This, as the term signifies, a setting on fire, is so alarming, that whenever the expression escapes the speaker's lips, the announcement is received by every one conversant with the ailments of the lower animals with the utmost concern and anxiety - such fears being unhappily justified by its extraordinary fatality, more especially when the disease is in the bowels and the surrounding coverings, and the animal a valuable one.

There are few diseases affecting the dog where more intense pain is endured. Fortunately, the issue is so rapid and incisive that death soon releases the sufferer.

Inflammation is itself the occasion of many conflicting disorders and diseases, the number of which might be reduced if they were understood in their early stage and properly treated. It follows every operation, and if it attain a high degree, frequently prevents a successful issue. Yet, notwithstanding this, in some cases the process is absolutely necessary for the cure, and hence the surgeon intentionally employs such means as are calculated to excite it

By the term inflammation is generally understood the state of a part in which it is painful, hotter, redder, and more swollen and turgid than natural; which symptoms, when present in any considerable degree, or when they affect very sensible parts, are attended with fever, or a general disturbance of the system.

It is more easy, however, to explain the treatment than to say what is the essence of inflammation, or what is a satisfactory definition of it. The solution of these problems is peculiarly difficult; for when we describe it as that form of disease which is characterised by pain, heat, redness, and swelling associated with fever and loss of function, this is only one view of the manner in which the affection presents itself, or, at most, only an enumeration of its appearances; and the questions, Where is the seat of the disorder? and, What is the cause of those appearances? remain to a certain extent unanswered.

The determination of these points is the more important and necessary because the appearances of inflammation are subject to great variety, because it is not every inflamed part that is red, and the pain is likewise attended with, differences. Neither are these symptoms present in an equal degree, and one or the other may be entirely absent. Inflammation, therefore, is liable to numerous modifications according to the organisation of the parts affected, and yet the essence of the disorder is constantly the same. Therefore, in all the works already published, the account of the nature of inflammation is nothing more or less than a notice of its symptoms.

The susceptibility of the body for inflammation is of two kinds - the one original, constituting a part of the animal economy, and beyond the reach of human investigation; the other acquired from the influence of the climate, habits of life, and state of the constitution. The first kind of susceptibility being innate, cannot be diminished by art; the second may be lessened by the mere avoidance of the particular causes upon which it depends.

Inflammation may, with great propriety, be divided into healthy and unhealthy. Of the first there can only be one kind, though divisible into different stages; of the second there must be an infinite number of species, according to the peculiarities of different constitutions, and the nature of diseases, which are numberless.

Another general division is into common and specific inflammation, the latter term implying that the affection has some strongly marked particularity about it, rendering it in some degree independent of such circumstances as would control and regulate the progress of common inflammation. Such are, for example, venereal, variolous, vaccine, erysipelatous, and rheumatic inflammations.

Inflammation may be also divided into acute and chronic. This division of the subject is one of the most ancient, and seems to have obtained the sanction of all the best writers.

Healthy inflammation is invariably quick in its progress, for which reason it must always rank as an active species of the affection. However, there are numerous inflammations controlled by a diseased principle, which are also quick in their progress, and are therefore to be considered acute.

Chronic inflammation, which, in some of its forms, seems to be principally a perversion of the nutritive function of parts, or of the function of secretion from mucous surfaces, is always accompanied with diseased action.