262 MOLTEN GREASE, PHYSIOLOGY OF ; [BOOK II. 



substances that might be taken into the stomach. 

 Indeed, this intention of nature in providing such a 

 defence is demonstrable in the fact, that the harder 

 the knobs of dung may be that the animal presseth 

 forth, the greater is the quantity of this greasy, 

 unctuous, or mucous secretion that is eliminated 

 along with it, and which gives name to the disorder. 

 Probably, the secretion of this grease may then 

 proceed with more celerity; its access maybe greater, 

 the more it is thus required by nature to defend 

 the alimentary passage. This supposition is drawn 

 from the fact just stated; but, whether the well- 

 founded conjecture be too hastily hazarded, is for 

 the more minute inquirer to conclude upon, or in- 

 vestigate farther, as may seem good to him. 



At any rate, the doctrine of effusion, or the pass- 

 ing of those secretions, whether mucous or aequeous, 

 from one part of the system to another, as nature or 

 accident may require the supply, is tolerably evi- 

 dent from another circumstance that is often recur- 

 ring in cases of molten grease. [The subject is 

 more fully treated of at the page just referred to.] 

 The perspiration of the two secretions in succes- 

 sion, here referred to, is pretty well recognised, and 

 is easily proveable, in the manner there set down ; 

 the unctuous, mucous, or greasy secretion (call it 

 which we like) of the external surfaces following 

 that of the more liquid, aequeous, or watery kind, 

 after any great exertion. Horses that contract 

 molten grease are ever those which have been highly 

 fed, without exercise sufficient to excite visible per- 



