THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 371 



Some have been of opinion, that the heat of the 

 animal body in certain diseases might rise to such a 

 degree as to produce this dangerous or mortal con- 

 cretion of the serous humours, but the heat requisite 

 for this effect is greater than it appears capable of sus- 

 taining. The soft and fluids parts of animals are 

 strongly disposed ^to run into putrefaction ; they pu- 

 trefy much sooner than vegetable matter, and when 

 corrupted, prove more offensive. 



This process takes place, in some degree, in the 

 bodies of living animals, as often as the juices stagnate 

 long, or are prevented by an obstruction of the natural 

 emunctories from throwing off their more volatile and 

 corruptible parts. During putrefaction, a quantity 

 of air is generated, all the humours become gradually 

 thinner, and the fibrous parts more lax and tender ; 

 hence, the tympany, which succeeds the induration 

 of any of the viscera, or the imprudent suppression 

 of dysentries by astringents, and the weakness and 

 laxity of vessels observed in the scurvy, &c. The 

 crassamentum of human blood, as well as that ol 

 quadrupeds, change by putrefaction into a dark livid 

 colour, a few drops of which tinge the serum with a 

 tawny hue, like the ichor of sores and dysenteric fluxes, 

 as also the white of the eye, the saliva, the serum 

 of blood drawn from a vein, and the liquid that oozes 

 from a blister in the scurvy, and in the advanced state 

 of malisrnant fevers. 



The putrid crassamentum changes a large quantity 

 of recent urine to a flame-coloured water, so common 

 in fevers and in the scurvy. The mixture, after 

 standing an hour or two, gathers a cloud resembling 

 wliat is seen in the crude water of acute distempers, 

 witli some oily matter on the surface like the scum 

 which floats on scorbutic urine. The serum of the 



