GENERAL SYMPTOMS. 61 



tlieir feed, seemingly little wrong or amiss, but the coat is 

 harsh and stai'ing, and actual shivering is easily induced. An 

 animal .in such a state may be on the eve of an attack of 

 severe inflammation of some important internal organ. Gene- 

 rally speaking, the febrile state siLcceeds the manifestations of 

 the local symptoms of the inflammation, and therefore it may 

 be considered generally that the fever is the natural effect of 

 the inflammation. 



The inflammatory fever is not always proportioned in its 

 degi-ee of violence to either the size or the importance of the 

 part inflamed. It may be modified in the outset, or very early 

 indeed, by the nature of the part upon v/hich the inflammation 

 has seized. In inflammation of the stomach and bowels, and 

 some of the other abdominal organs, and particularly in traumatic 

 peritonitis, the disease has a peculiarly depressive effect upon 

 the action of the heart, and this gives a peculiar character to 

 the fever, lessens the amount of the reaction, or abridges its 

 duration — affects especially the character of the pulse, which is 

 here small and thready, and carries with it a strong tendency 

 to death, by failure of the heart's action (asthenia). 



Tlie small and thready pulse, being chiefly observed in inflam- 

 mation of the abdominal organs, has been called the abdominal 

 pulse, the artery resembling a hard thrilling thread. 



As observed in connection with surgical practice, inflammatory 

 fever is always a secondary affection. A most minute description 

 of it is given by Professor Miller, which I shall endeavour to 

 condense, and apply to what is observable in Veterinary Surgery; 

 and, like Professor Miller, I shall consider the disorder of the 

 general frame according to its systems. 



1st. The Nervoiis. — There are, if one might jitdge, duU pains 

 in various parts of the animal body, stiffness in the loins and 

 in the limbs, restlessness, and a variety of postures, especially 

 of the limbs, shifting from one leg to another, pointing of the 

 feet ; and when the respiratory organs are not the seat of the 

 inflammation, frequent lying down for a short time ; no desire for 

 natural movement, dtdness, walking performed sluggishly, and 

 with manifest disinclination ; watchfulness, the senses of sight 

 and hearing being evidently exalted ; and in aggravated cases 

 as those arising from neglected wounds in the feet, delirium 

 und coma may ensue, the eyes red and suffused, the visible 



