48 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



cause of excess or deficiency must be sought for and 

 removed. In salutary destructive changes where a 

 foreigQ body becomes the centre of an abscess, whenever 

 necessary the tendency of the abscess to pass in the 

 direction of least pressure must be directed by relaxing 

 superficial parts by moisture and warmth, also any impe- 

 diment to such progress towards the surface, as layers of 

 fascia, must be overcome by operation. Our anatomical 

 knowledge will guide us in this matter. Local energy 

 must be promoted in cases of removal of gangrenous 

 parts by sloughing, and when the general or local powers 

 begin to flag they must be assisted by surgical removal 

 of the altered mass. The circumstances of each case will 

 suggest to the practitioner the proper time for operation, 

 and when there is inability to produce a " line of demar- 

 cation,^^ removal must be made where the tissues retain 

 vital energy sufl&cient for repair. When it is necessary to 

 treat inflammation of a non-salutary character the original 

 cause of the disorder must be first removed. Thus, a 

 foreign body in the muscular structures of a part, resting 

 on the conjunctiva, or situated in a passage too small 

 to accommodate it under ordinary circumstances, if not 

 removed artificially will be thrown off if possible by 

 exacting processes of nature, or death will result from the 

 attempt. Occasionally a coating of lymph will be thrown 

 out over a foreign body, and thus its irritating characters 

 obviated. Next, all causes which tend to produce similar 

 inflammation must be removed, for they simply aggravate 

 the case in hand. Thus, in inflammation of the peritoneum 

 quiescence of the bowels is to be sought, for active peris- 

 talsis, such as results from cathartics, causes friction between 

 the inflamed surfaces. As activity predisposes to disorder, 

 both directly and by influencing blood supply, we must 

 secure Kest whenever possible ; thus we keep the animal 

 in a dark place in cases of ophthalmia, and endeavour to 

 promote the action of other excretory organs in cases of 

 inflammation of the kidneys, to relieve the diseased glands. 

 There is a natural tendency to this which we must 

 endeavour to promote. The substitution of the action 



