232 
HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
that typhoid state on which the low type of inflammation depends, and absolutely 
increases the exudation we are anxious to diminish. It also still more lowers the 
force of the heart, and as a consequence, increases the number and adds to the » 
weakness of its pulsations. We have been too much accustomed to think that 
inflammation of all kinds and degrees must be combated by bleeding. Take 
away blood and inflammation cannot exist say some. We know more of the in- 
trinsic nature of this process, than we did even a few years ago, and are quite 
well aware that inflammation, in selecting predisposed or weakened organs and 
systems, is not always to be cured by adding weakness to weakness. Every 
veterinary surgeon with whom I have corresponded on the subject, tells me that 
his experience is quite against bleeding in any state of this disease. Dietl of 
Vienna has show n, that by bleeding all cases of inflammation of the lungs in man, 
and giving emetic tartar also, the deaths amounted to 20 per cent. On the other 
hand, by discarding bleeding and emetic tartar, by nursing carefully, and allowing 
spare diet, he found in a trial of three years, on 750 cases of the same disease, 
that the deaths were little over 9 per cent. The universal bleeding and sedative 
medicine system showed 20 per cent, of deaths ; the complete avoidance of 
bleeding and sedatives showed less than half that fatality. Bleeding lessens the 
blood in quantity, and lowers its quality — so does starvation. Bleeding weakens 
the force of the heart and circulation generally — so does starvation. When an 
animal is sick, nature wisely takes away the inclination for food, because disease 
suspends or impairs the digestive and nutritive processes, thus rendering food 
superfluous ; but she cannot always spare blood, and dispense with food at the 
same time, especially in cases such as these, where disease itself depraves the 
quality and lessens the quantity of this truly “ vital fluid.” That a man or a 
horse, labouring under acute inflammation, with accompanying high symptomatic 
fever, may be relieved, perhaps cured by bleeding, I can understand and explain. 
The state of arterial tension, the strong resisting pulse, and high tone of re-action 
in the system, nurture an inflammation of their own kind. The inflammation here 
subsists in an “ over marked” excitancy of system, the reduction of which by 
bleeding will reduce the inflammation also. There are many cases wherein the 
distress is extreme, and yet the amount of inflammation is by no means extensive. 
In the very last fatal case of influenza which I dissected, the chest and pericardium 
contained great quantities of fluid, yet the appearances of true inflammation were 
almost absent. In order “ to lower the pulse” as it is termed the use of sedative 
medicines is advertised by some. I believe the action of these in the horse to be 
uncertain in the extreme. Emetic tartar has been much relied upon as a sedative; 
it is always slow to act if it really does possess any active property, but I am 
convinced that in many, indeed the majority of cases, it has no beneficial 
action at all. A horse in health can take an ounce a-day for ten days or a fort- 
night without any apparent effects being produced. A medicine to be worthy of 
dependence in disease, should exhibit some obvious properties when given in 
health. Many veterinary practitioners have now entirely discarded the use of 
emetic tartar, amongst the rest I may name Mr. Lawson of Manchester, who 
perhaps treats as many cases of influenza as most men. By giving sedative me- 
dicine, however, with the single view of lowering the pulse, we treat one 
symptom, seek to fulfil but one indication, and are narrowly acting on one idea. 
The pulse will only improve, as the secretions of the skin, bowels, and kidneys are 
restored, and the diseased processes arrested by a substitution of natural organic 
functions. So long as disease exists to cause disturbance, the pulse is an index 
too faithful and true to be beneficially influenced by emetic tartar, digitalis, or any 
other drug which will not benefit the system at large. It is well known that 
saline medicines have a peculiarly good chemical effect on the blood in febrile 
diseases, they also induce gentle action in the skin, kidneys, and even bow’els. 
When a horse will drink water or gruel then (and he generally will take one or 
both,) let common salt, nitre, or even Epsom salts, be given dissolved in the pail 
standing in his box. In the stage of actual typhoid inflammation calomel and 
opium in small doses repeatedly given are extremely useful, by acting on the 
blood directly, and indirectly on the heart and secretions. These drugs, however, 
are useless in cases of extreme weakness, or where the exudation is already 
copious. Here we must give nitrous aether, alcohol, iodine, and diuretics. 
