INFLAMMATION. 



THE PULSE. 



The muscular coat of the artery can be felt giving way to the gush 

 of blood : and the expansion of the artery, as the blood passes, is 

 called the imhe. Every one who knows the least about cattle is 

 sensible of the importance of the indications to be obtained by the 

 pulse. The heat of blood may be felt at the root of the horn ; and 

 the rallying of the blood round some important, but inflamed part, 

 may be guessed at by means of the coldness of the ear, or the 

 extremities : but by the pulse we ascertain the state of the general 

 system, and the increased force or debility of that central machine on 

 which every secretion and every function depends. It has been 

 'stated that the pulse is not easily felt at the jaw. The temporal 

 artery will generally be sufficiently distinct; but it will be most 

 convenient to ascertain the beating of the heart itself, by placing the 

 hand on the left side, a little within and behind the elbow. The 

 average pulse of a full-grown healthy ox is about forty, 



THE CAPILLARIES. 



The blood continues to circulate along the arteries, until they and 

 their ramifications have diminished so much in size, as to be termed 

 capillaries, or hair-like tubes, although many of them are not one- 

 hundredth part so large as a hair. The heart ceases to have 

 influence here. Xo force from behind could drive the blood through 

 vessels so minute. Another power is called into exercise, namely, the 

 influence of the organic motor, or moving nerves, on the muscular 

 sides of these fittle tubes. 



This is by far the most important part of the circulation. The 

 blood is carried through the arteries mechanically, and without 

 change in them ; it is, returned through the veins mechanically, and 

 almost without change in them also : but it is in the capillary system 

 that every secretion is performed, and that the nutrition of every 

 part is effected. The arteries and veins are mere mechanical tubes ; 

 the capillaries are connected with the vital principle — they are 

 portions of fife itself. 



INFLAMMATION. 



The arteries are subject to inflammation, yet so rarely in the ox as 

 to render it unnecessary to detain us in describing it; but a similar 

 affection of the capillaries constitutes the very essence and the most 

 dangerous part of every other disease. Inflammation is increased 

 action of these vessels. When the increased action is confined to a 

 few capillaries, or a small space, or a single organ, the inflammation 

 is said to be local ; but when it embraces the whole of the system, 

 it assiunes the name of fever 



