176 
ON EPIDEMIC PNEUMONIA. 
the palate, and at the root of the tongue are a few isolated and 
scattered muciparous glands. 
The fluid which they secrete is of a greyish white colour, of 
considerable consistence, slightly viscid, and with a faint saline 
taste. The salivary secretion in birds is very small in quantity, 
and cannot have much influence in the act of digestion. It faci- 
litates the swallowing of the food, by moistening and in some de- 
gree softening it. 
ON EPIDEMIC PNEUMONIA. 
By V. CANTIELLO, V.S. to the Queen’s Regiment of Cavalry, 
Naples. 
PNEUMONIA, or Inflammation of the Lungs, has been often and 
well described by veterinary surgeons ; but there was a peculiarity 
about that which prevailed during the last year (1835) which de- 
serves to be recorded. It was sadly prevalent and fatal, and a 
great many of the horses that were attacked by it died in a very 
short space of time. 
During the month of October 1835, the greater part of the 
horses belonging to the Queen’s regiment of cavalry were suddenly 
attacked by an epidemic disease, and they were generally the 
youngest and those in highest condition that first failed. The ear- 
liest symptom, and very sudden in its appearance, was great diffi- 
culty of respiration, and total loss of appetite. The labour of 
breathing was sometimes so great that the animal was apparently 
threatened with suffocation — the legs seemed to be cramped — the 
hind legs were immoveable — the posterior part of the frame ap- 
peared to be paralyzed, and when the animal was forced to move, 
the legs could scarcely sustain his weight. The mouth was open, 
and its membrane of a dark colour, almost approaching to black. 
The labour of breathing rapidly increased — the flanks beat vio- 
lently — the nostrils were dilated — the tongue and palate dry and 
hot, and of a still darker hue — the breath hot and foetid — the con- 
junctival membrane deeply injected — the pupil dilated, the ears 
dependent and cold, and the veins of the face distended. There 
was also cough, not free and sonorous, but faint, and interrupted 
by some internal spasmodic action, followed by a considerable mu- 
cous discharge from the nose. There w^ere other peculiarities : the 
tail was immoveable — the mane coming off at the slightest touch — 
the hair erect — the skin dry, and adhering to the subjacent parts — 
the urine small in quantity — the bowels constipated — the extremi- 
ties cold — cold sweats at the flanks and scrotum — erection of the 
