478 MOULTING. 



the salutary, although inexplicable, influence of clipping and singeing. Before 

 this can be fully considered, the hair by which the skin is covered must be 

 described. 



The 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 cuticle may 

 have been destroyed. A good blister, although it may remove the cuticle, and 

 seemingly for a while the hair with it, leaves no lasting trace. Even firing, 

 lightly and skilfully performed, and not penetrating through the skin, leaves 

 not much blemish ; but when, in broken knees, the true skin is cut through, or 

 destroyed, there will always remain a spot devoid of hair. The method of 

 hastening and perfecting the re-production of the hair has been described 

 in p. 339. 



PORES OP THE SKIN. 



Besides the openings already mentioned through which proceeds the unctuous 

 fluid that supplies and softens the skin, there are others more numerous, 

 by means of which a vast quantity of aqueous fluid escapes, and perspiration is 

 carried on. As in the human being, this actually exists in a state of health 

 and quietness, although imperceptible ; but when the animal is excited by exer- 

 cise, 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 are not aware of any drugs that will certainly produce it. Warm clo- 

 thing 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 when sheep-skins are 

 applied over the back and loins in "locked jaw." They produce a good 

 effect, acting as a warm poultice over the part, and so contributing to relax the 

 muscular spasms. There are, however, a few medicines, as antimony and 

 sulphur, that have an evident and very considerable effect on the skin in open- 

 ing 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 being. Salivation 

 has been produced by rubbing a splint with 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 practitioner 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 short, 

 fine coat of summer would afford little protection against the winter, and that of 

 the winter would be oppressive to the animal, if it appeared during the summer. 

 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. The hair which is produced in the autumn, 

 is evidently different from that which grows in the spring ; it is coarser, thicker, 

 and not so glossy as the other. As moulting 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 



