134 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



CHAPTER XII. 



DROPSY OF THE HEAD, OF THE CHEST, OF THE PERICARDIUM, OF 

 THE BELLY, AND OF THE SKIN, AND OF SWELLED LEGS. 



DROPSY. 



Dropsy is a preternatural collection of 

 serous, or watery fluid in the cellular sub- 

 stance, or different cavities of the body. It 

 receives different appellations, according- to 

 the particular sit ation of the fluid. 



When it is diffused through the cellular 

 membrane, either generally or partially, it is 

 called anasarca. 



When it is deposited in the cavity of the 

 cranium, it is called hydrocephalus ; when in 

 the chest, hydrothorax ; when in the abdo- 

 men, ascites ; and when within the scrotum, 

 hydrocele. 



I have been more particular in enumerat- 

 ing the particular names this disease takes, or 

 according to its situation, that the reader may 

 not be led astray by the pretender, or country 

 farrier. For the causes of these several dis- 

 eases, are, if we may call it so, of a family 

 nature, and principally originating in debility : 

 such as long continued evacuation-, or it may 

 occur from the suppression of urine, the sud- 

 den striking in of eruptive humours, obstruc- 

 tion of the lungs, exposure for a length of time 

 to a moist atmosphere, laxity of the exhalants, 

 defect in the absorbents topical weakness, in 



which case it is most frequent, and indeed 

 any thing that produces debility. 



DROPSY OF THE HEAD. 



It is a disease that not frequently attacks 

 the Horse ; but when it does do so, is very 

 likely to puzzle the young practitioner, as he 

 may be apt to take it for the staggers, the 

 symptoms being very like those produced in 

 that disease ; but I do not believe they arise 

 from the same cause ; for water in the head, 

 when it occurs in the Horse, is generally in 

 consequence either of injuries done to the 

 brain itself, or by blows, falls, &c., or from 

 schirrous tumours, or excrescences within the 

 skull, from original laxity, weakness in the 

 brain, or from general debility, and an im- 

 poverished state of the blood. 



With respect to its proximate cause, very 

 opposite opinions are still entertained by many 

 clever writers ; which, in conjunction with the 

 equivocal nature of its symptoms, prove a 

 source of considerable embarrassment to both 

 old and young practitioners. Some believe it 

 to be inflammatory, and in consequence bleed 

 largely. Slight inflammation, in the first case, 

 may produce a deposition of fluid on the 

 brain, but this inflammation has by its effects 



