CHAP. I.] PREDISPOSITION TO FEVER. 173 



it must, when it is not replenished at the source, 

 and wasting of the solids succeeds of course, unless 

 nature is assisted by our art judiciously : — the right 

 application of this art is what we are now going in 

 search of. 



One of the immediate consequences of the horse 

 being hard worked, or high fed and physicked with 

 stimulants, is the constant heating or feverish state 

 of the blood. Increased action of the heart and 

 arteries accompany and keep up this state of irrita- 

 tion, which may be further accelerated by the 

 animal's being allowed to take cold whilst in that 

 state, whereby the perspiration is checked of a 

 sudden, and the blood which may then fill the 

 smaller vessels is detained there, to the further 

 annoyance of the larger ones : he then contracts in- 

 flammation of all the solids and organs of life, or, 

 more properly, fever. But, when only a certain 

 part of the system, or a single organ is thus checked, 

 we consider the affair under the name of inflamma- 

 tion of that part, as of the lungs, the kidneys, &c. ; 

 always keeping in mind, that by continuance, these 

 extend their baleful affections to other ^organs, with 

 which a certain sympathy is known to exist. In 

 like manner, when external muscular parts swell 

 and secrete matter, this is also considered as in- 

 flammation of that particular part — or tumour, or 

 abscess, with a great variety of names, according 

 to the place where it may be seated : poll-evil and 

 fistula are among those external complaints to which 

 we allude. 



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