PROGRESS OF VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ART. 661 
of Berlin that, from his observations, the pulse in stallions is 
slower than has been supposed, viz., from 26 to 34 beats per 
minute. Haider, of Munich, has enlarged these observations 
and finds that in fifty stallions, the average is from 29 to 30; 
the extremes were 25, which he observed four times, and 32, 
which he saw twice. In seven stallions the pulse was inter- 
mittent; in four cases at the third, in two at the fourth, and 
one at the eighth beat. The younger and more lively had a 
slower but fuller pulse than the older animals.— See Thier- 
'drztliches Wochenblatt. 
Alteration in the diaphragm and chest during respiration . — 
According to Mignon the surface of the diaphragm is the 
most accurate standard of measurement for the extent of 
respiration, inasmuch as it forms the basis of the thoracic 
cone; the more the form of the diaphragm approaches the 
circular the better. In the horse, Mignon found that the 
cut through the perpendicular diameter of the diaphragm is 
O f 75, whereas the horizontal diameter is 0 85; in cattle, the 
measurements are 0 62 to 0*70. He is naturally speaking 
of the French metre. The relative extent of surface of the 
diaphragm in horse and cattle is as 16 to 10. A round 
chest is therefore more roomy than a narrow and deep one, 
contrary to the views maintained by horsemen up to the 
present da} 7 ', who prefer the last-formed chest. — Recueil de 
Medecine F Her inair e. 
It would be of decided advantage were we able to measure 
accurately the size of the chest, but rather could we 
determine the chest capacity in animals. With reference 
to cattle, it is supposed the size of the chest and lungs has 
much to do with fattening qualities, according to Liebig’s 
theory, that the less an animal breathes, the less carbon he 
consumes, and the quicker does he fatten. Thus, an ox 
with one lung will lay on adeps almost in half the time 
than if he possess both organs. Mr. M‘Gilliveray, of Rayne, 
in Aberdeenshire, recently assured me that a careful experi- 
ment instituted by him proved this to be a fact. He was 
referring to cattle who, having been afflicted with pleuro- 
pneumonia, had lost the use of one lung. The conditions 
of existence in such an animal would be of sufficient respi- 
ration to arterialize blood for the wants of the economy 
during rest, but not sufficient for active exertion ; and as all 
other bodily functions are unimpaired, so would the animal 
rapidly fatten. Admitting this, we must, nevertheless, cau- 
tion those engaged in such inquiries by reminding them of 
one fact — that size of chest and lung has but little to do with 
chest capacity. Horses of very different shapes are equally 
