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HORN DISTEMPER

Volume 8 · 621 words · 1797 Edition

disease incident to horned cattle, affecting the internal substance of the horn commonly called the pith, which it insensibly wastes, and leaves the horn hollow. The pith is a spongy bone, the cells of which are filled with an unctuous matter. It is furnished with a great number of small blood vessels, is overspread with a thin membrane, and appears to be united by sutures with the bones of the head.—According to an account of this distemper, published by Dr Tott in the Memoirs of the American Academy, vol. i., the said spongy bone is sometimes partly, and sometimes entirely, wasted. The horn loses its natural heat, and a degree of coldness is felt upon handling it. The distemper, however, is seldom suspected without a particular acquaintance with the other symptoms, which are a dulness in the countenance of the beast, a sluggishness in moving, a failure of appetite, an inclination to lie down, and, when accompanied with an inflammation of the brain, a giddiness and frequent tossing of the head. The limbs are sometimes affected with stiffness, as in a rheumatism; in cows the milk often fails, the udder is hard, and in almost all cases there is a sudden wasting of the flesh. As soon as the distemper is discovered, an opening into the diseased horn should be immediately made; which may be done with a gimlet of a moderate size, in such a part of the horn as is most favourable for the discharge. It is recommended as most prudent to bore at first two or three inches above the head. If it is found hollow, and the gimlet passes through to the opposite side, and no blood discharges from the aperture, it may be best to bore still lower, and as near the head as it shall be judged that the hollowness extends. This opening is affirmed to be a necessary measure, and often gives immediate relief. Care must be taken to keep it clear, as it is apt to be clogged by a thin fluid that gradually oozes out and fills up the passage. Some have practised sawing off the horn; but, according to the best observations, it does not succeed better than boring. From the cases Dr Tufts has seen, he is led to conclude that injections are in general unnecessary; that, when the distemper is early discovered, no more is required than a proper opening into the horn, keeping it sufficiently clear for the admission of fresh air, the removal of the compression, and the discharge of floating matter. But when the distemper has communicated its effects to the brain, so as to produce a high degree of inflammation, it is much to be doubted whether any method of cure will succeed.

Horn-Fish, Gar-fish, or Sea-Needle. See Esox.

Horn-Work, in fortification, an outwork composed of two demi-battalions joined by a curtain. See Fortification.

HORNY, a town of Lancashire in England, seated on a branch of the river Lune, and beautified with a handsome parochial chapel. The ruins of a decayed castle are still to be seen here. W. Long. 2. 20. N. Lat. 54°. 6'.

HORN-Castle, a town of Lincolnshire in England. It had a castle, as the name imports; from the architecture of which, and the Roman coins that are sometimes dug up here, it is thought to have been a camp or station of the Romans. The town is well built, and is almost surrounded with water. It is a signory of 13 lordships. In these lordships there are several chapels for the convenience of the inhabitants, who are at too great a distance from the mother-church, and pretty numerous. It has a market on Saturdays, and fairs in June and August.