572 LAMENESS FROM RELAXED 



their power of contra61ing, or drawing parts 

 together, from which it follows that the con- 

 tained fluids are propelled, and their abforp- 

 tion is promoted. To make ufe of the term 

 Sorhentia in this mode, feems to me an adop- 

 tion of the figure Hyjieron Proteron, or the 

 fetting the cart to draw the horfe. Let me 

 once more apologize for dating my objeftions 

 to particular parts of that great monument of 

 genius, human learning, and medical refearch, 

 the Zoonomia ; I (hould hold myfelf doing 

 a great man the greater honour, by fpeaking 

 my mind freely in his prefence. Yet honeftly 

 to deliver the veruvi de Woortuis, perhaps Dar- 

 win's poetical, will be rated higher by pofterity^ 

 than his phyfiological and medical talents. 



In thefe maladies it is, obvioufly the moft 

 frequent and dangerous of all others which af- 

 llift the horfe, in a country fo devoted to fpeedy 

 travelling, that, in my opinion, our new veteri- 

 nary fchool proves moft defeftive. The affec- 

 tation of gratuitoufly and implicitly fupporting 

 the unnatural hypothefis of fibrous inelafticity, 

 has ftifled inquiry, and led to the moft danger- 

 ous deceptions. The general want of fl<.ill in 

 mere anatomifts, to deteft the feat of lamenefs 

 in horfes, is notorious ; and the faftiionable idea^ 

 that ftrains confift of nothing but inflammation 

 and effufion, is moft futile. If fo, of what na- 

 ture 



