23 FUNCTIONS. SECRETIONS. 



applied by most people (writers and others) to those offices of the animal's or* 

 gans, they stand in need of previous explanation. 



19. Each kind of organ, whether small or larsfe, was designed by the great 

 maker of all things to perform some office towards the preservation of the 

 animal in health. When such office is i)erformed properly, as ordained, the 

 organ is said to " perform its functions well." For example, the heart is 

 given for the purpose of sending the blood through the arteries, all over the 

 body ; but when the pulse beats low or irregularly, that organ is said to " per- 

 form its function badly ;" when it ceases to beat, this function is lost or gone. 

 So, certain of the organs are said to secrete something or other that is liquid ; 

 the doing this is their function ; the power of doing so, that of secretion ; and 

 the article secreted or collected together, is called the secretion of this or that 

 organ. Thus, the kidneys secrete urine, and it runs off (sect. 53): the glands, 

 under the jaws, secrete spittle (saliva), which passes oli' with the food by the 

 intestines ; therefore are they properly considered as excretory also, seeing 

 both the secretions are drawn together for the express purpose of being so sent 

 away, this last by the grand canal (or gut), as the first mentioned is by the 

 bladder, and the perspiration is through the pores of the skin. But some se- 

 cretions are found that have no outlet visible to us weak mortals, though they 

 find their way through the skin, sensibly enough at times ; and this then be- 

 comes the sensible perspiration or sweat, but when we do not see it, this 

 third species of evacuation is termed the insensible perspiration ; and in 

 health, one of the two is always in action, — in disease not so. 



"When, however, it happens such functions are obstructed, or, on the other 

 hand, too much of either secretion is furnished to the system, then disease be- 

 gins ; as does, also, our duty of finding out what part of the vast machine has 

 ceased to perform its office properly. For, without this previous information, 

 no man can possibly know how to apply the remedy in restoring the disor- 

 dered organ to the proper exercise of its function ; nor can any one hope to 

 arrive at this desirable point of veterinary knowledge, unless he has acquired 

 the means of ascertaining where, when, and in what degree the mischief has 

 taken place, by patiently examining the action of those organs while in health, 

 »nd comparing their appearance, after death, with the particular symptoms 

 which preceded that event. 



20. Secretion. — Although, as I say, the secretions just spoken of are im- 

 portant in themselves, and of several sorts, as bile or gall by the liver, urine by 

 the kidney, &c. yet the chief object of our present notice is the secretion of a 

 fluid, more or less watery, which pervades the whole system. It differs in 

 quality a little, and very httle any where, being ada})ted to the nature of the 

 j/arts requiring its aid : 1st, In softening and enabling them to move freely 

 over each other (as, between the ends of bones); 2d, Acting as a defence 

 against injuries from extraneous bodies (as on the inner coat* of the intes- 

 tines) ; and 3d, To prevent the parts from growing together (as the liver to 

 the midriff), &c. Misfortunes these which invariably happen wiien the sup- 

 ply of this fluid falls short of the quantity required for a long while together; 

 and this is the case whenever the animal is worked until the fluid, at some 

 part or other, is exhausted : a circumstance that strongly bespeaks the jiro- 

 priety of allowing the worn-up poor creature more frequent supplies of water 

 although this be done in smaller quantities. Inflammation, or fever, which 

 Is occasioned by suddenly checking the secretion , eventually exhausts this 

 moisture by its great heat. Both those disorders are therefore referred in the 



Tlie surgeons of human jiraclice will observe, that I liere transgress the doctrine of the sur- 

 faces ; but they will ple;ise to recollect that my object is to make myself uncler!5.-oot' 1 v a certaiis 

 class of carters, of which tlioy compose a very small art. 



