98 TREATMENT OF INFLAMMATION. 



which the system will bear : in no case of danger, however, 

 ought local abstractions to be trusted ; for, though we may 

 obtain so much out of the diseased part, that the inflamma- 

 tion becomes diminished, yet will the fluid speedily return 

 and reproduce all the prior vascular repletion. The object 

 is, to unload the vessels, and to weaken the power that is 

 forcing blood into them ; unless you do this you accomplish 

 no good ; and this is the reason why general bleeding is pre- 

 ferable to local evacuation. The most efficacious and de- 

 sirable mode of taking blood is that which combines the 

 local and general effects : it is not always we have an oppor- 

 tunity of uniting these advantages ; when we have, it ought 

 never to be neglected. When any disease is going on in 

 the foot requiring general depletion, we should take the 

 blood from the toe in preference to the jugular. Sometimes 

 the jugular itself becomes a channel of local draft, as in 

 inflammation of the brain and eyes. 



When Bleeding is required. — In all cases of active 

 disease, such as of the brain, the lungs, the bowels, the 

 urinary and generative organs, the eye, &c., it is our duty 

 to arrest the progress of inflammation ; not only that we 

 may save the animaPs life, but that we may prevent those- 

 changes of structure which reduce him to a state of un- 

 soundness. Whenever the inflammation is of the acute 

 character, we should let the blood flow until we have made 

 a sensible impression ; and should this not abate the disease, 

 we must bleed a second, and even a third time. Should 

 the inflammatory action decline into the subacute or chronic 

 kind, I have found the repetition of small bleedings, at 

 short intervals, of more effect than large emissions. Some- 

 times bleeding is requisite to prevent disease. A horse falls 

 backward, the poll of the head being the part dashed against 

 the ground. The next day, or the day afterwards, it is 

 dull, and perhaps a little off its feed. Such a horse should 

 be bled, in order to prevent brain-fever, which we know is 

 likely to supervene upon an accident of this nature. It is 

 a common practice to bleed horses that are in health, or 

 that have no disease that calls for it. Eitlier the groom or 



