CHAP. I.] STATE OF THE PULSE. 179 



and bespeaks, more than words can convey, the 

 vital necessity of a cool atmosphere. 



The Pulse — Being the chiefest criterion for 

 judging of the state of the circulation of the blood, 

 and as we have sat down with the notion that our 

 book will be read straight- an-end at first, let the 

 reader attend a moment while we say a word or 

 two on this preliminary topic. Without an accurate 

 knowledge of this touch-stone of the main spring 

 of life, no one can form a judgment fit to be acted 

 upon as to when it is necessary to bleed, nor of the 

 quantity to be taken : thus, in cases of fever, the 

 groom begins very properly by bleeding ; but he 

 almost invariably takes too little, or in case of in- 

 creased action of the pulse, through over exertion 

 of the animal's powers, he bleeds when such a 

 course is detrimental, and almost always admi- 

 nisters cordials, thus reducing with one hand, and 

 increasing the action with the other. — See pages 

 114, and sequel. 



When in health, the pulsations or strokes are 

 from thirty-six to forty in a minute ; those of large 

 heavy horses being slower than of the smaller 

 breeds ; and of old ones, they are also slower than 

 of young animals. When a horse of either kind 

 may be just off a quick pace, the strokes increase 

 in number; as they do if he be alarmed, or terrified, 

 or hear the hounds' familiar cry. Fever, of the 

 simple or common kind, usually increases the pul- 

 sations to double the healthy number ; hence the 

 necessity of grooms ascertaining the state of this 



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