138 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
mediately exhibited all the symptoms of asthma, the attack pre- 
sisting until the animal was moved from that atmosphere. Em¬ 
anations from the soil in certain localities is an active agent; over¬ 
loading of the intestinal canal hy bulky, indigestible food, as musty 
or coarse hay, when the nutritive qualities are limited, excite it. 
SyinyHoms .—The initial symptom which attracts the owner's 
attention is the dyspnoea coming on suddenly, and this usually 
manifests itself after the animal has been driven, or, in some in¬ 
stances, it occurs a short time after feeding. This difficulty in 
breathing is accompanied by a wheezing sound, sometimes heard a 
distance from the animal. The animal stands with outstretched 
legs, elbows turned out, head elevated, nostrils widely dilated, en¬ 
deavoring to catch all the air possible; the thorax is fixed and 
breathing abdominal, respirat on labored, jerky in character and 
greatly accelerated, the flanks rising with inspiration and falling 
with expiration. The inspiratory act is short, while the expiratory is 
prolonged and terminates in a sudden effort at expulsion. The 
visible mucous membranes are red, and in extreme cases become 
livid, due to the non-oxygenation of the blood ; the eyes may be¬ 
come prominent and the countenance anxious. The pulse during 
the paroxysm becomes small and feeble. If coughing is produced, 
it has a short, dry, peculiar character, known as the “broken-winded 
cough,” and in some instances the coughing is accompan¬ 
ied by a scanty discharge of a watery secretion from the nos¬ 
trils, and during these coughing spells flatus is emitted from the 
anus. There is abdominal enlargement, presenting that appear¬ 
ance commonly known as “ pot-bellied,” providing the animal is 
dyspeptic. These symptoms, continuing for a longer or shorter 
period, cease, leaving the animal in an exhausted condition, which 
passes off in a few hours. In some cases these paroxysms may 
continue for two or three days, if not relieved by medicinal agents. 
On physical examination there is found, on percussion, an in¬ 
creased pulmonary resonance over the whole thorax ; on ausculta¬ 
tion, sibilant and sonorous rales are heard over both sides of the 
chest, and a diminution of the respiratory murmur. If the spasm 
is associated with bronchitis, mucous rales will be heard, changing 
their position. 
