56 WEST OF ENGLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
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surgeon often excites it intentionally, as one of the most efficient of 
his therapeutic means; hence an acquaintance with the elements, 
and the details of the process, with its nature, symptoms, causes, 
results, and terminations, is of the first moment. 
Increased vascular action is of two distinct kinds—Ist, Deter¬ 
mination ; 2nd, Inflammation. These two conditions, though in 
practice most commonly found more or less conjoined, require to be 
studied separately. 
In determination the blood is increased in quantity, has a bright 
arterial colour, and circulates through the parts with great rapidity. 
This condition, which is often called “increased action,” conse¬ 
quently resembles congestion in the blood being in excess, but 
differs from it in every other respect. 
Determination of blood is a vital process, often of a very 
transitory character, and frequently occurs as a normal action in 
those conditions of the system in which, for temporary purposes, an 
increased afflux of blood is called for by particular organs. The 
enlargement of the udder before lactation, and the turgosity of the 
erectile tissues, afford familiar illustrations of this act. 
The veterinary surgeon often employs determination of blood for 
therapeutic purposes. Under these circumstances, therefore, it 
cannot be considered a disease. 
When determination of blood is of a chronic or continued cha¬ 
racter, it may lead to such changes in the appearance, structure, and 
functions of a part, as materially to modify its nutritive and secretory 
activity, and then it becomes truly a disease. Under these circum¬ 
stances the part is often said to be in a state of “ chronic irritation.” 
Inflammation. —The study of the inflammatory process is one of 
the most complex and difficult on which the veterinary surgeon can 
enter; but the labour required to master its details is well bestowed, 
inasmuch as an acquaintance with its nature, symptoms, and pro¬ 
gress, gives an insight into a greater part of the science of surgery. 
The management of inflammation, as it affects different tissues and 
organs, and thus constitutes distinct diseases, comprises a great 
part of the duties of a veterinary surgeon. 
Pathologically. —With the general inflammatory process we have 
altered healthy conditions, viz.— 
1st. An irregular and over-supply of blood. 
2nd. An altered state of blood in its composition. 
3rd. An uncertain amount of influence of nerve force. 
4th. An altered state of the part from perverted nutrition. 
The supjjly, therefore, is increased. The vessels are dilated and 
elongated, those previously invisible coming into view from disten¬ 
sion with red corpuscles, producing stasis. 
The state of the blood is altered, the fibrin is increased, so is 
the water, sometimes the white corpuscles, the red discs being 
diminished and running into “ rouleaux.” 
The nervous force is abnormal, but how this is changed we know 
not, no more than we can explain how it operates in ordinary 
nutrition ; and lastly, the— 
