146 Diseases of the Horse. 



terms Sympathetic, Symptomatic, or Irritative Fever, and 

 Constitutional Disturbance. 



Specific Fever is another general term for denoting 

 peculiar and important states. We need only to observe 

 here that it is applied to those forms of disease which are 

 capable of being propagated among animals of the same 

 class by contact. Essential details will be found under 

 the head of Contagious Diseases. 



Treatment of Fever. — As simple fever depends upon 

 the presence of some irritant, it is obvious that the sup- 

 pression of the disease at the outset alone depends upon 

 the removal of the cause. When this is accomplished 

 nature resumes her position. If we are able at once to 

 control the original disease, and reduce or remove its 

 effects, sympathetic fever is not developed ; and if it has 

 already commenced, by mitigating the severity of the first 

 we may remove the second, even when it has attained a 

 degree of intensity. Sympathetic fever always leaves the 

 animal more or less deteriorated. Successful treatment 

 of injuries, &c, is more likely to result from early appli- 

 cation, and is always to be recommended. 



Inflammation. — The infallible signs are heat, pain, 

 redness, and swelling. The first and second are usually 

 evident, but owing to the existence of hair and other 

 coverings common to the animal body, redness and 

 swelling are not so readily observed. Inflammation is the 

 result of violent causes, consisting of an increase of blood 

 in the affected part, with more or less suspended function 

 of the blood vessels, as well as the integral parts of the 

 blood itself. Inflammation is said to be acute when the 

 process is characterised by great severity or activity ; it is 

 atonic or sub -acute, when, by reason of low vital force, it 

 proves slow or tardy. Closely allied to this state is a 

 peculiarity of the circulation, mostly common to large 

 organs with abundant vessels and elastic tissues, known 

 as congestion. It is sudden in its origin and departure, 

 and is probably confined principally to the venous system. 



Inflammation terminates in various ways. By resolu- 

 tion or gradual decline, the parts eventually regaining 

 their original state and appearance ; in suppuration or 



