THE VETERINARY ART IN INDIA. 
169 
4. — Diseases of the Absorbents. 
Farcy is an inflammation of those lymphatics which lie near 
the surface of the skin, and seldom affect those that are deeply 
seated. It is generally observed first in the hollow of the 
thighs, being the parts where these vessels are most numerous. 
Thence it extends to any other part of the body, and when it 
reaches the head it becomes more virulent, and takes the name 
of glanders. 
The remote cause, I imagine, must be debility, from the tonic 
system, which relieves it. When it is first observed there is an 
inflammation of the vessels, which appear like small red buds, 
and frequently branch off in bunches or clusters that are very 
sore; they afterwards suppurate, and become ulcers, which, afford- 
ing a considerable quantity of purulent matter, is absorbed in the 
system, and produces ulcers in other parts. The nose and lips 
will frequently swell, and become very painful, from the nume- 
rous small absorbents in those parts, which also become inflamed. 
It is possible that a loss of tone in these vessels is the first process 
towards this disease ; obstruction is the consequence of debility, 
and inflammation is the effect of obstruction. This last is, pro- 
bably, the state they are observed in when they assume the 
form of red pimples, after which the obstructed fluid corrupts, 
and produces the same effect on the contiguous parts, and they 
become ulcers. The small intervals between each valve are the 
spots inflamed, which accounts for their appearing in bunches. 
What supports this opinion is, the animal being more liable 
to this disease after long and severe exercise, or an active cam- 
paign, while it seldom attacks horses that are kept in regular 
exercise. During violent exertion for any length of time, the 
action of the vessels is increased throughout the system, and 
always after increased action a proportionate debility ensues. 
During action these vessels are particularly affected by the mus- 
cular friction, and if this continues for a length of time, parti- 
cularly if the animal be of a lax habit, the vessels lose their tone, 
and they can no longer propel the fluid they circulate, and ob- 
struction, & c. ensues. 
The contagious power of this disease, 1 believe, is not at all 
accounted for. Whether these ulcers are of a putrid kind, which 
is very probable, or whether contagion is a property of ulcers of 
the lymphatics, is not known ; but I believe the contagion is far 
from being so powerful as is generally imagined. I must here 
remark, that many cases which are termed farcy by the natives, 
VOL. xvi. z 
