d then be closed immediately. If it is an incised wound,
it should be closed with sutures or with adhesive plasters; if torn or
lacerated, adhesive plaster may be used or a bandage around the chest
over the dressing. At all events, air must be prevented from getting
into the chest as soon and as effectually as possible. The after
treatment of the wound should consist principally in keeping the parts
clean with a solution of carbolic acid, and applying fresh dressing as
often as required to keep the wound in a healthy condition. Care should
be taken that the discharges from the wound have an outlet in the most
dependent part. (See Wounds and their treatment, p. 484.) If pleurisy
supervenes, it should be treated as advised under that head.

THUMPS, OR SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM.

"Thumps" is generally thought by the inexperienced to be a palpitation
of the heart. While it is true that palpitation of the heart is
sometimes called "thumps," it must not be confounded with the affection
under consideration.

In the beginning of this article on the diseases of the organs of
respiration, the diaphragm was briefly referred to as the principal and
essential muscle of respiration. Spasmodic or irregular contractions of
it in man are manifested by what is familiarly known as hiccoughs.
Thumps in the horse is similar to hiccoughs in man although in all cases
the peculiar noise is not made in the throat of the horse.

There should be no difficulty in distinguishing this affection from
palpitation of the heart. The jerky motion affects the whole body, and
is not confined to the region of the heart. If one hand is placed on the
body at about the middle of the last rib, while the other hand is placed
over the heart behind the left elbow, it will be easily demonstrated
that there is no connection between the thumping or jerking of the
diaphragm and the beating of the heart. In fact, when the animal is
affected with spasms of the diaphragm the beating of the heart is
usually much weaker and less perceptible than natural. Thumps is
produced by causes similar to those that produce congestion of the lungs
and dilatation or palpitation of the heart, and may occur in connection
with these conditions. If not relieved, death usually results from
congestion or edema of the lungs, as the breathing is interfered with
by the inordinate action of this important muscle of inspiration so much
that proper aeration of the blood can not take place. The t