208 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



by variations in the prevailing cause, or regulated by the amount 

 of vital power in each given case, and are therefore an index 

 pointing to the progress of the disease, operating to ward off the 

 malady and restore health. An eminent physician has said, 

 " Our indications of cure and modes of treatment are to be learned 

 from those manifestations of the vital operations uniformly wit- 

 nessed in the febrile state. If fever marks the action of the 

 healing power of nature, which we must imitate to be successful, 

 why should we not consult the febrile phenomena for our rule of 

 action ? Now, what are the indications of cure which we derive 

 from this source ? In other words, what are the results which 

 nature designs to accomplish through the instrumentality of fever? 

 They are an equilibrium of the circulation, a properly-propor- 

 tioned action of all the organs, and an increased depuration of the 

 system, principally by the excrementitious outlets." 



Suppose a horse shall be suffering from a form of disease known 

 as gastro-intestinal, occasioned by an accumulation of partly- 

 digested food within the stomach; the mass acts as an irritant, — 

 an exciting cause, — and the result is inflammation, (local fever ;) 

 then general excitement, or sympathetic action, which is manifest- 

 ed by increase in number and volume of pulse, hurried respira- 

 tion, superficial heat, &c. Now, it is evident that the inflam- 

 mation — local fever — is not confined to the stomach alone, but 

 becomes general, as we have just said, through the sympathetic 

 relations. The effect of this general abnormal condition is to 

 mitigate the force of the disease on the primary tissue, or tissues, 

 to shift the weight of the burden, and so apportion it to the sev- 

 eral parts of the system, as to lessen its intensity. 



The heat at the external surface shows that the circulation is 

 active. " Without heat there is no vitality in the system," and 

 without blood there is no heat. Then the blood must be sent to 

 the surface for the purpose of relieving the internal organ, and 

 therefore fever must, under some circumstances, be considered 

 favorable to the cure of disease. Hence the reader will perceive 

 that the practitioner -whose creed is, " The more fever the more 

 bloodletting," is one of the greatest opponents nature has to deal 

 with, and it is no wonder that so many animals are said to die of 

 fever: it is most probable, however, that many die from the 



