680 
FURTHER REMARKS ON CORONIT1S. 
that I may endeavour to perfect that which in my last was but 
commenced. 
Before I proceed, however, it will be as well to observe, that 
I am influenced in thus openly stating my perhaps incorrect no- 
tions by no other feeling than that of a most earnest desire for the 
welfare of veterinary science ; and since we have no associations, 
no meetings, at which we can assemble, and give forth our opinions 
and receive others, as our sister-profession has, and which to her 
are a great source for the derivation of knowledge — we ought to 
make the pages of The Veterinarian a substitute, and a most 
excellent one too it might be found, if scientific subjects alone were 
admitted for discussion. Opinions thus would be elicited of the most 
sterling value, and a spirit of scientific research would be culti- 
vated, which now appears to want an impulse only to give it free- 
dom from the bonds in which it has been so long entangled. 
Now, to proceed : — It is nothing more or less than the most con- 
vincing facts, drawn from every-day resources and strengthened 
by a long-continued observance of the laws which govern vitality, 
that induces me to form an opinion opposite to that given us by 
Mr. Cherry, on the proximate cause of “ brittleness, diminished 
secretion, and harshness of horn which opinion I feel in no way 
persuaded to retract, notwithstanding the lucid arguments used by 
Mr. Cherry to prove the contrary. 
The nervous energy (upon the equal diffusion of which the 
harmonious workings of the whole of the functions of animal life 
depend) concentrates itself in any part whose nerves are irritated 
from any cause ; thus disease is established in those parts so irri- 
tated, or in others for the want of their accustomed supply. Exam- 
ples in confirmation of this doctrine are easily obtained ; for in- 
stance, any thing producing irritation, and consequently concen- 
tration of nervous energy, in the skin, is sure to produce indigestion 
and torpidity of the bowels, in consequence of a withdrawal of 
nervous energy from the interior to the exterior parts of the body. 
A blister applied contiguous to a discharging issue will cause its 
discharge to diminish, all the while the irritation of the blister is 
stronger than the irritalion which causes the blister to discharge; 
but when the irritation of the blister ceases, then, and not till then, 
will the discharge from the issue return to its pristine condition. 
This law also holds good in all cases in which we have recourse to 
counter-irritation. 
Now, we will inquire how far these facts will enable us to 
account for that peculiar brittleness and diminished secretion of 
horn. We will first take into consideration the causes given by 
Mr. Cherry in his paper, the first of which is “ long-continued or 
too severe concussion,” a well-known precursor to acute founder, 
