MOULTING. 373 



Tl<e base of the bulb whence the hair proceeds being beneath the true 

 skin, it is easy to perceive that the hair will grow again, although the cu''cle 

 may have been destroyed. A good blister, although it may remove tn«» 

 cuticle, and seemingly for a while the hair with it, leaves no lasting blemish 

 Even firing, lightly and skilfully performed, and not penetrating througn 

 the skin, leaves not much blemish ; but when, in broken knees, the true 

 skin is cut through, or destroyed, there will ever remain a spot devoid of 

 hair. The method of hastening and perfecting the re-production of the 

 hair has been described in p. 243. 



PORES OF THE SKIN. 



Besides the openings already mentioned through which proceeds this 

 unctuous fluid to supple and soften the skin, there are others more 

 numerous, through which a vast quantity of aqueous fluid escapes, and 

 perspiration is carried on ; and, as in the human being, this actually exists 

 in a state of health and quietness, although imperceptible, yet, when the 

 animal is excited by exercise, or labours under some stages of disease, it 

 becomes visible, and appears in the form of drops. 



This process of perspiration is not, however, so far under the control of 

 medicine as in the human being. We can, indeed, abate those profuse 

 perspirations which accompany want of condition, or moulting, or disease, 

 but we cannot easily produce or increase the visible perspiration. 



We are not aware of any medicine that will certainly produce it. Warm 

 clothing seems occasionally to effect it, but this is more in appearance than 

 reality. The insensible perspiration cannot escape through the mass of 

 clothing, and assumes a visible form. This, perhaps, is the case, even 

 when sheep-skins are applied over the back and loins in "locked-jaw;" and 

 they produce a good effect, acting as a warm poultice over the part, and so 

 contributing to relax the muscular spasms. There are, however, some medi- 

 cines, as antimony and sulphur, which have an evident and very consider- 

 able effect on the skin, in opening its pores and exciting its vessels to action. 



Of the existence of absorbent vessels on the skin, or those which take 

 up some fluid or substance, and convey it into the circulation, we have 

 satisfactory proof. A horse is even more easily salivated than the human 

 biung. Salivation has been produced by rubbing a splint v\rith mercurial 

 ointment, previous to blistering; and a very few drachms rubbed on the 

 inside of the thighs will probably produce a greater effect than the 

 piactitioner desires. 



From some parts of the skin there are peculiar secretions, as that of 

 grease in the heel, and mallenders in the knee. 



MOULTING. 



Twice in the year the hair of the body of the horse is changed. The 

 hair of the mane and tail remains. The bulbous root of the hair does not 

 die, but the pulpy matter seems to be removed from the root of the hair, 

 which, thus deprived of its nourishment, perishes and drops off, and a new 

 hair springs at its side from the same bulb. As this is a process extending 

 over the whole of the skin, and requiring a very considerable expenditure 

 of vital power, the health of the animal is generally affected at these times. 

 That energy and nervous and vital influence, which should support the 

 whole of the frame, is to a great degree determined to the skin, and the 

 animal is languid, and unequal to much hard work. He perspires greatly 



