No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. W3 



why not devote a portion of our farms to raising fads? Those who 

 have studied the wonderful mechanism of the animal frame cannot 

 fail to admire the marvelous structure, exact proportion, and given 

 use of every part, and to realize the fact that only a Supreme Being 

 and an All Wise Providence could have brought into existence 

 such a masterpiece of creation. To abuse such beneficence is no 

 light sin; to keep the structure in repair is, to the right-minded man, 

 a sacred and pleasing duty. 



The subject of health and disease, if dealt with from a practical 

 point of viev/, must of necessity occupy a very wide range. Health 

 is known as that condition of the bodj- in which every function is 

 performed in a natural and proper manner, where each one acts in 

 harmony, without deviation. As in human beings so in animals, 

 a varied condition of health may be present. 



The different breeds of animals, for instance, are marked by 

 peculiarities of health, and this is readily accounted for by the 

 great number of external influences to which the hodj is exposed. 

 A due supply of proper food, a sufficiency of pure air and water, a 

 certain temperature, light, shelter, cleanliness, exercise; these and 

 their opposites, separately or variously combined, are in constant 

 operation to promote, impair or modify health. These in them- 

 selves have an important influence on the condition of those even 

 whose bodies are originally free from defect. Animals have been 

 too much left to the tender mercies of those who are utterly ignor- 

 ant of their structure, the true nature of their ailments and the 

 proper treatment of them. True, at the present day reformations 

 have taken place, but we are, nevertheless, constrained to admit 

 that deficiencies do exist and disease continues to be nursed. 



The amount of disease due to sanitary neglect has been and still 

 is immense. A defective drain, an ill ventilated cowhouse, a damp 

 or exposed sheepfold, a badly constructed stable, are often the un- 

 suspected roots of many fatal maladies. Prescribed medicines are 

 given and advertised, cure-all drug chests are ransacked to remove 

 the effect while the cause is allowed to remain undisturbed. The 

 old proverb ''An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," 

 still holds good. The evil influence must be avoided, or disease 

 still continues to exist. 



Unfortunately some form of disease is ever present in this country. 

 Perfect immunity, so far as history shows, never has been, and it 

 may be reasonable to suppose, never will be known, so long as 

 animals exist; however, we have the means within our reach to 

 lessen mortality and in many instances to altogether prevent 

 animals from contracting disease. It behooves us to keep a careful 

 lookout for predisposing causes, and when discovered, to avoid 

 them as far as possible, and when unavoidable, to adopt means 

 whereby they may be modified. 



There are many diseases over which medicine has very little con- 

 trol, but the cause of which, when ascertained, may be avoided. 

 By detecting a spark, before it is fanned into a flame, we may, in 

 some cases, be able to eradicate all that is mischievous or dangerous. 



The CHAIR: The next number upon our program is entitled. 

 ^'Commercial Orcharding." We will now have the pleasure of listen- 

 ing to Dr. J. H. Funk, of Boj^ertoAvn, Pa., who will talk to you on 

 this subject. 



13—7—1906. 



