DICTIONARY OF THE VETERINARY ART. 259 



pass. Besides the chyle vessels, there are considerable veins 

 and arteries passing over the mesentery. The arteries are 

 distributed to the bowels, and the veins terminate in the vena 

 porta, or great vein of the liver. 



Metacarpus. The metacarpus of the horse consists of 

 one great bone, commonly named the cannon, shank bone, 

 or fore leg, and two small bones, or splent bones, attached by 

 ligaments to the back part of the cannon bone, rather towards 

 the sides. The suspensory ligament passes down on the back 

 part of the cannon bone, and between the two splents. The 

 flexor tendons, or back sinews, pass down over the suspensory 

 ligament. When the bones only of the fore leg are spoken 

 of, they are termed metacarpus. They begin at the knee, 

 and end at the fetlock joint. 



Metatarsus. The hind leg, between the hock and fet- 

 lock joints. 



Metatarsal Bones. The hind cannon, or shank bone, 

 with the two small splent bones attached to it. The large 

 blood-vessels and nerves, in this situation, are also named 

 metatarsal. 



Miasmata. Poisonous effluvia. 



Midriff. (See Diaphragm.) 



Molares. The name of the grinding teeth. 



Molten Grease. A name which Mr. Blaine has given to 

 dysentery. 



Mortification. A part deprived of vital force, by causes 

 inducing a loss of tone. Bloodletting and poisons of all 

 kinds tend to diminish vitality, and, of course, are calculated 

 to produce gangrene. 



Moulting. Casting the coat. In spring the old coat is 

 shed, or thrown off, and the horse gradually improves in 

 spirit, and in appearance ; but, during the change, he is more 

 liable to take cold. In the latter part of the year, the coat 

 becomes longer and coarser, and loses its healthy gloss ; at 

 the same time, the horse often becomes weak, sweats readily 

 upon moderate exercise, and is often incapable of performing 

 his usual labor. This is more especially the case with horses 



