8 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



the heart and outfall into the capillaries. "With largeness 

 of the pulse may be associated hardness, constituting the 

 '' corded *' beat ; the '^ wiry '^ pulse is small and hard, 

 and a soft pulse may be large or small. The complicated 

 vaso-motor mechanism, by means of which these variations 

 in the states of the artery of the living subject, together 

 with the intrinsic and extrinsic nervous mechanisms of 

 the heart are brought about, are explained in all modern 

 works on physiology. We have given enough information 

 to enable us to complete our remarks on this point, by 

 observing what states of our patients may modify the pulse. 

 The beats vary with age, being generally frequent in very 

 young animals and declining until old age ; somewhat more 

 frequent in the female than the male, they are especially 

 increased by conditions of pregnancy (varying with the 

 stages) and lactation. Individual temperament may 

 afEect the number, but especially alters the character of 

 the pulse. The nature of the anima?s work and mode of 

 life, as also various processes of digestion (especially 

 rumination) and some minor influences also affect the 

 pulse. 



The Respiratory System, by means of which much 

 impure matter is removed from the blood and much 

 oxygen is added to it, gives us indications of importance, 

 as serving for diagnosis and prognosis of disease. Varia- 

 tions occur in the manner of introduction of air into the 

 lungs, and of its expulsion after utilisation, also in the 

 frequency of these processes. The extent of this system 

 renders it liable to become affected by contiguity to many 

 parts. Also its nervous connections are of considerable 

 importance. Hence, in every case we should examine the 

 number and kind of breathing efforts, and we shall often 

 find it necessary to note the presence and character of 

 a cough or other sound produced by respiratory acts. It 

 has been observed that under healthy conditions the pulse 

 and respirations bear to each other a definite numerical 

 relation, one to four, but this is hardly exact. Fevers, 

 inflammations, and other diseased conditions affecting the 

 system, cause increased frequency of breathing. 



