THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AMONG HORSES. 
63 
however, the dyspnoea is so much more marked than in others, that 
those in attendance can observe the motion of the flanks : in no 
case, however, have I seen the breathing what might be denomi- 
nated violent or accelerated, or even oppressed. Neither have I 
found the pulse either very quick or remarkable for the manifest- 
ation of strength of beat : it is certainly frequent, 60 perhaps ; 
but in respect to strength , should we suffer our judgment to be in- 
fluenced by that alone, we should, probably, rather withhold than 
resort to blood-letting. The Schneiderian membrane exhibits 
nothing remarkable in aspect by way of reddening, but has, as 
well as the conjunctive membrane, rather a yellowish - red cast ; 
and there issues from the floors of the nostrils a deep — sort of 
golden — yellow discharge, sparing in quantity, and looking more 
like lymph or albuminous matter than any thing else : the continu- 
ance of which is to be regarded as unfavourable, and so is its sub- 
sidence ; the favourable indications in regard to it being its aug- 
mentation and gradual conversion into muco-purulent matter, or 
something approaching thereto. In cases that partake more of the 
nature of pleurisy than of pneumonia there will be notably audible 
the sigh of painfully-fetched breath, so well described to us, years 
ago, by that lamented brother of our profession, the late John 
Field, under the appellation of the pleuritic “ grunt*.” Where, 
however, the parenchymatous tissue of the lungs becomes the 
principal nidus of the inflammatory action, this sigh or grunt is 
not present ; neither is it any longer to be heard after the decline 
of the more acute inflammatory symptoms. The pleuritic tendency 
of the disease also is denoted by the animal’s flinching from pres- 
sure or pinches upon the sides, as well as by convulsive twitchings 
of the panniculus, should any be found present. 
Though the horse, as might of course be expected, is cast down 
and saddened in countenance, yet there does not exist that extreme 
dejection and apathy which has been a remarkable and prominent 
symptom of some distempers of former years : on the contrary, 
although manifestly very ill, still will the patient at times look 
up and turn towards you, and even take hay out of your hand, 
though he will not always eat it; and yet, steal an unobserved 
glance at him while shut up in his box, and you will see him 
standing dismally and mopishly, always in the same place, with 
his head turned towards the door or window. 
In respect to other — minor — symptoms, the bowels are con- 
fined ; the discharge of urine scanty ; the mouth warm, not abso- 
lutely hot; the upper surface of the tongue dry and furry; the 
legs (underneath the flannel bandages commonly early placed upon 
* See Mr. Field’s excellent paper on the subject, in the second volume of 
The Veterinarian. 
