MUBEASES CF RESPIRATORY PASSAGES AND ORGANS. 113 
a.¢ unrolded to us in the various departments of her great domain, 
We must altogether abandon a blind faith in doses of. poisonous 
medicincs and bleedings; otherwise, all our efforts are as but » 
withering simoom. For example, over seventy thousand head of 
eattle have lately perished of what has been called the “ rinder- 
pest,” in and around the great city of London, which is claimed 
to be the model seat of veterinary learning for all British sub- 
jects It is probable that the heroic practice there taught has 
something to do with this tremendous mortality; for we learn 
that a more simple plan of treatment has been inaugurated by 
another class of physicians, whose medicines are almost inert, anc 
they have been more successful than the advocates of setons, blis 
ters, sedatives, and narcotics, not forgetting their “sheet-anchor,” 
calommel—as Napoleon observed, in derision, when on the islanc 
of St. Helens, “ Bleeding and calomel for ever!” Simple, sana- 
tive medicines act potently, yet silently, after the fashion of 
Nature’s workings; so that we should never attempt to force her 
to adopt ovr system of cure for that of her own. 
PLEURISY. 
Pleurisy signifies inflammation of the pleura. This membrane 
lines the internal surface of the chest, and furnishes a covering 
to the organs within the chest. It also serves to divide the 
chest into two cavities, which are known as the right and left. 
This membrane is similar in its texture and function to that 
which lines the cavity of the abdomen. Both are serous mem- 
branes, secreting, on their inner s” face, a lubricating fluid, which 
guards against friction. This membrane is the seat of pleurisy, 
and pleurisy consists of inflammation of it. 
Causes.—It may be presumed that the ordinary causes which 
produce affections of the lungs are operative in the production 
of this malady, viz.: exposure. by which the surface of the body 
becomes chilled; injuries in the thoracic region; over-work ; an 
impure atmosphere; a plethoric state of the system; in short, 
any cause which is likely to produce an inflammatory affection 
in other parts of the body. I have known horses become the 
subjects of this malady hat have been confined to the stable 
for weeks. Such cases are clearly traceable to plethora, want of 
exercise, and iipure air. It is possible that some animals inherit 
