216 
ON DISEASES OF THE LUNGS IN HORSES. 
bronchitis and in the second stage of broncho-pneuniony. It is also created 
by the effusion of flnid into the bronchia in consequence of destruction of the 
cartilaginous rings, either from mortification or the bursting of vomicae or 
abscess into the pipe, in which latter case the rale becomes cavernous. Small 
bubbles are formed when the fluid possesses but little vicosity, or becomes 
frothy, as in haemoptisis, and the rale resembles the sound of frothing of beer 
in a large glass. Leblanc has given it the name of the spumous rale. 
The Dry Rale is a sound extremely variable in its nature, being at one 
time engendered within the bronchia, at another, but the reverberation of a 
sound originating within the pulmonary tissue. It is comparable to a growling 
bass tone, mingled with deep supplementary respiration. This rale, always 
denotive of dryness of the bronchia, is especially manifested at the com¬ 
mencement of acute bronchitis : its duration is always very short. By some 
the sibilous rule is classed among bronchial sounds: in our opinion it more 
properly belongs to the pulmonary sounds. 
Bronchial Respiration is the loud dry sound emitted by the air within 
the bronchial tubes at such times as some obstacle prevents its free passage 
into the air-cells. The sound resembles that produced by a rush of air through 
a tube of tolerable dimension, or the noise of sawing, or such as is occasioned 
by the rubbing of two planks of wood one against the other. The detection 
of this sound is easy, and at the same time of importance, from its being in¬ 
dicative of alterations either in the lungs or pleura, tending to create obstruc¬ 
tion in the vesicular tissue: there can be no doubt of its being occasioned by 
the rushing of the air in and out of the large bronchial tubes. It is less audi¬ 
ble in expiration than in inspiration. In hepatization of the pulmonary tex¬ 
ture, the bronchial sound is heard along the line of demarcation between the 
hepatized part and that which is only yet infiltrated. It becomes augmented 
as hepatization proceeds, diminished with its absorption. 
In effusion into the chest., it is as soon as the fluid has reached the height of 
the lower third of the cavity, and, consequently, the inferior border of the lung, 
from being inundated, becomes impervious to air, that bronchial respiration 
is discovered. And especially in pleuro-pneumony, when the lung is hepa¬ 
tized and maintained in the fluid by false membranes, is the sound distinct. 
In the horse, both in recent and chronic effusions, the sound is ordinarily heard 
upon the same level at both sides; but in dogs and ruminants it is audible but 
on one side. 
Acute j)leurisy at its commencement is likewise characterized by bronchial 
respiration. In this case it is synchronous with the small and short inspiration, 
and catching of the breath, owing to the sharp twitching pains the animal feels 
every time he dilates his chest; and it is accompanied with a general con¬ 
fused sort of noise which renders its detection extremely difficult. 
Pulmonary Emphysema, in the latter stages, is also denoted by bronchial 
respiration, the murmur being hardly or not at all perceptible. Audible in in¬ 
spiration, but more so in expiration, it has been divided into ascending and 
descending sounds. Almost always it is accompanied by both crepitous and 
sibilous rales. 
In Conclusion. —Bronchial respiration being a constant unequivocal sign 
of important pathological alterations, it is that to which the practitioner should 
give his most special and undivided attention. 
Crepitous Rale. —Laennec has given this appellation to a sound wffiich 
accompanies the respiratory murmur, and which he has compared to the crack¬ 
ling powdered salt makes when thrown upon some burning hot body, to the 
noise elicited by the inflation of a small dry bladder, or to that produced by 
the compression between the fingers of sound lung distended with air. It 
suffices to have heard it once not to confound it with the other rales; and be- 
