Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

INFLAMMATION. 223
THE PULSE.
The muscular coat of the artery can be felt giving way to the gush
of blood : and the expansion of the artery, as the blood passes, is
called the pulse. Every one who knows the least about cattle is
sensible of the importance of- the indications to be obtained by the
pulse. The heat of blood may be felt at the root of the horn ; and
the rallying of the blood round some important, but inflamed part,
may be guessed at by means of the coldness of the ear,' or the
extremities : but by the pulse we. ascertain the state of the general
system, and the increased force or debility of that central machine on
which every secretion and every function depends. It has been
stated that the pulse is not easily felt at the jaw. The temporal
artery will generally be sufficiently distinct ; but it will be most
convenient to ascertain the beating of the heart itself, by placing the
hand on the left side, a little within and behind the elbow. The
average pulse of a full-grown healthy ox is about forty.
THE CAPILLARIES.
The blood continues to circulate along the arteries, until they and
their ramifications have diminished so much in size, as to be termed
capillaries, or hair-like tubes, although many of them are not onehundredth
part so large as a hair. The heart ceases to have
influence here. No force from behind could drive the blood through
vessels so minute. Another power isxalled into exercise, namely, the
influence of the organic motor, or moving nerves, on the muscular
sides of these little tubes.
This is by far the most important part of the circulation. The
blood is carried through the arteries mechanically, and without
change in them ; it is returned through the veins mechanically, and
almost without change in them also : but it is in the capillary system
that every secretion is performed, and that the nutrition of every
part, is effected. The arteries and veins are mere mechanical tubes;
the capillaries are connected with the vital principle—they are
portions of life itself.
INFLAMMATION.
The arteries are subject to inflammation, yet so rarely in the ox as
to render it unnecessary to detain us in describing it; but a similar
affection of. the capillaries constitutes the very essence and the most
dangerous part of every other disease. Inflammation is increased
action of these vessels. When the increased action is. confined to a
few capillaries, or a small space, or a single organ, the inflammation
is said to be local ; but when it embraces the whole of the system,
it assumes the name of fever