36 TRANSITION FROM HEALTH TO DISEASE. 



an air arrests^ or much diminishes, the sensible cutaneous 

 perspiration ; it equally lessens the pulmonary transpira- 

 tion, and can take off little of the aqueous vapour gene- 

 rated within the bronchi. During hard work, the sweat is 

 not absorbed by the air, but remains upon the surface, there 

 evaporating ; thus considerably lowering the normal tempe- 

 rature. Under such an influence, the external deprivations 

 are next to nothing, while the internal exhalations and secre- 

 tions are much augmented. But as these functions cannot 

 sufficiently compensate for the cutaneous and pulmonary 

 transpirations (there only being the kidneys which can elimi- 

 nate aqueous elements from the body), the result is, that 

 limpid and aqueous fluids predominate in all the tissues 

 over red fluid or blood; and, moreover, the renal glands 

 which have so much more fluid to eliminate than is natural 

 to them, become proportionably developed. And, besides 

 this, plants in such situations contain a superabundance of 

 aqueous fluid, and upon these the animal feeds, and adds to its 

 debility. If, then, the systems of colourless and lymphatic 

 vessels predominate ; if the cellular and serous tissues prevail, 

 and the functions of these are supreme, if all this happens 

 at expense of the vascular, mucous, and muscular systems, 

 how can we wonder at the change manifested in the form and 

 nature of an animal. The skeleton will be huge, and the 

 body large ; the abdomen will grow out at the expense of 

 the chest ; the cellular tissue will be plentiful, and full of 

 fat, and will give a puffy appearance to the frame ; the skin 

 will be pale, thick, and covered with coarse hair ; the mucous 

 surfaces will be pallid, and often infiltrated; the lymphatic 

 glands of the throat and groins will be large ; the muscular 

 movements will be slow, of short duration, and productive of 

 much sweating. Flemish and Dutch cows are very mild 

 instances of the truth of this statement. English cattle and 

 horses, however, form exceptions ; this is owing to the 

 scrupulous care taken of them, and to their excellent feed. 

 Glanders and farcy are diseases generated by exposure to 

 wet and cold. Observation proves animals, little cared for, 

 are most subject to these disorders. (Delafond.) 



