74 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



of the body, gradually uniting to form larger trunks. Placed along 

 the course of the lymphatic vessels are glands, and in some situations 

 these glands are collected into groups ; for example, in the groin, etc. 

 These glands are often involved in inflammation arising from the 

 absorption of deleterious matter. 



Absorption is the function of the lymphatics. The liquor san- 

 guinis passes from the blood capillaries to supply nutrition to the 

 tissues. All excess of the liquor sanguinis that is not required is 

 absorbed by the lymphatic vessels and conveyed back to the blood by 

 the lymphatic ducts. The lymphatics which proceed from the intes- 

 tines convey the chyle into the blood during digestion. As a rule, 

 the lymphatic vessels follow the course of the veins. All of the ab- 

 sorbent vessels convey their contents to the thoracic duct and right 

 great lymphatic vein, which empty into the anterior vena cava, 

 where the lymph and chyle mix with the venous blood, and thus 

 maintain the supply of nutritive elements in the blood. 



As fully explained, the heart pumps the blood throughout the arte- 

 rial system. The arteries are always full and each contraction of 

 the ventricle pumps more blood into them, which distends their elastic 

 walls and sends a wave along them which gradually becomes less per- 

 ceptible as it nears the very small arteries, and is lost before the 

 capillaries are reached. This wave constitutes the pulse. The sen- 

 sation or impression given to the finger when placed upon the artery 

 shoAvs the force exerted by the heart and some important facts con- 

 cerning the condition of the circulation. In cattle the average num- 

 ber of pulsations in a minute (in adults) is from 50 to 60. The pulse 

 is faster than normal after exercise, excitement, on hot days, from 

 pain, and as a result of fullness of the stomach. In old animals it is 

 sloAver than in the young and in males slightly slower than in 

 females. In fevers and inflammations and in local diseases of the 

 heart the pulse rate is increased. If the rate is greater than 100 or 

 110 to the minute the outlook for recovery is not good. 



Other variations of the pulse are known as infrequent pulse, which 

 means that the number of pulsations in a given time is less than nor- 

 mal. The irregular or the intermittent pulse is when the pulsations 

 do not follow in regular order. The large pulse and the small pulse 

 refer to the volume of the pulse, which may be larger or smaller than 

 usual. The strong pulse and the feeble pulse refer to the strength or 

 weakness of the pulsation. The pulse is said to be hard when the 

 vessel feels hard and incompressible. The soft pulse is the reverse 

 of the hard one. By dicrotic pulse is meant that kind of pulsation 

 which makes each beat seem double, and therefore it is generally 

 called the double pulse. 



