OUTLINES OF ANATOMY IN THE HORSE. 29 



veterinary school under its roof; and, on the same extended 

 plan, the beneficial results of this will be, that the diseases of 

 cattle and sheep, hitherto so disgracefully neglected, will be 

 better understood, and the dreadful loss which the country 

 sustains will be materially diminished. 



OUTLINES OF ANATOMY IN THE HORSE. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE DIFFERENT ORGANS. 



The animal organization is divided into bones, muscles, 

 arteries, veins, nerves, and viscera. 



The bones are hard and durable, and are intended to form 

 a framework for the support of the softer portions. When 

 divested of the soft portions, they form the skeleton. The 

 bones are united together by ligamentary and fibrous attach- 

 ments, which allow free motion one upon another. The 

 articulating surfaces of the joints are covered with a cushion 

 or cartilage, and lubricated with a fluid called synovia, which 

 permits them to move freely on each other, without friction. 

 Their name and location will be found on referring to the 

 engraving of the skeleton, accompanying page 12. 



The muscles are the soft, red, fibrous masses called flesh. 

 They are susceptible of contraction and relaxation; or, in 

 other words, become shorter and longer, and are subject to 

 the will of the animal : for this reason, they are termed vol- 

 untary muscles. 



Besides these, there are other parts which owe their power 

 of contraction to the vital power ; yet there is a peculiar 

 arrangement about some of their muscular fibres. Thus the 

 heart is a muscular texture, forming a circular muscle ; and 

 the urinary bladder, stomach, intestines, &c, —which are en- 

 abled to contract upon their contents and expel them, whether 

 the animal wills it or not, — are termed involuntary muscles. 



The muscles of respiration, being, in some measure, under 



