THE PULSJv. 619 



Linseed meal r . ,• ■ 1 lb. 



Bran 3 qts. 



Hog's lard. .- ■. ., .2 to 4 oz. 



Boiling water enough to make a soft poultice. 



Or, turnips thoroughly boiled and mashed, any quantity, linseed 

 meal enough to form the poultice. A good poultice can be made of 

 carrots, grated fine. Either of these simple poultices may be con- 

 verted into an anodyne poultice by the addition of opium ; into a 

 fermenting poultice by the addition of yeast, and by substituting 

 batmeal for linseed meal ; into an astringent poultice by the addi- 

 tion of Goulard's extract, sugar of lead, or powdered alum ; and into 

 a detergent poultice by the addition of white or blue vitriol. 



In obstinate cases of virulent grease, where tHere is much pain, 

 and a stinking, dark-colored discharge, and especially when emol- 

 lients are found ineffectual, the detergent poultice has quickly cured 

 the disease, and in such cases even a solution of corrosive sublimate 

 has been used with the best effect. But emollients should always 

 be fairly tried, and some diuretic medicine given. 



The Pulse. 



The arteries are the vessels which convey the blood, from the 

 heart to the system. "The blood nowhere passes through an artery 

 so rapidly as it is forced into it by the ventricles of the heart, on ac- 

 count of the resistance offered by all the tubes against which it is 

 forced. The consequence is, that when it receives the wave of blood, 

 both the diameter and the length of the vessel is increased, and this 

 is followed by a recoil and recovery of its previous position, owing 

 to the elasticity of the tube ; these operations constitute the pulse, 

 which is felt when the finger slightly compresses r an artery." — Ben- 

 nett. Hence the pulsations of the artery correspond with the beat- 

 ings of t:he heart, and consequently indicate the irritability of that 

 organ, or the system generally. The average pulse of the horse is 

 from, thirty-two to forty beats per minute. The smaller and 

 more nervous the horse, the quicker the pulse ; while the larger and 

 Coarser bred, the slowed. The most convenient places to feel the 

 pulse are at the arm, on the inside where the artery {radial') passes 

 over the head of the bone, or on the under part of the lower jaw. 

 It can be felt easiest and best at the lower jaw, a little behind, 

 where the submaxillary artery comes up and winds round to gain 

 the cheek. (See Fig. 931.) Pass the finger down the jaw up near 

 the neck on the inner edge, and a cord-like ridge will be felt, which, 

 upon gently and firmly pressing it with the end of the finger, will 

 plainly be felt to throb and beat. (See Eig. 932.) 



