70 
MEMOIRS OF A VETERINARY SURGEON. 
an exudation from the vessels in consequence of the large quan¬ 
tity of blood present in the gland. 
I am aware that a great deal more might be said on this 
part of my subject, but I have not time to enter thereon. 
This essay has during the writing of it assumed a some¬ 
what different form to that which I had originally intended; 
but, imperfect as it is, I must leave it with you, hoping that 
it will not be altogether without some advantage to you, even 
if it be only to provokehnyou a desire more fully to investigate 
the subject for yourselves, the importance of which no one 
will attempt to deny, whether it be viewed physiologically or 
pathologically. 
MEMOIRS OF A VETERINARY SURGEON. 
THOUGHTS IN THE SICK BOX. 
By Thos. Greaves, M.R.C.V.S., Manchester. 
{Continued from p. 20.) 
It must not be thought, from what 1 have advanced, that I 
leave my patient to the effects of nature, in the ordinary 
acceptation of the expression. But this I do ; I take care 
neither to counteract her own method of cure, nor substitute 
another for hers. 
So far from sanctioning inactivity on the part of the prac¬ 
titioner, I maintain that an intelligent reliance upon nature 
implies that throughout the whole progress of disease, a most 
watchful observance of all the phenomena presented is de¬ 
manded of him, so as boldly and promptly to withdraw every 
obstacle that may interfere with the proper course of cure, and 
at the same time he must rigidly fulfil all the conditions 
which sound physiology points out, to remove disordered or 
perverted action from an organ. Practical experience has 
convinced me that we can often render the most salutary 
assistance, yea, even be the means of saving a patient’s life, 
without administering one particle of medicine of any kind 
whatever. 
I implicitly believe that all morbid actions take place ac¬ 
cording to fixed and discoverable laws;—cause and effect. If 
a certain cause be permitted to exert its influence for a cer¬ 
tain time, and damage an organ to a certain extent, then an 
