198 
MR. YOUATT’s VETERINARY LECTURES. 
may not appear on the visible part of the membrane of the sep¬ 
tum of the nose, it will probably exist higher up, and there 
will be a collection of matter in some of these sinuses. Should 
the liquid come out mingled with pus, we are certain that there is 
ulceration somewhere, and probably the ulceration of glanders; 
if it be merely tinged with blood, or has only washed out a little 
mucus, we conclude that there is no ulceration, and probably 
no glanders. The experiment, however, affords no absolute 
proof either way, and is therefore not of the value which some 
have supposed: but its result will enable us to form a tolerably 
shrewd guess as to .the state of the case. 
It was formerly the practice to inject many liquids into the 
nostrils in this way, some of them harmless enough, but others 
most cruelly acrid; we have now, however, learned to attend to, 
and endeavour to combat the disease, and, comparatively, to dis¬ 
regard the symptoms. 
As the frontal sinuses are lined by a continuation of the mem¬ 
brane of the nose, they will sympathise with many of the affec¬ 
tions of that cavity; but that portion of the membrane is sus¬ 
ceptible of an inflammation peculiar to itself. The disease is 
rare, and its cause has not yet been fully ascertained ; I am never¬ 
theless very much disposed to consider it either as metastasis of 
inflammation of the brain, or communication of inflammation from 
the brain by proximity of situation. The attack is usually sud¬ 
den ; the horse is dull, lethargic, almost comatose as ih stomach- 
staggers. The first thing that excites suspicion of the actual 
character of the disease is heat in the situation of the frontal 
sinus, when the hand is placed on the forehead. The lethargy- 
soon passes over, and a state of the highest excitation succeeds. 
The conjunctiva and the Schneiderian membrane are injected— 
the pulse is hard and quick. The horse becomes violent and 
dangerous—he kicks, plunges, and, half conscious and half un¬ 
conscious, endeavours to do all the mischief he can. The dis¬ 
ease is now evidently combined with, or is essentially phrenitis. 
It is distinguished frorr\ rabies, by this half unconsciousness; and 
yet the horse is more disposed tofoVethan he is in pure phrenitis. 
The disease is almost uniformly fatal. It rarely lasts more 
than eight-and-forty hours. The post mortem appearances are 
great inflammation of the membranes of the brain, with frequent 
effusions of blood. The sinuses are sometimes filled with coagu¬ 
lated blood. The brain seems to be affected just in proportion 
to the violence which the animal has exhibited. The mode of 
treatment will consist of copious bleeding—application of ice to 
the head, blistering the head—physic. The trephine is scarcely 
admissible, from the danger of producing greater irritation. 
