100 DISEASES OF THE TIORSE. 



Pixrts in which the cu'cuktion is inactive, such as bone and 

 cartilao;e, are more disposed to this process than other parts. 

 A severe injury is received on a bone, and In the course of time 

 a portion of the bone sloughs off, or exfoliates, as it is called, 

 that is, deprived of nourishment, dies and separates. Gangrene, 

 as a termination of internal inilammatory diseases, is less fre- 

 quent in the horse than in man. Inflammations in the former 

 are usually more violent, run their course quicker, and are often 

 succeeded by death, before gangrene has time to supervene. 



The Pulse affords us the best criterion of the presence and 

 degree of internal Inflammation, and its cliaracter is the surest 

 o-uide we can follow as to treatment. It denotes the action of 

 i\\Q heart, and may be felt in any superficial artery as well as at 

 the rco-ion of the heart. The most convenient vessel for examin- 

 ation, however, is the sub-maxillary artery, which passes over 

 the under jaw-bone. 



The ordinary pulsation in the horse is about 32 to 36 in a 

 minute. In Inflammatory diseases, it is often greatly increased, 

 sometimes exceeding 100. Besides the Increase in its frequency, 

 there is an alteration In its chai'actei", which is of still gi'cater im- 

 portance. Some horses have naturally a mucli stronger pulse 

 than others, which it would be useful to ascertain, if possible ; 

 but this Is rarely the ease. 



The principal varieties in the kind of pulse are a soft, hai'd, 

 strong, weak, full, oppressed, and intermittent pulse. A horse 

 may have naturally either a strong or weak pulse, according, in 

 a great measure, to the vigour of his constitution. Under 

 disease we may have the above varieties in the pulse differently 

 combined. A full pulse denotes an abundance of blood in the 

 system, a strong pulse a vigorous action of the heart, and if with 

 these states we have also a quickened action, copious blood- 

 letting is demanded. A hard pulse is considered characteristic 

 of inflammation: we then bleed, in order to produce a soft pulse. 

 When the vessels are exceedingly full there is sometimes an op- 

 pressed pulse, which demands copious bleeding. A weak state 

 of the pulse forbids bleeding, and often requires stimulants ; this 

 state of the pulse is often present In Influenza, being, at the same 

 time, greatly quickened. It is also the case towards the fatal 

 termination of inflammatory diseases. An intermittent pulse 

 is, in a few cases, natural to some horses ; it also attends some 

 diseases of the heart, and is by no means a desirable symptom, 

 for It is often attended by a fatal result. We can often pro- 

 duce an intermittent pulse, by the administration of digitalis 

 in inflammation of the lungs. In this case it is rather a favoui'- 

 able symptom, as it exhibits a diminution in the action of the 

 lieart. Sometimes the intermission is regular, being at every 



