78 INFLAMMATION, 



Induration, Scirrhus, Hepatization, Ossification. — 

 These terms express the changes in structure which v/e may 

 look for whenever inflammation is less acute than is com- 

 monly productive of suppuration, but is found to continue 

 long or to undergo repeated variations in intensity. On 

 some occasions, inflammation will run to a certain height, 

 and then, abating gradually, will leave the part firm, and 

 even hard to the feel, having diminished heat and sensibility. 

 In this condition it may continue for some considerable 

 time, and then, by a process of absorption, recover its 

 natural state : or the inflammation may return to a more or 

 less perfect suppuration; or else the tumour may lose all 

 signs of inflammatory action, and become callous or in- 

 durated. It will sometimes even experience a change into 

 a substance the nature of cartilage, or into bone. In this 

 case the inflammation seems to expend itself in interstitial 

 deposition, the deposit being simply coagulable lymph : the 

 other changes, of whatever nature they may be, supervening 

 upon this preparatory one. These changes are probably 

 more ascribable to the duration than to the subacute cha- 

 racter of the inflammation; at the same time, much de- 

 pends on the condition of the part afi'ected ; some organs 

 being greatly more disposed to such changes than others. 

 Glands are especially subject, under long-continued inflam- 

 mation, to what is called scirrhus) by which we imply con- 

 solidation and induration. Hepatization denotes something of 

 the same sort of change, only that the converted part has a 

 liver-like aspect : it is a term oftenest applicable to those 

 alterations found in the lungs after death. In regard to 

 osseous transmutations, I before observed that the horse is 

 prone to them : he possesses hardly any structure which has 

 not been found partially or entirely changed into bone ; and 

 where cartilage is concerned, w^e look for it as a sort of 

 natural consequence : hence we may explain the production 

 of splints, spavins, ringbones, ossified cartilages, anchylosed 

 joints, §cc. 



Such changes, although they do not endanger the life of 

 the animal, yet so disturb the functions as to render life a 



