34 THE VETERINARY SCIENCE. 



bone. This g'lauU is ot a ^ra)i>h, itxny coior auU i,aii be found by 

 examining closely in front of ihe kidneys, its use is to secrete a 

 clear, colorless fluid known as the Pancreatic juice. This is an 

 important fluid in connection with digesting' the fooi and entem 

 the bowel )u<t behind wher?j the tube from the liver enters. 



The spleen is situated along the left side of the .stomachi 

 la long and flat, being about fifteen inches in length, lying Hi<mg 

 t^nd closely attached to the stomach. This gland is of a grayish? 

 red color and in soft to handle; it is a ductless gland, that is, 

 it has no secretion passing from it. The uses of this orj^an are -ot 

 clearly understood, but is supposed to regulate the teniiierature of 

 the stomach during digestion, and also acts as r reservoir for the 

 blood, and is sometimes called the burying ground of the red 

 corpuscles of the blood, it is largely supplied with blood vessels 

 and nerves and weighs from two to four pounds in the horse. 



MEMBRANES OF THE BODY. 



In speaking of the membranes of the body it is found they 

 are of two kinds, serous membranes and mucous membranes. 



Mucous Membranes are found lining all open cavities of the 

 body, as for example, the lining all through the digestive organs ; 

 also lining the respiratory or breathing organs; again it is found 

 lining the organs in connection with the urine, also the genital 

 organs or the organs which reproduce the young animals. 



Serous Membranes are membranes which line closed cavities, 

 that is, air tight cavities and do not communicate at all with the 

 air, such as are found between the bowels and the wall of abdomen 

 or belly, it is called the peritoneum ; there is also another one 

 found lining the chest cavity and the lungs, this membrane is 

 called pleura. There is also another one found in the brain, bu^ 

 is not of much importance. This membrane is always made up of 

 two coats the inner one being attached to the organs contained in 

 the cavity, the other coat is found closely lining the inside of the 

 cavity in which it is found. The inner side of these membranes 

 always secretes an oily fluid which lubricates the two surfaces of 

 this membrane, and if it was not for this oily fluid, the walls 

 would become sore from the friction caused by the moving of ona 

 coat on thft olher. These men-,hrands are an important pomt to 

 note as somotimes. t'>ey become chilled anJ get inflamed and set 

 up inflammation. Infl.immation of the pleura rnemhrat^e inentioned 

 is called pleurisy, and the membrane in connection with the bowels 



