^66 LAMENESS FROM RELAXED 



are exa6tly equal ; this aptitude for its proper 

 funftions, is injured in various degrees, by 

 thofe caufes which produce inordinate contrac- 

 tion or relaxation, namely, heat and deficcation, 

 or overftretching, attended with a flux of 

 moifture. Nothing can be more apt than the 

 analogy fo often adduced upon this occafion, 

 of a piece of catgut, which if it become too 

 dry, inftead of ftretching will break ; or if 

 wetted, or overftrained, lofes in degree, or 

 perhaps for ever, its elafticity or contraftile 

 power. 



Generally, it is the property of heat to ex^ 

 pand and loofen, and of cold, to contraft or 

 draw into a narrower compafs. (See Briflbn s 

 Phylical Principles of Chemillry.) But the 

 fame phyfical caufes, and the fame medical 

 applications, will, fometimes, dependent on cer- 

 tain contingencies, produce dire6lly oppofite to 

 their general effefts : all the phenomena, never- 

 thelefs, invariably combine to prove the fufcep- 

 tibility of impreffion, or irritability of the liv- 

 ing animal fibre, whether in its individual or 

 aggregated ftate. 



Bracken and Ofmer are the proper authorir 

 ties to be confulted on lamenefs of the tendons, 

 fince they were pra6lically acquainted with 

 that defcription, among which the malady is 

 mofl; frequent, namely race-horfes. It is laugh- 

 able enough to read Burdon on the fubjeft ; 



the 



