118 VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
well might “ A Farrier” tell us, that a power was rapidly growing 
which would defy all opposition to its will, viz. the voice of an 
enlightened and united profession. 
"W e shall await watchfully yet not distrustfully, anxiously but 
not impatiently, the progress of events. In the meantime we will 
tell this u farrier' that a path is opened to true and lasting po¬ 
pularity, which they who are wise will pursue. 
VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY, Nov. 26, 1828. 
A PAPER was read by Mr. John Field, jun. on Pleurisy in 
the Horse. 
He observed, that the facility with which the parenchymatous 
texture inflames, without early manifesting sufficiently important 
symptoms, explains the reason why pneumonia should often pro¬ 
ceed to an irreparable extent, while the difficulty of establish¬ 
ing inflammatory action in the serous texture immediately gives 
rise to urgent symptoms. 
Mr. Field first described the situation, connexions, texture, and 
functions of the pleurae. He then spoke of the causes of pleurisy— 
external violence, puncture or laceration of the parietes of the 
chest, vicissitudes of temperature, exposure to cold after exer¬ 
tion, and previous disease of the lungs. Horses of spare but 
vigorous habits, at or beyond the adult age, were the principal 
subjects of attack from the second class of causes. Both sides 
usually simultaneously affected, although not equally so ; or the 
disease might commence in one side, but proceed rapidly to the 
other. An experiment made byHurtrel D’Arboval was related: 
two drachms of super-oxalate of potash were injected into the 
cavity of the thorax ; fifty hours afterwards the animal was 
destroyed, and inflammation, adhesion, and effusion were found 
in both of the thoracic cavities. 
Pleurisy was divided into acute and chronic. 
The symptoms of acute pleurisy in an early stage were, de¬ 
pressed appearance; hard, full, strong pulse, from 42 to 54; 
painful and limited respiration ; inspiration quick, interrupted ; 
expiration slow, prolonged ; pressure on the sides painful, occa¬ 
sioning a peculiar grunt; convulsive twitchings of the panniculus 
carnosus; faint suppressed cough or sneeze, causing a trembling 
folded appearance of the integuments; neck extended; nose 
protruded; flexibility of motion impaired; tongue moist and 
clean; pituitaiy and conjunctival membranes of their natural 
hue; sometimes distended appearance of upper part of flanks 
and loins. 
