DISEASES OP HEART, BLOOD VESSELS, AND LYMPHATICS. 73 



Absorption is the function of the lymphatics. The liquor sanguinis 

 passes from the blood capillaries to supply nutrition to the tissues. 

 All excess of the liquor sanguinis that is not required is absorbed by 

 the lymphatic vessels and conveyed back to the blood by the lym- 

 phatic ducts. The lymphatics which proceed from the intestines con- 

 vey the chyle into the blood during digestion. As a rule, the lym- 

 phatic vessels follow the course of the veins. All of the absorbent 

 vessels convey their contents to the thoracic duct and right great 

 lymphatic vein, which empty into the anterior vena cava, where the 

 lymph and chyle mix with the venous blood, and thus maintain the 

 supply of nutritive elements in the blood. 



PULSE. 



As fully explained, the heart pumps the blood throughout the arte- 

 rial system. The arteries are always full and each contraction of 

 the ventricle pumps more blood into them, which distends their elastic 

 walls and sends a wave along them which gradually becomes less per- 

 ceptible as it nears the very small arteries, and is lost before the 

 capillaries are reached. This wave constitutes the pulse. The sen- 

 sation or impression given to the finger when placed upon the artery 

 shows the force exerted by the heart and some important facts con- 

 cerning the condition of the circulation. In cattle the average num- 

 ber of pulsations in a minute (in adults) is from 50 to 60. The pulse 

 is faster than normal after exercise, excitement, on hot days, from 

 pain, and as a result of fullness of the stomach. In old animals it is 

 slower than in the young and in males slightly slower than in females. 

 In fevers and inflammations and in local diseases of the heart the 

 pulse rate is increased. If the rate is greater than 100 or 110 to the 

 minute the outlook for recovery is not good. 



Other variations of the pulse are known as infrequent pulse, which 

 means that the number of pulsations in a given time is less than nor- 

 mal. The irregular or the intermittent pulse is when the pulsations 

 do not follow in regular order. The large pulse and the small pulse 

 refer to the volume of the pulse, which may be larger or smaller than 

 usual. The strong pulse and the feeble pulse refer to the strength or 

 weakness of the pulsation. The pulse is said to be hard when the 

 vessel feels hard and incompressible. The soft pulse is the reverse 

 of the hard one. By dicrotic pulse is meant that kind of pulsation 

 which makes each beat seem double, and therefore it is genei-ally 

 called the double pulse. 



The venous or "jugular pulse" is the pulsation so frequently 

 observed in the jugular vein of cattle. It is particularly noticeable 

 while they are ruminating — "chewing the cud." It is not always 

 associated with disease, but may be a symptom of some disease of the 

 heart; in such cases the jugular pulse is continuous. 



The location selected for feeling the pulse in cattle is where the sub- 

 maxillary artery winds around the lower jaw bones, just at the lower 



