38 DISEASE. 



The State of the Pulse is highly important in almost 

 all diseases. Naturally it beats about 40 times in a 

 minute. A few beats either above or below this standard 

 need not be noticed . but when it ascends to 50, it fur- 

 nishes reason to suspect the operations of the body, are dis- 

 turbed. As regards its frequency, or in reference to the 

 natural standard of 40, the pulse may be sloWy or it may 

 be quick, I have found the pulse myself as low as 24 : 

 I have heard Mr. Sewell say, he has met with it not 

 more than 14. As regards the force with which it beats, 

 the pulse may be hard or soft : as regards its size or 

 diameter, the pulse may be full, or it may be small, or 

 thready, or wiry. An oppressed pulse is a state of preter- 

 natural or extraordinary fulness. The pulse is said to 

 inier'mit when its beats are interrupted by intervals of marked 

 duration : when short and long intervals occur without any 

 regularity, the pulse is said to be irregular. 



During sleep is not a favorable time for feeling the pulse: 

 it is then low. In the horse, in health, the average pulse 

 is 32. It rarely rises as high as 36, or sinks below 28. It 

 is set higher by veterinarians, but the foregoing is consi- 

 dered more correct. In ordinary breathing, the respirations 

 are 6 per minute ; in sleep, only 4. In judging of that 

 material point, '* wind,^^ in a horse, gallop him out of breath, 

 and then let him rest quiet, when his disturbed breathing 

 will readily subside, if sound ; but if his lungs be unsound, 

 it will require several minutes for subsidence. (' Sun^ 

 Newspaper, 21st April, 1851.) 



The State of the Respiration. — The heaving or pant- 

 ing of the flanks is very important in disease. There are 

 but few diseases in which the respiration remains undis- 

 turbed; in some, it forms a primary and leading symptom. 

 When we find the flanks panting, we may conclude such is 

 more the effect of pain than of organic disease : in fact, it 

 is one of the most significant modes the animal possesses of 

 expressing pain. When this is the case, we shall find the 

 heaving of the flanks outstripping the pulse ; though, gene- 

 rally in disease, the latter surpasses the former. 



