78 
GASTROENTERITIS AND INFLUENZA. 
marked that my hunters purged when taken out with the hounds 
at the commencement of the casting process, from which I would 
infer that the secretions are all more or less altered. That this 
proceeds from nervous debility, I think, there can be little doubt, 
when we reflect how easy it is to tire a horse, or, in jockey phrase, 
how “foggy” he is at such times, though, in making this remark, 
I am aware I differ slightly from a very clever veterinary author. 
But, to sum up all these phenomena in one word, he is suffering 
from fever of a low and debile character, with a determination of 
nervous energy to the bulbs or roots of the hair, and a consequent 
decrease of nervous power in the internal parts of the body, 
more especially in the mucous membrane, as it presents the largest 
surface for secretion, being everywhere thickly studded with small 
glands for the secretion of mucus. 
Now, as a certain portion of nervous energy is necessary for the 
healthy secretory process to be carried on in the mucous follicles, 
it follows that, when these are supplied in a less ratio than is 
compatible with health, they must become weak and diseased ; 
and what is the consequence of glandular weakness ? Is it not de- 
rangement of the secretions of that gland ? — -for instance, grease 
and which is another disease that D’Arboval places as the effect 
in light of the cause : but this is a very common error with French 
veterinarians, and men who attempt to draw fine pathological 
distinctions. 
Yes, gentlemen, I repeat that, although I differ from the 
French, I shall be borne out by all good English veterinary sur- 
geons, that grease arises from weakness caused by diminution of 
nervous energy in the glandular apparatus of the skin of the heel, 
giving rise to an alteration in the quality and quantity of its pecu- 
liar secretion ; and a somewhat similar weakness and consequent 
alteration in secretion of the mucous membrane lining the stomach 
and bowels, causing indigestion, slight abdominal pains, &c., 
gains for it the appellation of g astro- enteritis. 
If the same membrane lining the bronchia is similarly affected, 
it is called bronchitis. If there is a defluxion from the nostrils, 
the air- passages becoming affected, and the glands of the throat 
swelled from the change that has taken place in the quality of the 
secretions passing through them, it is called catarrh ; or, owing to 
some peculiarity in the fever which has given rise to catarrhal 
symptoms, it is called influenza. But , with the exception of the 
difference in locality , bronchitis, catarrh, influenza, and gastro- 
enteritis, are one and the same disease, and are all mere effects of 
constitutional disturbance or fever. Then, if this is the case, all 
those variously-called diseases or common effects of the one disease 
