94 EVACUATIONS, SUPPRESSED ; [BOOK I. 



in secretion, taking up and separating from other 

 matters that quantity of watery particles which is 

 constantly escaping out of one part of the system 

 into another, by means of the cellular membrane, 

 as described at sections 2\ and 22. The smaller 

 glands, just now described, have each a small tube 

 attached to it, which seems intended to hold the 

 acrid, or otherwise noxious, matter, which its lym- 

 phatic had refused to take up, as being at variance 

 with its function ; here it remains concealed, until 

 the proper occasion arrives for carrying it off, and 

 which may be found by one of the three natural 

 evacuations ; but these failing, it is clear disease of 

 one sort or other must ensue. Perspiration seems 

 to be its most natural mode of passing off, unless 

 the demand for that kind of evacuation happens to 

 be low, and then it is drawn to the kidneys (sect. 

 22). But, if the discharge by dung has been so 

 copious as to afford too little of this acrid matter 

 (essential probably in a certain degree), by means 

 of the absorbents of the intestines, then, and in that 

 case, it is taken up once more. When the animal's 

 spirits are low, the absorption imperfect, and this 

 offensive matter lies a long time in the tubes of 

 these small glands, a general languishment of the 

 beast takes place (called lentor by the old farriers) ; 

 he perspires upon the least exertion, becomes un- 

 nerved, shows a rough hide, and refuses his meals. 

 This constitutes " low fever," when the whole 

 animal system is affected. This state of things, 

 which is very common, points out the impropriety 



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