reinforced by occasional applications of mustard paste. 



A dry diet, with an allowance of a minimum of water, is de- 



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