248 



A DICTIONARY. 



principles, they would prevent a great loss 

 of property. " It must be obvious, that 

 when an animal is laboring under general 

 inflammation, or fever, in consequence of 

 a suppression of the natural discharges, 

 whether it be perspkation, urine, or dung, he 

 cannot be cured merely by the abstraction 

 of blood; for, however large the quantity 

 abstracted, that which remains will be im- 

 pure, or acrimonious, and unfit for carrying 

 on a healthy action. It is absolutely neces- 

 sary to restore the natural discharges by 

 means of suitable medicines, unless that be 

 effected by an effort of nature, which is not 

 an uncommon occurrence, especially when 

 the animal is supplied with some bland 

 fluid, such as bran water, or thin bran 

 mashes. The morbid matter sometimes 

 runs off by the nostrils, sometimes by the 

 kidneys or bowels, and sometimes by a gen- 

 eral relaxation of the sldn, and the body is 

 thus restored to health." From the above 

 we are led to the conclusion that, after all, 

 Nature is the most efficient doctor, and that 

 man should be her servant, to procure what 

 she wants, merely to be used in her own 

 way. 



Influenza. — Epidemic catarrh. Ca- 

 tarrhs, or violent colds, attended with sore 

 throat, and a thin, watery discharge from 

 the eyes and nose. It appears to be infec- 

 tious, seldom making its appearance with- 

 out attacking several horses in the same 

 stable. The horse should subsist on warm 

 gruel, and have a blanket thrown over him, 

 and a drink of hyssop tea. As soon as the 

 surface of the body is relaxed, and becomes 

 moist, the catarrh will disappear. 



Injection. — A term sometimes applied 

 to clysters. 



Inosculation. — The running of arteries 

 and veins into one another, or the inter- 

 union of the extremities of arteries and 

 veins. 



Inspiration. — The act of drawing air 

 into the lungs. 



Integument. — Any common covering of 

 the body : it generally includes skin, muscle, 

 and membrane. 



Intercostal. — A term given to parts 



situated between the ribs : thus, we have 

 intercostal muscles, etc. 



Intermittent. — A name given to dis- 

 orders that appear to go off at certain peri- 

 ods, and return after some interval. 



Intestines. — The horse's intestines are 

 about ninety feet in length. 



Intus-susception. — This is occasioned 

 by one portion of the bowels being drawn 

 within the other. 



Iris. — That part of the eye by which 

 the light admitted to the retina is regu- 

 lated. 



Irritability. — All muscular parts pos- 

 sess the property of contracting, or shrink- 

 ing, when irritated, and are therefore en- 

 dowed with irritability. 



Issues. — (See Rowels.) 



Itching. — Itching in horses is generally 

 a consequence of foul feeding, and may be 

 occasioned by mange. 



Jaundice. — In jaundice, the natural 

 course of the bile is perverted, and re-ab- 

 sorbed into the circulation. 



Jaw-Locked. — (See Lockjaw.) 



Jejunum. — Part of the small intestine is 

 thus named, from its being generally found 

 empty. 



Joints. — A joint is formed, generally 

 speaking, by the heads of two or more 

 bones. These ends are covered by a layer 

 of cartilage or gristle, which is of a yielding 

 nature. There is formed within the joint a 

 slippery fluid, called synovia, or joint oil. 

 The ends of the bones, thus covered with a 

 smooth, yielding surface, so slippery that 

 they move freely on each other without suf- 

 fering from friction, are then firmly tied to- 

 gether by a strong substance, named liga- 

 ment, which completely surrounds the head 

 of the bones : this is termed capsular liga- 

 ment. In some joints we find an additional 

 Hgament within the capsular ligament, or 

 cavity : thus, in the hip joint, a strong lig- 

 ament connects the head of the thigh bone 

 with the socket that receives it. 



Joints are subject to disease, either from 

 external injury, or from long-continued ex- 

 ertion of them. In the former, the capsular 

 ligament is penetrated, and a discharge of 



