11 
A VARIETY OF THE EPIDEMIC OF 1836. 
the ears and extremities were of a natural warmth, as was also 
her mouth. The Schneiderian membrane was of a dirty brown, 
with a slight serous discharge from the nostrils ; and pressure in 
the neighbourhood of the larynx and the course of the trachea 
evidently gave her great pain. Her breathing was not much 
quicker than when in health ; but the inspirations were remark- 
ably short, the flanks suddenly dropping after each ; still the ex- 
pirations were uniform, and to the eye almost natural. The 
strong tincture of cantharides was applied, as in the preceding 
cases, with sedative medicine once a-day ; and I was much 
pleased to find, after two or three days, that there was a marked 
improvement in her breathing, and her appetite was better. 
This system was pursued until the 15th, when the horse-keeper 
thought her so much improved, that a little walking exercise 
would be beneficial. A lad was accordingly put upon her back, 
who rode her about for nearly an hour, when, as he was returning 
towards the stable, she staggered, fell, and died. 
I first examined the larynx, which was of a black and purple 
hue, as was likewise the mucous membrane of the windpipe 
throughout its whole extent ; but the chest exhibited much 
greater disorganization than I could have anticipated. It con- 
tained several gallons of a serous fluid, in which was a quantity 
of floculent matter resembling coagulated fibrin. Both pleurae 
were highly inflamed, as were the branchiae, and in many parts 
filled with froth. The lungs had a few tubercles in their sub- 
stance, but did not exhibit the least emphysema; and the heart 
was in a sad state of hypertrophy. 
The next and last case was a three-year old mare, which I 
was called to see on the 12th of January last, when she gave up 
eating, and could not drink, as it always returned through the 
nostrils. Her breathing was quick ; but as the larynx was very 
sore, it was attributed by me to that cause. The pulse was (JO, 
quick and weak. The pituitary membrane highly injected, and 
a very trifling discharge from the nostrils. The ears and extre- 
mities warm ; and she had a short, sore, cough. It was an 
every-day case of influenza, and was treated as such until the 
16th, when I heard a very favourable account, — that her appetite 
had returned ; she could drink well ; that her breathing was 
natural, and the cough almost gone ; and the owner thought her 
so much improved, that further medical assistance was not re- 
quired. In this, however, he was unfortunately mistaken ; for 
he came on the 23d to say that she had a relapse ; upon hearing 
which I wanted to visit her, but met with a decided negative 
from the owner. Under these circumstances I could only advise 
a renewal of our treatment, which he promised to comply w r ith ; 
