TiiK Pulse. 125 



THE PULSE. 



The pulse is a very useful assistant to tlie veterinary- 

 surgeon, whose patients cannot describe either the seat 

 or degree of ailment or pain. In a state of health, the 

 heart beat^ in a horse about thirty-six times a minute. 

 This is said to be the standard pulse — the pulse of health. 

 Where it beats naturally, there can be little materially 

 wrong. The most convenient place to feel the pulse, is 

 at the lower jaw, a little behind the spot where the sub- 

 maxillary artery and vein, and the parotid duct, come 

 from under the jaw. There the number of pulsations 

 will be easily counted, and the character of the pulse, a 

 matter of fully equal importance, will be clearly ascer- 

 tained. 



When the pulse reaches fifty or fifty-five, some degree 

 of fever may be apj^rehended, and proper precaution 

 should be taken. Seventy or seventy-five will indicate a 

 dangerous state, and put the owner and the surgeon 

 a little on the alert. Few horses long survive a pulse of 

 one himdred, for, by this excessive action the energies of 

 nature are speedily worn out. 



Some thmgs should be taken into account in forming 

 our conclusion of the pulse. Exercise, a warm stable, 

 and fear, will wonderfuly increase the number of pulsa- 

 tions. 



If a quick pulse indicate irritation and fever, a slow 



of arresting bleeding has been applied by several scientific and benevolent men with 

 almost constant success. It has been readily and effectually practised in docking., 

 and patients have escaped much torture, and tetanus lost many a victim. The for 

 ceps have been introduced, and with much success, in castration, and thus the prin- 

 cipal danger of that operation, as well as the most painful part of it, is removed. 

 The colt will be a fair subject for this experiment. On the sheep and the calf it may 

 be readily performed, and the operator will have the plea.sing consciousness of res- 

 cuing many a poor animal from the unnecessary infliction of torture. — Spooner. 



