DIAGNOSIS. 23 



is almost a certain indication that nature has entirely given way 

 and death is at hand; but the most favorable indications, judged 

 thermometrically, are when the temperature, after attaining the 

 maximum, gradually drops a few decimals of a degree every day 

 until the normal 98.5 degrees is again reached and nature's 

 balance is restored. 



Pulse. — Next to the temperature of the body as registered by 

 the thermometer the state of the pulse ranks in importance; but 

 considerable practice and experience is called for, otherwise too 

 much may be made of certain indications on the one hand and too 

 little on the other; it is hardly necessary to state that the pulsations 

 of an arter\' indicate the contractions or beats of the heart, which, 

 according to circumstances, may vary in rapidity within a given 

 time; also in rapidity and degree between the beats; in hardness, 

 softness, wiriness, or fullness, according to the amount of blood 

 pressure; in the interval occurring between the several beats, 

 whether regular or irregular, and, if the latter, in the form the 

 irregularity assumes. The ordinary number of beats or pulsations 

 in the healthy horse varies from 36 to 40, though occasionally a 

 slow, lieavy-dispositioned animal, who is not easily disturbed, may 

 be found with a pulse of 32; on the contrary an irritable, nervous 

 horse will have a normally healthy pulse of 45. This variation in 

 character and mental impression in the horse demands thoughtful 

 consideration and due allowance to be made when about to take 

 the pulse; if the horse is naturally unconcerned and immovable 

 no great caution is called for when approaching him for the pur- 

 pose of testing the pulse: but if, on the contrary, he is naturally 

 excitable and nervous it is well to spend a few minutes in gently 

 talking to him with a view to gaining his confidence and allowing 

 time for the heart, which has probably been considerably accele- 

 rated in its action, to slow down to the condition in which it was 

 before 3'ou entered the stall or box; by the exercise of such care 

 only can you discover all you want to learn from the pulsation of 

 the heart; and inasmuch as it is impossible for a layman to esti- 

 mate correctly the difference in the various pulsations and the 

 relative meaning of any variation from the normal standard so as 

 to differentiate between a structurally diseased heart and one that 

 is merely affected sympathetically, it would be wise of every horse 

 owner, trainer and stableman to practice periodically the taking of 



