176 



THE MODERN S\ STEAJ 



these very instances, I sliould in all probabi- 

 lity be led to a more rigorous adoption of the 

 antiphlogistic plnii of treatment, from an ab- 

 stract consideration of the state of the local 

 inflammation itself, without any reference to 

 that of the constitution. Indeed, the increased 

 action of the heart and arteries, and the 

 suppression of the secretions, require the 

 employment of antiphlogistic means, with 

 alterative medicine, which will in all probabi- 

 lity restore the animal in a few days. 



But I think it right to repeat, that it is 

 hardly ever necessary to h ive recourse to 

 such an evacuation as general bleeding, 

 merely on account of the fever, as this is only 

 an effect which invariably subsides, in pro- 

 portion 6is the 'ocal cause is diminished. 



COMMON FEVER. 



Common fever is a rare occurrence in the 

 Horse : but it is not so much its extreme 

 raritj which renders its existence disputed, as 

 that bis constitutional tendencies are such as 

 seldom allow general fever to prevail in him 

 without a more active and local translation of 

 the inflammation to some vital organ. 



1 have frequently met with this fever, and 

 am convinced tiiat many inflammations of vital 

 organs begin by an attack not local, and con- 

 fined to that immediate part, but by one 

 which exist.s in the first instance, as a general 

 diffused inflammatory action of the vascular 

 system at large. Most practitioners are aware, 

 that it is a common practice, when a Horse 

 is observed at the very first approach of ill- 

 ness, to rouse him by several means. Among 

 Horse-dealers especially, and other proprie- 

 tors of Horses, when disease occurs in the 

 spring of the year, it is the custom to watch 

 their Horses narrowly, and to put some plan 



into practice of the above kind immediately 

 after which tiiey frequently observe no more 

 of the complaint ; but if the first cold fit be 

 passed over without attention, a hot stage 

 generally succeeds. In due time the Horse 

 again shivers, his h air stares, and he becomes 

 subjected to other symptoms of illness, and 

 the disease is then fully formed. The means 

 pursued for this end are various ; but they 

 are all such as tend to rouse the flagging 

 powers (during the cold fit,) into increased 

 action, and into such a degree of it as con- 

 siderably to overbalance the increased vascu- 

 lar action produced by the morbid attack, as 

 shall be greater than the increased action of 

 the complaint; and it is upon justly appre- 

 ciating the two degrees of action, and upon 

 putting the forced one against the diseased 

 one in suflficient strength, that the salutary 

 effort consists. Were such a plan to be put 

 into practice when a topical inflammation of 

 some important and vital organ had actually 

 taken place, it would most undoubtedly 

 greatly aggravate it ; but as in diffused in- 

 flammatory action constituting fever, there is 

 a specific character not wholly dependent on 

 the increase of the vascular power, so the 

 production of an artificial action, greater than 

 the diseased one in the early stage, will some- 

 times overcome the febrile one. The causes 

 of this fever is a plethoric state of the body in 

 general, full feeding, with but little or no exer- 

 cise, sudden alteration in diet, excessive fatigue, 

 great and sudden changes in temperature 

 may, and all of them tend to this ; long de- 

 privation likewise from either food or water, 

 particularly the former, may bring it on; but 

 an alteration of cold with heat is certainly the 

 most common of the existing causes of this, 

 as well as of most of the inflammatory attacks 



