THE THORAX IN THE HORSE. 
685 
In pneumonia, in the second stage, wherein hepatisation of 
the substance of the lung takes place, percussion yields a tym- 
panitic sound, easily to be distinguished, having a tinkle which 
varies according to the places examined, without however 
losing its hollow resonance. Auscultation yields signs 
which differ essentially from those furnished by pneumonia 
in the second stage in man. Bronchial respiration is less 
clear, more hissing, sometimes easy. Often the bronchial 
breathing (souffle) is not heard but in expiration. It is often 
an unfixed respiratory sound. The rubbing noise is excess- 
ively rare, and never is heard save with complication of 
inflammation of the pleura. To this we shall return. 
When pneumonia has reached the third stage, and the 
exudation has become purulent, the signs of percussion and 
auscultation become altered. Percussion yields a sound more 
clear and full, though, nevertheless, it remains tympanitic. 
Sometimes the sonority is very elevated and clear in a cir- 
cumscribed spot : this is an indication of the existence in this 
place of an encysted abscess, communicating with the bronchi. 
When there is abundant exudation present, auscultation gives 
a kind of rale sound: we have too a vesicular sound, which may 
be compared to the purring that cats produce, and which 
coincides with bronchial respiration. The nearer the animal 
approaches his end, the more this rale sound becomes clear 
and irregular, while the contrary happens at the time the 
animal is becoming convalescent. 
We possess no very certain diagnostic signs to detect lobular 
inflammation by auscultation and percussion, or only such 
signs as have too much analogy to those of catarrh. The physi- 
cal signs obtainable in this manner possess no real value, until 
classed with other circumstances attendant on those diseases. 
Signs of Pulmonary Tubercles. — The same as in man, 
in the horse the points of the lungs are the parts ordinarily 
seized with chronic tuberculisation. In this case, percussion 
in general fails to afford any information, while auscultation 
gives either the sounds of catarrh or indeterminate respiratory 
sounds. Vesicular respiration is more harsh, more intense ; 
inspiration is readily distinguished from expiration, in a state 
of repose. From time to time we have a rale indeterminable 
from its depth. But where there exists a cavern of the volume 
of one’s fist at least, the diagnostic of chronic tuberculisation 
becomes more certain; we then ha \e cavernous respiration . Often 
this cavernous sound is accompanied by a clear metallic one, 
w r hich communicates to the pulsations of the heart the same 
tinkle, whenever the cavern is on the left side. This aus- 
cultatory apparition may, however, be absent for a longer or 
