OF THE MUSCLES IN THE HORSE. 593 
rations ; and to these may be added, the sudden and excessive 
elongation of a muscle, an antagonist to one called into 
action, the mechanical distention of a muscle by a stumble or 
false step, &c. &c. A burden, too heavy, placed on the loins, and 
pressing upon the inter-vertebral cartilaginous substance alone, 
and forcing the psoas muscles to remain in a permanent state of 
contraction, in order to support the loins, and to contribute, at 
the same time, to rapid and sometimes long-continued progres¬ 
sion, may also be the cause of these lesions. 
I have observed that the muscles which are most exposed to 
these lacerations have, in the horse, some peculiar physical 
characters:—the fibres which compose them are slender, long, 
and very soft. The cellular tissue which unites them is loose 
and fine: thus the iliac muscles, the long flexor muscle of the 
head, the psoas magnus, the sub-scapularis and pectineus, 
which exhibit this kind of texture, are ruptured with the greatest 
facility, and not unfrequently in the violent convulsions which 
take place at the moment of death, as I have many times ob¬ 
served in horses recently destroyed. • 
Without seeking to attach to such lesions all the sudden, ob¬ 
scure, permanent, or intermittent lamenesses of the horse, it seems 
reasonable to admit that some of the symptoms, the cause of 
which often remains unknown during the life of the animal, are 
attributable to these affections; and amongst them I am in¬ 
clined also to place those cases of deep-seated abscess related by 
many veterinarians. 
Medical Advice respecting some of the most 
FREQUENT DISEASES OF THE TEATS OF CoWS. 
A good cow may from accident become diseased in her udder, 
and useless; but it more frequently happens for want of care, 
oftener still from absurd treatment. 
Some cows give no milk until after they have calved, while 
others before calving have their teats so full and swelled as to be 
painful. It is generally supposed that it is injurious to take 
more than just milk enough to ease the teats: this is a great 
error. A superabundance of milk is always painful, and the 
distention may bring on inflammation; or the cow, in lying down 
or rising too suddenly, may easily hurt such distended teats, 
which, already painful and disposed to inflammation, may ulce¬ 
rate, and troublesome abscesses may form. 
ISevertheless, the first milk being useful to the calf; seeing 
that, by its relaxing qualities, it facilitates the first evacuations, 
it should not be drawn awav unless there be evident necessity 
for it. 
