TERMINATIONS OF INFLAMMATION. 69 



when the irritant is removed and the circulation in conse- 

 quence diminished^ contract on their too copious contents, 

 and recover their original diameter : whereas, in the instance 

 of the leg, effusion had evidently taken place; and where 

 such happens not only is the inflammatory action itself more 

 permanent, but the matter effused has to undergo the 

 tedious process of absorption. These evident distinctions in 

 resolution have led to the introduction of the French term, 

 delitescence, to denote the evanescent form, in contradistinc- 

 tion to the wearisome process which still retains the name 

 of resolution. 



Metastasis, by which is implied the sudden shifting of 

 inflammation from one part to another, occasionally becomes 

 a concomitant of delitescence; indeed, we have too often 

 reason to apprehend this change when we see disease so 

 suddenly subside. It is very remarkably the case in 2meu- 

 monia j during which disorder inflammation may suddenly 

 quit the lungs, and we almost to a certainty predict that it 

 will attack the hoofs, or in the grooms' phrase, " fall into the 

 feet/^ In like manner, we find it often suddenly leaving 

 one eye to invade the other. Nay, in some cases, we see 

 most extraordinary metastases, the origin of which we are 

 unable to explain : a horse will come out of the stable lame, 

 without any discoverable cause ; on the next day the animal 

 may be sound, or else evince equal lameness in the opposite 

 limb. There are also instances of metastasis between the 

 internal organs — between the alimentary canal and brain, 

 the liver and lungs, the stomach and kidneys, &c. : in fact, 

 there probably exist many of which we cannot take cog- 

 nizance. 



Suppuration is the term we use to denote the produc- 

 tion of pus or matter in the inflamed part. It is the mode 

 of termination we look forward to when inflammation runs 

 higher than is usual when resolution ensues ; or where there 

 is breach of surface or a lacerated wound, suppuration be- 

 comes the natural termination. For example, a horse has 

 strangles. We apply our remedies ; the swelling increases 

 in size, grows daily more tense and tender ; then gradually 



