ON THE CAUSES OF DISEASE. 37 
which should agree with the sentiments of all men desiring to see 
veterinary science joined in the march of improvement which is 
aow progressing in almost every other department of science and 
industry. “The immediate effect of profuse and repeated bleed- 
ing is exhaustion. While this exhaustion continues there ‘s a 
diminution of action of every kind, and hence an imposing ap- 
pearance of relief’ to the symptoms of disease; but it no sooner 
takes piace than an instinctive effort is made by the vis medica- 
trix natura to remedy the evil hereby produced, and to restore the 
system to its former balance of power. This balance is called a 
rallying, or reaction of the living principle. The arteries con- 
tract to adapt themselves to the measure of blood that remains; 
the sensorial organ is roused to the secretion of a large proportion 
of nervous power to supply the inordinate drain that takes place. 
During the general commotion, all is in a state of temporary 
hurry and urgency, and, for the most part, irregularity of action, 
white the instinctive effort is proceeding. And hence, no sooner 
is the immediate effect of prostration and exhaustion overcome 
than the heart palpitates, the pulse beats forcibly with a jerking 
bound, the head throbs, and the eyes flash fire. Now, it often hap- 
pens that these concurrent signs are mistaken for proofs of latent 
or increased vigor, instead of being proofs of accelerated action ; 
and action, too, that adds as largely to the exhaustion as the de 
pletion that produced it; and the unhappy patient is bled a 
second, a third, and even a fourth time,* till no reaction follows, 
at which time it is strangely supposed that the plethora or inflam- 
matory diatheses is subdued and lulled into a calm, because the 
patient has been so far and fatally drained of the living principle 
that there is no longer any rallying or reactive power remaining, 
and gives up the ghost, in a few hours, to the treatment instead of 
the disease.” This is the case with thousands and tens of thou. 
sands of valuable animals that annually die in this country, in 
* My attention was recently called to a valuable stallion, which had lately 
been brought from Nova Scotia. He was attacked with what the attending 
would-be physician called “founder,” but which was a pure case of acute rheu- 
matism. In three different bleedings, forty-two pounds of blood had been ab- 
stracted! and I found the patient so weak and prostrated that he was scarcely 
able to stand. It seems to me that every man having the least spark of charity 
for so noble an animal as a horse, should discountenance such outrageous treat 
ment as this. 
