11 



PLETHORA. 



This is a word of Greek origin^ signifying fulness or 

 repletion ; in which sense^ as respects the quantity of blood 

 flowing in the body, I have prefixed it to this part of my 

 subject. 



General and practical plethora, is sometimes called ge- 

 neral or local congestions, sometimes irregular determination, 

 and of late, by M. Andral, hypercemia ; they all, however, 

 mean the same thing. (Dr. Watson^s Lectures, ^ Med. Gaz.,^ 

 1840.) 



When we reflect on what the habits of the horse are in a 

 state of nature, and contrast these with those imposed on 

 him by art, we shall be led to expect that certain changes or 

 revolutions will happen in his system. One of the earliest 

 and most certain effects of domestication is plethora, or else 

 a condition approaching thereto. Aliment of a more stimu- 

 lating nature makes more chyle, and perhaps, of a better 

 quality too ; more chyle makes more blood ; which goes on 

 to create a sort of preternatural distension of the blood- 

 vessels — the state we cd\\ plethora. 



Perhaps it n^y not be so obvious that the whole quantity 

 of blood contained in the body is sometimes in excess, as it 

 is demonstrable that there exists local plethora or con- 

 gestion. (Dr. Watson's Lectures, ' Med. Gaz.,' 1840.) 



Aliment, however, is not alone concerned in this result. 

 The animal coming from poor to good keep, not only ex- 

 periences a craving appetite for his new food, but has within 

 himself an increased aptitude for the conversion of it 

 into nutriment; so that more chj'le is actually made from 

 the same quantity of aliment. The comfortable warmth of 

 his new habitation, together with his state of undisturbed 

 quietude, also favour the process of digestion. This, then, 

 constitutes what we understand by plethora from excess of 

 nutrition. 



Defective or inadequate secretion and excretion will like- 

 wise conduce to a plethoric condition of the system. The 



