42 THE VETERINARY DOCTOR. 
and bright eyes, natural but not excessive appetite which is not affected by 
ordinary work, regular and easy passages from the bowels and _ bladder, 
regular respiration from eight to ten times a minute, uniform heart-beats. 
about forty-five per minute and a medium load of fat. If any of these are 
materially disturbed some derangement exists, and more or less disease is. 
present if such disturbance is more than fitful. 
Sicns or DiseEaAse.—The family physician is helpless unless he knows. 
the symptoms of his patient, but these he can learn with more ease by ask- 
ing questions than one can determine the condition of a dumb animal. He 
who would treat the latter must wholly depend upon his observation. 
Indeed, the owner of such an animal can scarcely be deemed less than cruel 
if he is so careless as not to extend to it a reasonable attention to ascertain 
whether it is in health. Any one can be reasonably certain whether his. 
domestic animals are sick or well if he but be observing. 
Prominent signs of disorder are these: Failure to notice asound or the 
approach of another animal or a person, heedless standing, hanging head, 
general dullness, with eyes and ears perfectly still or drooping. Such signs 
are to be seen whether the animal is tired, old, abused, sleepy or sick. If 
the skin is pimply, or cold and damp, or unusually hot, dry and harsh, or 
sticks closely to the flesh and bones; if the hair stands on end and is not 
bright and smooth; if the nose, ears and feet are unduly cold in moderate 
weather; if the animal paws his bedding, or shows an unusual disposition 
to lie down, or looks around at his sides, switches his tail in the absence of 
flies, or uneasily stands on different feet successively, then pain is most likely 
present, and certainly the animal is not well. A more detailed notice of 
some signs is now in order. 
The Pulsc.—The pulse is the stroke felt at a point where an artery 
comes near the surface. In man, it is more commonly sought out on the ~ 
wrist; in the domestic animals it is more easily found at the edge of the 
jaw. Passing the finger from the angle of the jaw along the lower edge, 
we will notice a slight depression or notch, and by pressing the finger into 
this we feel the pulsations of the artery. Whereas in man in adult life the 
heart beats, or the pulse, will be from 65 to 72, and may be increased a half 
or even doubled by excitement, those of the horse are much less, ranging 
about as follows: At birth, 100 to 120; at two weeks of age, 80 to 96; 
three months, 68 to 76; six months, 64 to 72; one year, 48 to 56; two 
years, 40 to 48; four years, 38 to 48. The average after three years is 
about 45. These figures may be considered the standard of a healthy 
pulse, some allowance being made for variations of temperature. 
In health the pulse is regular, full, round and distinct, and when 
increased by excitement it retains the same relative characteristics. It is 
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