300 DISEASES OF THE CELLULAR MEMBRANE. 



would seem to owe the epithet of ^' watery." From this 

 period it appears the disease does not confine its progress 

 to the skin ; for, if sufi"ered to proceed, it is likely to end in 

 genuine farcy, though now and then it will run into an 

 attack of grease. The blood in this disease abounds in 

 serum : on the second day after it is drawn, the clot will be 

 found quite swimming in serum. 



The French veterinarians confound grease, swelled legs, and water- 

 farcy : instead of viewing grease as an idiopathic affection, they seem to 

 regard it as a consequence of water-farcy, and an affection of the skin. 

 From this doctrine, however, Hurtrel d'Arboval dissents : he considers 

 grease to result from lesion of the bulbs of the hair. 



Coleman appeared to regard water-farcy either as inflammatory, or as 

 originating in functional disorder of the absorbent vessels. " There is a 

 disease called watery farcy, which arises from an affection of the ab- 

 sorbents. The functions of these vessels become impaired from inflamma- 

 tion, and a deposition of serous fluid is the result. When this disease 

 takes place in the winter months, it commonly proceeds through going 

 from cold to heat : but at the summer season it cannot have such an 

 origin. In the former instance, the action of the arteries is increased : 

 but in other cases we prove its existence in the absorbents from its 

 commonly ending in farcy." 



Remarks. — The value of Gibson^s observations is enhanced 

 by the striking confirmation they receive from Coleman. 

 The '^^ feverish disposition" is ^' increased arterial action ;" 

 while ^' dropsy" will well bear comparison with the '' aff'ec- 

 tion of the absorbents." For my own part, I attribute this 

 kind of water- farcy to inflammatory action of the capillaries 

 — as an infl,ammatory dropsy, if I may be allowed the ex- 

 pression. I admit the existence of the disorder in another 

 form in which there is disease of the absorbent vessels 

 wherein the presence of fluid is ascribable to defective 

 absorption. In addition, the first disorder may, and 

 occasionally does, end in the last. I see no reason for 

 disturbing the pathology of Coleman ; nor any fault to be 

 found with Gibson. 



Causes. — Though we have developed the nature of this 

 disease so far as to affirm it consists in inflammation, we 



