58 THE EAR. 



nerve, h, possessing the power both of sensation and motion ; 

 and the fibres of the two columns proceed to "their destination, 

 enveloped in the same sheath, and apparently one nerve. Out 

 cut, closely examined, will give at b some idea of the man- 

 ner in which these distinct fibres are continued ; — each covered 

 by its own membrane, but all enveloped in a common en- 

 velope. 



All these nerves are organs of sensation and motion alone ; 

 but there are others whose origin seems to be outside of" and 

 below the brain. These are the synij^athetic, so called from 

 their union and sympathy with all the others, and identified 

 with life itself. They proceed from a small ganglion or enlarge- 

 ment in the upper part of the neck, or from a collection of little 

 ganglia in the abdomen. They go to the heart, and it beats, 

 and to the stomach, and it digests. They form a net-work round 

 each blood-vessel, and the current flows on. They surround the 

 very minutest vessels, and the frame is nourished and built up. 

 They are destitute of sensation, and they are perfectly beyond 

 the control of the will. 



The reader, we trust, will now comprehend this wonderful, 

 yet simple machinery, and be able, by and by, to refer to it the 

 explanation of several diseases, and particularly of the operation 

 to which we have referred. 



Two of the senses have their residence in the cavity of the 

 cranium — those of hearing and sight. 



The Ear. — They who know anything of the horse, pay much 

 attention to the size, setting on, and motion of the ear. Ears 

 rather small than large — placed not too far apart — erect and 

 quick in motion, indicate both breeding and spirit ; and if a horse 

 is frequently in the habit of carrying one ear forward, and the 

 other backward, and especially if he does so on a journey, he 

 will generally possess both spirit and continuance. 



The ear of the horse is more intelligible even than the eye, m 

 indicating his temper and intentions. His hearing is remarkably 

 acute. The cartilage of the ear is attached to the head by liga- 

 ments and sustained by muscles, on which its action depends 

 The ear is covered by skin thinner than in most other parts of 

 the body, and is destitute of other tissues unnecessarily increasing 

 its bulk and weight. Under the skin are glands that secrete and 

 throw out a white greasy matter, destined to keep the parts sup- 

 ple and smooth. Below this are other glandi=« which deposit the 

 wax, which is supposed to be necessary to deter insects from 

 crawling into the ear, by its offensiveness to them, or by mechan- 

 ically arresting their progress. Long hair standing across the 

 inner passage of the ear in e"v 'ry direction, keeps out insects, 

 cold, and properly breaks sounds striking on the membrane cover- 



