^JfrLAMMATIONS.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[mrLAMMATIONS. 



the part, which has just as much effect as 

 passing a seton down the fore leg, in order to 

 remove this accident. For feed and medicine 



we refer to the article on " Strains in 

 General ;" where all the required informatiou 

 will be found. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



INFLAMMATIONS. 



The term inflamviation is generally under- 

 stood as expressing that state of a part in 

 which it is painful, hotter, and somewhat more 

 turgid than it naturally is ; such topical 

 symptoms, when present in any considerable 

 degree, or when they affect very sensitive 

 parts, being attended with fever, or a general 

 diseased action of the system. 



The susceptibility of the body to inflamma- 

 tion is of two kinds — the one original, con- 

 stituting a part of the animal economy, and 

 beyond the reach of human investigation ; the 

 other acquired from the influence of the 

 weather, sudden changes from hot to cold, and 

 also from cold to hot stables, not well venti- 

 lated ; blows, kicks, &c. The first kind of sus- 

 ceptibility cannot so well be diminished by 

 art, as some animals are exceedingly liable to 

 inflammatory attacks from their form ; such as 

 narrow-chested horses, or light chestnut ones. 

 The second may be lessened by the mere 

 avoidance of the particular causes upon which 

 it depends. 



Inflammation may, with great propriety, be 

 divided into the healthy and the unhealthy. 

 Of the first, there can be only one kind ; of 

 the second, there may be many, according to 

 nature and situation, and kind of disease. It 

 may also be divided into the acute and chronic. 

 Healthy inflammation is generally quick in its 

 progress, for which reason it must always 

 rauk as an acute species of the affection. 

 Chronic inflammation is always accompanied 

 with a diseased action, as exemplitied in 

 iumours, &c. 



PRINCIPLES OF INFLAMMATION. 

 There is much foundation for believing that 

 252 



healthy inflammation is obedient to ordained 

 principles, according to the tone of the consti- 

 tution, or the structure or situation of the 

 parts aflTected. The nature of the existing 

 cause can have no share in modifying its 

 appearance, whether this be occasioned by the 

 application of heat, or by violence done. 

 Healthy inflammation is always the same in 

 its nature, and all the influence is propor- 

 tioned to the degree of violence accompanying 

 these causes. 



The observations of experience, as being the 

 only solid basis of all medical as well as other 

 knowledge, has infcv'aed the practitioner, that 

 parts which, from their vicinity to the source 

 of the circulation of blood, undergo inflamma- 

 tion more favourably, resist disease better 

 than those parts which are more remote from 

 the heart. The extremities are more prone to 

 inflammation and disease in general, than 

 parts nearer the heart ; and when inflamed or 

 cracked, they are longer in getting well. The 

 circumstance of their being depending parts, 

 which retards the return of blood through the 

 veins, must also increase the backwardness 

 of such parts in any salutary process. 



Inflammation, when situated in highly or- 

 ganised and very vascular parts, is more dis- 

 posed to take a prosperous course; and is 

 much more reducible by art, than parts of an 

 opposite texture. The nearer, also, such vas- 

 cular parts are to the heart, the greater will 

 be their tendency to do well in inflammation. 

 Hence, inflammation of the skin, cellular sub- 

 stance, muscles, &c., more frequently ends 

 favourably than the same affection of bones, 

 tendons, ligaments, &c. It is also more 

 manageable by surgery ; for those parts which 



