DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 599 
the same time to connect the previous somewhat scattered 
reflections, let us assume a case of common occurrence. 
A certain horse just of an age for domestication is bought 
from the hands of a country dealer, and taken to London or 
some other large towm for the purpose of being inducted* 
into the position he will be required hereafter to fill. The 
animal is fat, and probably lively, presenting an appearance 
of health and vigour; we are quite safe, however, in asserting 
that his present condition is not the result of active exertion 
combined with judicious dieting; his owner’s object has been 
to fatten him for the market as quickly as possible, and 
whether he has succeeded by the use of oilcake or potatoes, 
or whatever other food contains in abundance the requisite 
principles, it is very well known that he has not endea¬ 
voured to render the subject hardy by putting him to work. 
The horse in this plethoric condition, with his liver charged 
with fat, his skin inactive, his lungs incapable of sustaining 
half their proper share of exertion; the blood, poisoned by 
the products of decomposition that should have been re¬ 
moved by the liver, kidneys, lungs and skin, is taken by his 
purchaser, the town dealer, to be prepared for the work for 
which he is intended; to diminish plethora, however, is no 
part of his new owner’s desire, the animal must still have 
abundance of stimulating food, and while a certain amount 
of exercise is inevitable in the course of preparation for 
harness or saddle, it is usually of the kind least adapted for 
improving the tone of the system, being violent, of short 
duration, and given at long intervals. 
After some such spasmodic proceeding, involved in the 
process of pulling the horse w’ell together,” as it is called, 
he comes into his stable, perspiring, tired, or rather ex¬ 
hausted ; he is reported off his feed an occasional cough 
is heard, he is voted to have caught a little cold;” the vete¬ 
rinary surgeon is, perchance, on the spot, and the case is 
pointed out as one of no great significance; he sees the horse 
looking dull and stupid, refusing his food; the pulse will be 
quick and weak; mouth hot; respiration short, and double 
the normal rate, the flanks moving so slightly that it is diffi¬ 
cult to count the number, and the mucous membrane tinged 
of a decided yellow, mingling with the red; the faeces are 
hard, small, and light-coloured, and the diagnosis is bilious 
fever.” Auscultation discovers increased bronchial sound 
and, very likely, a mucous rale. 
The fact is, the little cold ” has caught the animal in a 
most unfortunate state, with the emunctories of the system 
inactive from long disuse, the blood deteriorated by accu- 
