38 MR. YOUATT S VETERINARY LECTURES. 
turn. They present us with a faithful indication of the state of 
the circulation, and especially in the membranes of the other re¬ 
spiratory passages with which this is continuous. 
We lack many of the auxiliaries of the human practitioner. 
Our patients are dumb ; they can neither tell us the seat nor the 
degree of pain, and our blunders, unfortunately for us, sometimes, 
are never buried with the patient. Well, we must use greater 
diligence in availing ourselves of the advantages that we do pos¬ 
sess ; and we have some, and very important ones too. The 
varying hue of the Schneiderian membrane is the most important 
of all ; and, with regard to the most frequent and fatal diseases 
of the horse, those of the respiratory passages, it gives us almost 
all the information, with regard to the state of the circulation in 
those parts, that we can possibly require. Veterinarians, too, ge¬ 
nerally overlook this. It has not yet been sufficiently taught in 
our schools, or inculcated in our best works on the pathology of 
the horse. 
It is the custom with most veterinary surgeons, and almost 
with every horseman who will take any pains to ascertain for him¬ 
self the state of his sick horse, to turn down the lower eyelid and 
to form his opinion of the degree of general inflammation by the 
colour which the lining membrane of the lid presents. If it is 
very red, he concludes that there is considerable fever; if it is of 
a pale pinkish hue, there is comparatively little danger. Why, 
this is a very important examination, and the conclusion which 
we draw from it is generally true; but on the septum of the nose 
we have a membrane more immediately continuous with the mem¬ 
branes of the respiratory organs—more easily got at—presenting 
a larger surface—the ramifications of the bloodvessels better seen, 
and, what is truly important, indicating not only the general af¬ 
fection of the membranes, but of the membranes with which we 
are most of all concerned. 
Let me urge you to attend more to this. Study the character 
of that portion of the membrane which covers the lower part of 
the septum ; that which you can most readily bring into view. 
Day after day, and under all the varying circumstances of health 
and disease, study it, until you are enabled to recognise, and you 
soon will, and that with a degree of exactitude you would have 
scarcely thought possible, the pale pink hue when the horse is in 
health and quiet,—the increasing blush of red, and the general 
and uniform painting of the membrane, betokening some excite¬ 
ment of the system,—the streaked appearance when inflamma¬ 
tion is threatening or commencing,—the intensely florid red of 
inflammation becoming acute,—the starting of the vessels from 
their gossamer coat, and then seeming to run bare over the mem- 
