THE ANATOMY OF THE HORSE. 25 



of being the veins which are used to bleed the animal from. 

 The veins which run up the inside of the front leg, carrying the 

 blood back from the leg, unite with the jugular veins, forming 

 what is known as anterior vena cava, which empties into the 

 right auricle of the heart. In tracing the blood back from the 

 hind leg, a large vein is found on the inside of the leg, passing up 

 under the hip, where it unices with the veins of the hip region, 

 forming what is known as the posterior vena cava. As it passes 

 forward it takes in veins from the various organs such as the 

 stomach, liver, kidneys, spleen, and small bowels, and finally 

 empties into the right auricle of the heart. This is the complete 

 circulation of the blood. 



Blood is that which carries nourishment to all parts of the 

 body, and also carries away all the waste material of the body, 

 where it is thrown off in the form of urine, which is secreted 

 from the blood by the kidneys. We find the waste material also 

 thrown off in sweat or perspiration through the skin, and also by 

 the lungs. The blood varies in color in the different parts of the 

 body — in the arteries it is a bright red, while in the veins it is 

 a dark red color. 



CHAPTER VI. 



LYMPHATIC SYSTEM. 



This is also known as the absorbent system, and is in 

 connection with the blood vessels, and is made up of 

 very fine minute tubes and glands, which convey from 

 the tissues of the body a clear fluid known as lymph, and pours 

 it into the blood of the veins as it is on its way back to the heart. 

 These glands are found all through the body; for instance, a large 

 group of these are found inside the thigh or stifle joint of the 

 horse, also another large group inside the shoulder. These are 

 important points to note as they sometimes become inflamed and 

 the leg swollen ; then they are the seat of the disease called weed 

 in the leg, or lymphangitis. 



