ON ALTERATIONS OF THE BLOOD. 
289 
produce the same effects—the same alterations of structure, and are 
to be combatted by the same mode of treatment; except that the 
former demand a more active mode of treatment. 
2. Maladies produced hy a diminution of the natural quantity 
of Blood, or an impoverishment of its constituent elements. 
Anhemia {a privative, a. ai(±ci blood), a deficiency of blood. 
Essential anhemia, according* to M. Delafond, is rare among our 
domesticated animals; but long and hard work—unhealthy stables 
or localities—-bleedings too often repeated—accidental haemor¬ 
rhages—profuse suppuration—extreme suffering from various dis¬ 
eases—insufficient or unwholesome food—will, in the course of time, 
produce this disease in the quadruped as readily as in the human 
being. 
After having shewn the influence which these various agents 
exercise on all the functions, but especially on those of digestion 
and circulation, the author indicates the characteristic symptoms: 
to this he adds the characters Avhich the blood presents, and the 
treatment which promises the most decided success. 
Phlebotomy practised from the jugular vein of an animal labour¬ 
ing under anhemia, ordinarily gives only a scanty stream. The 
blood is lightly coloured, it coagulates slowly, and the serous por¬ 
tion predominates. Being examined after twenty-four or thirty-six 
hours, it presents a very small clot with a depression in its centre; 
and, softened beneath a stream of water, it gives but a small pro¬ 
portion of fibrine : the colouring matter is also deficient in quantity. 
The carcasses of animals that have died under this disease pre¬ 
sent a peculiar appearance, which it is of some importance to note. 
The superficial vessels contain little or no blood—the vena cava, 
the vena portm, and the right cavities of the heart, which are or¬ 
dinarily gorged with blood, contain only a few clots, and those pos¬ 
sessed of little consistence. Beside this, there does not exist any 
organic lesion of the solids which can explain the cause of the 
death of the animal. 
In order successfully to combat this disease, the author recom¬ 
mends that we should remove as much as possible the causes of it, 
and to give, in small quantities, the aliments which contain the 
greatest quantity of nutritive matter, as wheat, barley, &c. He 
also advises the administration of the extract of gentian, the tinc¬ 
ture of quinine, and, more especially, the several preparations of 
iron. Under the influence of this mode of treatment, he has often 
seen the animal rescued from destruction. 
3. Maladies attrihulahle to a diminution of the natural quantity 
of the Blood, and to the impoverishment of the constituent principies 
•f it, by an excess of serum. 
Uydrohemia (v$co^ water, aipua l)lood). Tliis, which has been often 
