MORBID STATFS OF SKNSATION. 
24 5 
when he is down, and the groans that are at almost every 
moment extorted from him, and no doubt can remain with 
regard to the torture which he undergoes. 
Neuralgia . — A painful affection of some particular organ or 
spot, or the body or ramification of some nerve, is a disease 
fortunately not of frequent occurrence in the human being. It 
can easily be imagined that inflammation of a sensitive nerve — 
the determination of an unnatural quantity of arterial blood to it 
or its neurilema — would be the cause of exquisite pain ; and on 
examination after death,* mechanical injury of the* nerve, or 
inflammation of its substance or neurilema, or of the cellular 
substance surrounding, with spots of ecchymosis and general 
thickening of the parts, have occasionally been discovered. In 
other cases, however, and perhaps the greater number, dissec- 
tion has cast no light either on the precise seat or the cause of 
the affection. Scarcely in any case during life is there suffi- 
cient acceleration of the pulse, or tenderness on pressure, or 
heat or coldness of any part, to account for a thousandth portion 
of the torture which the patient endures. 
Neuralgia in the Quadruped. — Then what shall we be 
justified in affirming of its existence and character in a dumb 
animal ; or how shall we so accurately detect its precise situa- 
tion as to apply the only radical cure — generally speaking, at 
least — the division of the nerve ? How shall we ascertain the 
real nature and character of a complaint which demands an 
essentially different kind of treatment in different cases ? How 
shall we determine whether it be inflammation of the nerve or 
its neurilema, or irritability of the one, or both ? — essentially dif- 
ferent states, and demanding, in a variety of instances, the ap- 
plication of almost opposite remedial measures. Here we 
acknowledge and deeply feel our inferiority. 
Rheumatic Neuralgia . — The existence and the treatment of 
this disease, in one of its associations, we are, perhaps, justified 
in predicating with regard to the horse. It may afford us a 
clue to the cause of those flying lamenesses to which I have 
alluded, and that are frequent in old and rheumatic horses, and 
younger ones whose powers have been too severely taxed. 
The lameness is excessive, and the pain is evidently excruciating. 
The animal dares not to rest the slightest portion of his weight 
on the limb, or even to touch the ground with his toe. He is 
heaving at the flanks, sweating profusely, his countenance 
plainly indicative of the agony he feels ; but we can detect 
no heat, or swelling, or tenderness. It is a pure nervous 
affection. 
VOL. IX. Jv k 
