80 
F. MAURI. 
operating upon an organism already under the influence of a 
morbid predisposition, whatever its nature may be. The 
accidents consecutive to castration are principally encountered 
in debilitated animals, or those which are under the influence of 
distemper, or other communicable affections, such as typhoid 
fever, even under the most benignant form. The pyogenic 
tendency inherent in the special constitution of the horse is 
evidently increased under such conditions, as are, also, as a 
consequence, the chances of septicemic accidents. We do 
not ignore the fact that a few years ago the too exclusive 
adepts of microby had cast a doubt upon the theory of this 
serious tendency in horses, and were inclined to overlook the 
wounded, and confine their attention exclusively to the wound 
and its microbes, as alone necessitating antiseptic precautions. 
For example, in a moment of enthusiasm, a celebrated bacter¬ 
iologist once went so far as to declare publicly that “ Equine 
pyogeny was dead.” But lam convinced that this celebrated 
clinician would not to-day pronounce such a dictum in so con¬ 
fident a manner, nor affirm that old practitioners are in error 
in attributing a special susceptibility to the serous membrane 
of solipeds. 
The horse suppurates very easily, or if the phrase is pre¬ 
ferable, possesses a peculiar receptivity for the micro-organ¬ 
isms of pus. The most vigorous antiseptic methods are 
very commonly powerless to obtain a cicatrization by first in¬ 
tention, such as may be so readily secured in other species of 
animals. 
An open serous membrane in the horse becomes inflamed 
with the most despairing facility. These are undeniable facts, 
based on clinical observations, as well as proved by experi¬ 
ments. However their existence may be explained, they must 
not be overlooked, and cryptoid patients are not to be oper¬ 
ated upon at random ; the surgeon must be sure of its healthy 
condition, unless he is working to assume all the chances of a 
bad case and a bad result. 
A question of great interest from a practical point of view 
here presents itself. Is it possible to diminish by internal med¬ 
ication, the disposition of solipeds for the development of the 
