344 THE PULSE IN DISEASE. 



observed by a frequent pulse and accelerated breathing in 

 animals who are not sheltered. 



THE PULSE IN DISEASE. 



The pulse is modified by disease as to frequency, strength, 

 and regularity. There are special expressions adopted by 

 pathologists, and which have a fixed meaning. Thus, a slow 

 pulse is one in which the beats per minute are below the 

 normal standard, and a, frequent pulse is the very reverse. 

 Often confounded with the term frequent is the adjec- 

 tive quick. A quick pulse is one with a sharp, decisive stroke, 

 though usually frequent as well. A tardy pulse -pouls lent 

 of the French is one opposed to the quick pulse, in which 

 the pulsation moves slowly under the finger, and at long in- 

 tervals. It is met with in cerebral affections in the horse. 



The pulse is full and strong when it strikes with force 

 against the finger. It is feeble, indistinct, and sometimes im- 

 perceptible where it is usually felt in opposite conditions. A 

 strong pulse may be corded and incompressible, viz., the 

 artery not easily effaced, or the current within it readily 

 stopped by pressure with the finger. An oppressed pulse is 

 one in which fulness of the artery is associated with a some- 

 what imperfect but active jerk, as if the blood- wave could be 

 indistinctly felt with the distended state of the vascular 

 system. When a pulse is small, yet strong, it is called hard 

 or wiry. A soft pulse is when the artery is full and pulse 

 small A pulse is termed irregular when several pulsations 

 succeeding each other rapidly are followed by a long interval, 

 and the number of frequent pulsations are variable. There 

 is a marked difference in the strength of different pulsations 

 under these circumstances. An intermittent pulse is one in 

 which there is regularity in the intervals between a constant 

 number of frequent pulsations. 



