OF PURE FEVER. 271 



snch as are peculiar to a particular class of animals : thus 

 the majority of diseases are specific ; as being peculiar to one 

 description of animal does not prevent something of the 

 same kind being common to another. 



To a proper knowledge of the management of diseases 

 we consider the cause, symptoms, diagnosis, prognosis, and 

 cure. The cause is frequently involved in obscurity ; at 

 other times a moderate portion of attention will discover 

 it ; while in some instances it is evident at once. The 

 symptoms of a disease are the effects which it produces ; 

 thus an inflamed brain, being productive of delirium and 

 redness of the eyes, makes delirium and redness of the eyes 

 a symptom of inflamed brain : but this does not hold good 

 with regard to results caused by disease ; for death is fre- 

 quently a result of this disease ; only death is not a symptom 

 of, but a termination to, an inflamed brain. From the 

 symptoms we form our diagnostic of the disease, that is, we 

 judge of its present state; being masters of which, we are 

 enabled to form a prognosis, or opinion of its probable ter- 

 mination. The cure forms the most important part, and 

 frequently consists in attempts to assist Nature in her 

 efforts to produce a natural remission of the disease. If 

 these efforts are wanting, we endeavour to promote artificial 

 ones, or we attempt to resist the effects of the disease, or 

 tendency to die. 



CHAPTER I. 



FEBRILE DISEASES IN QUADRUPEDS, 

 OF PURE FEVER. 



The existence of pure fever was by Coleman and his disci- 

 ples denied to ever occur to the horse. This opinion was 

 formed without due observation, though both in man and 

 in animals fever far more frequently is witnessed as a 

 symptom of disease than alone. To have fever it is 

 necessary to endure a cold stage, followed by a hot one. 

 The cold stage with horses creates the difficulty. The 

 animal's skin being covered wdth hair, the temperature of 

 its body is not easily ascertained. However, a staring coat, 



