FEVKItS.] 



MODERN VETERINAKT PRACTICE. 



I'TETKnS. 



TO UKLIKVL: INFLA-MMATOHY FK\ Kll. 

 As tho ffbrilo ilisturbiuifi' of tho t^vstcm is 

 produced, aiul eiiLirely kept up, iu almost 

 everv iuatance, by tho loeal iullamiualiou, it 

 must be evideut that tlio uieaiis employed lor 

 diminishing tho excitin-j; cause, are also the 

 best for abating the constitutional eilects. 

 Hence, it very seldom happens that any par- 

 ticular measures are adopted expressly lor the 

 fever itself, as this aftection is sure to subside 

 in proportion to the local lessening or resolu- 

 tion of the inilammation. But wlien the fe- 

 brile disturbance is considerable, and the iu- 

 fl.nnmatiou itself ia also considerable, the agi- 

 tated state of the system may have, in its turn, 

 a share in keeping up, and even in increasing 

 the local alf'^'ction, and should be quieted as 

 much as possible. However, in these very in- 

 stances, we should probably be led to a more 

 rigorous adoption of the autiphlo^'istic plan of 

 treatment, from an abstract consideration of 

 the state of the local inflammation itself, with- 

 out any reference to that of the constitution. 

 Indeed, the increased action of the heart and 

 arteries, and the suppression of the secretions, 

 require the employment of antiphlogistic means, 

 with alterative medicine, which will, in all pro- 

 bability, restore the animal in a few days. 



But we think it riglit to repeat, that it is 

 hardly ever necessary to have recourse to such 

 an evacuation as general Heeding, merely on 

 account of the fecer, as this is only an effect, 

 which invariably subsides iu proportion as the 

 local cause is diminished. 



COMMON FEVER. 



Common fever is a rare occurrence in the 

 horse; but it is not so much its extreme rarity 

 which renders its existence disputed, as that 

 the constitutional tendencies of the animal are 

 such as seldom allow general fever to prevail iu 

 him without a more active and local translation 

 of the inflammation to some vital organ. 



AVe have frequently met with this fever, and 

 are convinced that many inflammations of vital 

 organs begin by an attack not local, and con- 

 fined to that immediate part, but by one which 

 exists iu the first instance, as a general, difl'uscd, 

 inflammatory action of the vascular system at 

 large. Most veterinarians are aware, that it 

 ia a common practice, when a horau is observed 



at tho very first approiich of illiu-ss, to rouse 

 him by several mcauH. Atnong hurHC-dealers, 

 especially, and other proprieloru of liorHcs, 

 wlu'n disease occurs in t'ne spring of the year, 

 it is tiio custom to watch them narrowly, and 

 to put 8omo plan into practice of tho above 

 kind, immediately after which they frequently 

 observe no more of the complaint. It, how- 

 ever, tho first cold fit is passed over without 

 attention, a hot stage generally succeeds. Iu 

 due time the horse again shivers, his hair 

 stares, and he becomes subjected to other 

 symptoms of illness, and the disease ia then 

 fully formed. The means pursued for this 

 end are various ; but they are all such as teiul 

 to rouse tho flagging powers, during the cold fit, 

 into such a degree of increased action, as consi- 

 derably to overbalance the augmented vascular 

 action produced by the morbid attack, as shall 

 be greater than the increased action of the 

 complaint. It is upon justly appreciating tho 

 two degrees of action, and upon putting the 

 forced one against the diseased one in sufli- 

 cient strength, that the salutary effort consists. 

 Were such a plan to be put into practice 

 when a topical inflammation of some im- 

 portant and vital organ had actually taken 

 place, it would, most undoubtedly, greatly ag- 

 gravate it ; but as in diff"used inflammatory 

 action constituting fever, there is a specific 

 character not wholly dependent on the in- 

 crease of the vascular power, so the production 

 of an artificial action, greater than the diseased 

 one in the earlier stage, will sometimes over- 

 come tho febrile one. 



The causes of this fever are a plethoric state 

 of the body in general, full feeding, with but 

 little or no exercise, sudden alteration in 

 diet, excessive fatigue, and great and rapid 

 change in temperature. Long deprivation, like- 

 wise, from either food or water, particularly the 

 former, may bring it on ; but an alteration of 

 cold to heat is certainly the most common 

 of tho existing causes, as well as of most of 

 the inflammatory attacks of the horse. The 

 vessels of the skin seem, in these cases, to bo 

 first acted on, and this from a sudden chill, in 

 consequence of coming in contact with a cold 

 atmosphere, producing those symptoms ; first, 

 a shivering fit, the skin shaking violently, the 

 hair staring, the legs, ears, and muzzlo feeling 

 intensely cold. All these symptoms remain 



263 



