62 SYMPTOMS OF INFLAMMATION. 



mucous membrane red and injected, and the skin hot and dry, 

 or partial sweats bedew the body. 



2d. The Vascular. — The pulse indicates excitement ; it is 

 increased in frequency, ranging from 60 to 90, or even to 120 

 per minute, hard, rolling like a cord below the finger, and 

 yielding but little to its pressure. The arterial coats are 

 exercising an increased amount of tonicity, and resist the im- 

 pulse of the blood; or an irregularity of movement in the 

 artery may exist, and thus a thrill or jar is imparted to the 

 finaer. There is increased fulness, as if the vessel itself were 

 enlarged and held a larger quantity of blood at each impulse ; 

 the heart is acting, not only more rapidly, but more powerfully, 

 than in health, and the circulation is truly accelerated ; fre- 

 quency, hardness, or thrilling is seldom absent, but fulness may 

 be wanting, and the pulse may be small instead of full. This 

 is observable, as already mentioned, in serious abdominal dis- 

 ease. The small thready pulse always exists in connection 

 with great nervous depression, and debihtated through rapid 

 action of the heart, to which circumstance its smallness is pro- 

 bably due. In aftections of the brain, and in non-inflammatory 

 disorders of the stomach producing coma, the pulse is commonly 

 slow and full, the suspension of cerebral influence appearing 

 to diminish the rapidity, without affecting the force of tlie 

 heart's action. There are peculiarities also to be taken into 

 account. The pulse may be naturally slow, intermittent, or 

 rapid ; in the common-bred cart-horse, perhaps not above 30 or 

 35 ; in the thorough or highly-bred horse, especially if he be of 

 a nervous temperament, 45 or 50 ; and in some animals of both 

 descriptions intermitting, from some unknown cause or peculiar 

 idiosyncrasy. Allowance must be made for these w^ien previous 

 inquiry has satisfied us that our patient is the subject of one or 

 other of these peculiarities. 



Zd. The Ecspiratory. — Eespiration is quickened, the breath 

 is hotter than usual — in stable phraseology, the horse Uows. 



Ath. Tlie Digestive. — The appearance of the tongue does not 

 vary in our patients as much as in the human being, but the 

 mouth is dry, hot, and injected, soapy, lathery, and sometimes 

 the tongue is contracted, and the secretions of the mouth sour 

 or even foetid. There is sometimes very great thirst, loss of 

 appetite and loathing of food, and the bowels are constipated. 



