82 VETERINARY STUDIES 



made. The recovery may be partial or complete, slow or rapid, 

 depending on the nature of the disease of which the fever is a 

 symptom or condition; the native vigor or vital constitution 

 of the patient; and the conditions under which the patient is 

 kept and under which the disease runs its course. 



Practical application. — The student may now understand that 

 pain accompanying inflammation may be a useful protection, 

 and that it is due to a stretching of sensory nerve fibers, to pres- 

 sure on these fibers, or to irritation by bacterial or tissue prod- 

 ucts. The heat is clearly due to increased tissue activity and, 

 therefore, increased oxidation; the redness to hyperemia; the 

 swelling, to engorgements and exudation of the blood; and the 

 impaired function to interference with normal tissue activity 

 by these several conditions. 



It is important that the student understand what the possible 

 terminations of an inflammation may be; and what the factors 

 are which affect regeneration and resolution, as in a recovered 

 garget; or degeneration and necrosis, as in abscess or gangrene 

 of an inflamed udder ; or which lead to new growth, as in a big 

 foot following wire cut. Obviously, lack of nutrition, poor cir- 

 culation, destructive medicines, etc., tend toward tissue degen- 

 eration and necrosis; whereas vitality, good food, tonics, and 

 proper local treatment favor regeneration, resolution, and re- 

 covery. Irritating medicine on a wound of the foot where there 

 is a natural tendency to over-regeneration can only make the 

 matter worse. 



It is important, also, to remember that hyperemia, inflamma- 

 tion, fever, etc., within reasonable limits, are protective and 

 curative, but that beyond such limits they may be destructive. 

 It should now be clear to the student why it is dangerous to 

 work a horse that is suffering from fever, as in a mild dis- 

 temper, because there is already abnormal oxidation, and work 

 increases it. The excretory organs, too, are already overworked. 



