28 DISEASES OF THE CELLULAR MEMBRANE. MUSCLE. 



brane appears, but more evidently at the corners where two or more muscleu 

 meet; and in summer time, particularly with over-driven beasts, the mem- 

 brane between the muscles will be found charged with a dull brown sort of 

 matter, that may be, and frequently is, scraped away with the knife. Another 

 familiar illustration of the uses of the cellular membrane, first mentioned by 

 old Dr. Bartlett, of Windsor, in 1764, is that of " the inside of a shoulder of 

 veal, which butchers blow up with a tobacco-pipe, or quill, to delude their cus- 

 tomers." When the animal becomes adult (or full grown), the membrane 

 that is so capable of being blown up is filled with meat, and shows the im- 

 propriety of pushing young animals in their work before those solids have 

 I3ached maturity. 



When once divided, membrane of either species never again unites, but in 

 case of a healed wound the granulations of new flesh hold the divided parts 

 of membrane to their respective places ; the obstruction thus occasioned in 

 the deposite of blood causes pain upon change of weather, when the new flesh 

 cither expands or contracts, as it may be effected by heat, cold, or humidity. 

 In the human physiology, another kind of distinction is made between the 

 kinds of membrane (as 1 said before), tending to show whether their respective 

 secretion is more or less watery, slimy, or oily ; but this view of the affair is 

 not applicable to'the physiology of the horse. My reason for abandoning that 

 course was given at section 21. I may, however, here aptly observe, regard- 

 ing that species (the slimy or mucous) which lines the nostrils, throat, and in- 

 testines, that its chief disorder is a cold, which shows itself in the cessation 

 of the secretion ; soon after this, the parts being inflamed, throw forth a thin 

 acrid discharge, which is greatest when the inflammation arrives at its height, 

 sometimes producing a little blood, either upwards or ()ownwards ; when the 

 inflammation wears off, these appearances are also lowered by the mucus be- 

 coming more and more thick, until it reaches its usual consistency. The cure 

 IS to be effected by lowering the inflammation ; but this is most frequently ef- 

 fected by the natural discharge of the mucous matter just spoken of. 



27. Muscles are fleshy bodies of various sizes and shapes, according to their 

 ttses ; reddish, of a fibrous texture, easily separated, but more stringy at some 

 places than at others : the last-mentioned are termed "coarse parts," or pieces, 

 m the animals sent for our sustenance, and are those where the greatest strength 

 lies. These fibres formed into bundles, and surrounded by the cellular mem- 

 brane, are visible to the eye, if there be not attached to each fibre a continua- 

 tion of the same membrane that is not visible. Several of those bundles, 

 being further enclosed by a stronger membrane, form a muscle ; each whereof 

 is attached by its two farthest extremeties to some other, or, to two different 

 bones, upon one or the other of which it acts as a lever. A muscle accom- 

 plishes this motion of the bone by expanding its belly or middle part, and con- 

 tracting it towards the centre ; whereupon the bones to which the muscles' 

 ends are so attached are drawn towards each other, and that which is farthest 

 from the trunk is drawn forwards or backwards, at will. Thus, if we wish 

 to bend our elbow, the muscle which is situated just above that joint, inside, 

 contracts in length, and expands in breadth, till the fore-arm is brougiit up to 

 touch the muscle itself. Fighting men (boxers) exhibit this muscle, as indi- 

 cative of their strength ; and horses of good action show the same sign at every 

 movement, whilst with those that are over-fed, the muscles are concealed in 

 fat, that obstructs their movements ; whilst, with those which are impoverish 

 ed, the muscles dwindle away, hang slack, and ill support the wonted action 

 of the bones. When much compulsory exertion, in hot weather, has exhaust 

 ed the secretions that keep these parts supple, aridity and stiffness follow, and 

 the action becomes impeded, difficult and uncertain. 



All muscles of the limbs are long and narrow, when quiescent; those of 



