PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. BRONCHO-PNEUMONIA. BRONCHO-PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.
Though we often meet with typical forms of bronchitis, pneumonia and pleurisy, it is much more common to find them combined more or less with each other. Thus combined inflammation of the bronchial tubes and pulmonary substance is frequent; inflammation affecting both the lung and its investing pleural membrane is no less common; and cases are seen in which all three structures are involved. These conditions are to be recognized by the presence of the symptoms of both the coexisting maladies but particularly by the indications furnished by touch, auscultation and percussion. The predominance of one disease over another will decide the nature of the treatment which must be adapted to the peculiar character of each case whether mainly bronchitic, pneumonic, or pleuritic. It is these mixed cases that test the ability and judgment of the practitioner as he must carefully individualize each case, ascertain the different parts affected, the grade of the inflammatory action, the nature of the attendant fever, the presence or absence of epizootic influence, etc., and having all these conditions in view must apply remedial measures accordingly.
It must be evident that particular directions cannot be supplied for all of these cases. General principles only can be inculcated and their adaptation to the varied phases of different cases left to the judgment of the student.