88 
LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
annually saved which now die.” I fully and entirely agree with 
Mr. Haycock in this view of the nature of inflammation, and the 
great necessity of commencing early with remedies which will give 
artificial help to the vital force. 
Percival says, “A young horse will undergo acute pneumonia or 
pleuro-pneumonia ; and should he not sink in the congestive stage, 
or have his disease cut short by treatment, will die during the 
second, or third, or fourth week, with his chest full of water, and 
intersected albuminous effusions, and his lungs condensed and 
liepatized ; but an old horse, with stamina to endure a conflict 
between disease and remedy, will hold out whilst tubercles 
and vomicae are generated in his lungs, and in the end die of 
phthisis.” 
Some of you will be ready to ask what I consider the pathogno- 
monic symptoms attendant on the development of vomicae are ? 
I reply, “ A perceptible failing or sinking pulse, and fetid 
breath.” The formation of vomicae must have been preceded 
by inflammation of a peculiar character, called typhoid pneumonia; 
other kinds of inflammation may ravage the lungs with an intensity 
much greater than typhoid inflammation does, and end in death 
without vomicae, or the slightest approach to vomicae supervening. 
This may be explained by there being force in the circulation in this 
case preventing a choking up of the capillaries. This typhoid pneu- 
monia must have been existing and insiduously progressing three or 
four w T eeks before the lumps called tubercles lose vitality, which 
commences in their centres or nucleus; spontaneous softening and 
decomposition takes place : this is vomicae. At this precise period a 
perceptible change takes place in the character of the pulse ; about 
the same time fetid breath is detected wdiich rapidly increases, and 
in twelve or twenty-four hours death puts an end to our patient’s 
sufferings. This condition of the lungs may be accompanied, and 
often is, by disease of the pleura, and effusion into the pleural cavity, 
but this is not by any means necessarily the case. 
Treatment of Vomicee . — In respect to this part of my subject, when 
vomicae have become developed, I have no treatment to recommend — 
no known treatment can avail. The only w r ay in which w r e can be of 
any service to our patient and to our employer, is to use the time 
well at the beginning of the case, use every means in our power to 
prevent congestion or inflammation taking place; but if either 
of these conditions have become developed, employ every available 
means to prevent their continuance, and for this purpose the best 
remedies known are diffusible stimulants, to rouse and stimulate 
the nerves of the chest, and by these means disperse the congestion 
which is now settling in the parenchyma of the lungs. You must 
use them unsparingly, both internally and externally, and pure cold 
air to breathe. I give spt. Nitrous Ether, and Tincture of Pimento, 
1 oz. each, in 6 ozs. of warm water, two or three times a day ; also Car- 
bonate Ammonia, two drachms made into a ball w r ith ginger and 
syrup once or twice a day. A rug wrung out of almost boiling water 
enveloping the chest to be repeated every two hours, with a dry 
