PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 821 
strikes quickly against the finger, where the sensation is 
sharp and quickly accomplished. The frequent pulse, unless 
the increase in the number of the beats is considerably over 
what has already been indicated, and occasionally even not 
then, is not alwavs indicative of disease. It indicates increase 
of the cardiac contractions, and this may be the result of 
excitement or disturbance; any unusual movements or 
sounds are with some horses provocative of a considerable 
increase in the number of the pulsations in a given time. 
When, however, there are no extensive exciting circum¬ 
stances in operation the fact of an increase of 25 per cent, 
in the number of the pulsations may safely be regarded as 
indicative of febrile disturbance, and ought to draw our 
attention to compare this state with such others, as the 
respiration and temperature. This condition of simple fre¬ 
quency of the pulse must not, however, be at once regarded 
as indicative of a truly sthenic state of the system—probably 
is oftener met with in the very opposite. The heart in all 
cases where, from insufficient vigour, it is unable to transmit 
a sufficient quantity of blood to the different parts of the 
body, seems disposed to attain this end by frequency of pro¬ 
pulsive efforts—increased number of contractions. 
There is little doubt that, acting on this belief, that fre¬ 
quency of the pulse indicates inflammatory action in many 
animals, men as well as horses have been unfairly dealt with, 
and that in both instances energetic phlebotomy has at once 
and for ever destroyed their chances of recovery. How often 
do we hear it recommended to take blood because the pulse 
is high and inflammation is imminent or in rapid progress ? 
Certainly, these ideas are in our day rather at a discount; but, 
as the time is not so far over past when it was otherwise, 
and as I know well that there are still districts where the 
belief is strong and the practice is considered orthodox, it is 
well to remember that neither science, pathology, nor prac¬ 
tical experience endorse either premises or conclusions. 
Increase in the number of the pulsations in a given time 
does not of itself indicate inflammatory action, nor does 
bloodletting in any amount reduce this frequency, but the 
opposite; while, at the same time, it ought to be remem¬ 
bered that, granting the presence in the blood in inflamma¬ 
tion of an extra amount of certain constituents that we 
cannot by depletion deal with the blood but as a whole, and 
that in abstracting what we consider abnormal and inflam¬ 
matory, we also remove that upon which we have to depend 
for recuperative action. 
The opposite of the frequent pulse—the infrequent pulse 
