MOULTING. 373 



The base of the bulb whence the hair proceeds being beneath the true 

 skin, it is easy to perceive that the hair will grow again, although the 

 cuticle may have been destroyed. A good blister, although it may 

 remove the cuticle, and seemingly for a while the hair with it, leaves no 

 lastinn- blemish. Even firing, lightly and skilfully performed, and not 

 penetrating through the skin, leaves not much blemish ; but when, in 

 broken knees, the true skin is cut through, or destroyed, there will ever 

 remain a spot devoid of hair. The method of hastening and perfecting 

 the re- production of the hair has been described in p. 243, 



PORES OF THE SKIN. 



Beside the openings already mentioned through which proceeds this 

 unctuous fluid to supple and soften the skin, there are others more 

 numerous, through which a vast quantity of aqueous fluid escapes, and per- 

 spiration is carried on ; and, as in the human being, this actually exists 

 in a state of health and quietness, although imperceptible, yet, when the 

 animal is excited by exercise, or labours under some stages of disease, it 

 becomes visible, and appears in the form of drops. 



This process of perspiration is not, however, so far under the control of 

 medicine as in the human being. We can, indeed, abate those profuse 

 perspirations which accompany want of condition, or moulting, or disease, 

 but we cannot easily produce or increase the visible perspiration. 



We are not aware of any medicine that will certainly produce it. Warm 

 clothing seems occasionally to effect it, but this is more in appearance than 

 reality. The insensible perspiration cannot escape through the mass of 

 clothing, and assumes a visible form. This, perhaps, is the case, even 

 when sheep-skins are applied over the back and loins in " locked jaw ;" and 

 they produce a good effect, acting as a warm poultice over the part, and 

 so contributing to relax the muscular spasms. There are, however, some 

 medicines, as antimony and sulphur, which have an evident and very con- 

 siderable effect on the skin, in opening its pores and exciting its vessels to 

 action. 



Of the existence of absorbent vessels on the skin, or those which take 

 up some fluid or substance, and convey it into the circulation, we have 

 satisfactory proof. A horse is even more easily salivated than the human 

 being. Salivation has been produced by rubbing a splint with mercurial 

 ointment, previous to blistering ; and a very few drachms rubbed on the 

 inside of the thighs will probably produce a greater effect than the 

 practitioner desires. 



From some parts of the skin there are peculiar secretions, as that of 

 grease in the heel, and mallenders in the knee. 



MOULTING. 



Twice in the year the hair of the body of the horse is changed. The hair 

 of the mane and tail remains. The bulbous root of the hair does not die, 

 but the pulpy matter seems to be removed from the root of the hair, which, 

 thus deprived of its nourishment, perishes and drops off, and a new hair 

 springs at its side from the sume bulb. As this is a process extending 

 over the whole of the skin, and requiring a very considerable expenditure 

 of vital power, the health of the animal is generally affected at these 

 times. That energy and nervous and vital influence, which should sup- 

 port the whole of the frame, is to a great degree determined to the skin, 

 and the animal is languid, and unequal to much hard work. He perspires 



