123 



THE HORSE. 



of low <ind confined stables is unquestionably one of the principal causes of 

 glanders. 



Next to ventilation stands cleanliness; for the foul air from the terment- 

 ino- litter, and urine and dung, must not only be highly injurious to health 

 generally, but irritate and predispose to inflammation tliat deli'^ate mem- 

 brane which is the primary seat of the disease. If to this be added regular 

 exercise, and occasional green meat during the summer, and carrots in the 

 winter, we shall have stated all that can be done in the way of prevention. 

 The farmer's horse, in his cool or cold stable — and during the greater part 

 of the year running loose when not at work — would be exempt from glanders 

 if, at the market and the fair, he were not so much exposed to contagion. 

 In truth, glanders may be considered mainly as the consequence of the 

 stabling of the horse. In South America and Arabia, they are unknown; 

 but wherever the unnatural European plan of stabling has been introduced, 

 glanders have sooner or later followed in its train ; and, therefore, if any 

 means are resorted to for the cure of glanders, the first, and, perhaps, the 

 only effectual one, would be to remove every exciting cause of the disease ; 

 to restore the horse almost or quite to a state of nature ; to turn him out 

 for a long time, or at least to throw open his stable as much as the season 

 and the weather will permit. Experience, however, tells us that, although 

 the symptoms have disappeared when the exciting causes of disease have 

 been removed, and the horse has returned to his stable after a twelvemonth's 

 run, apparently sound, every symptom has gradually shown itself again, 

 when these causes have been once more called into action. 



FARCY. 



Farcy is intimately connected with glanders ; they will run into each 

 other, or their symptoms will mingle together, and before either arrives at 

 its fatal termination, its associate will almost invariably appear. An animal 

 inoculated with the matter of farcy will often be alllicted with glanders, 

 while the matter of glanders wall frequently produce farcy. They are dif- 

 ferent types or stages of the same disease. There is, however, a very ma- 

 terial dilFerence in their symptoms and progress, and this most important 

 of all, that while glanders are generally incurable, farcy, in its early stage 

 and mild form, may be successfully treated, especially if an experienced 

 practitioner be employed. 



Veterinary writers tell us that it is a disease of the absorbents in .the skin. 

 The small arteries are employed in building up and nourishing the various 

 parts of the body ; and another set of vessels are busied in taking up and car. 

 lying away that which is worn out and useless. There is no part of the 

 body on which thousands of these little tubes do not open. Those of the 

 skin are not only employed in removing useless materials, but in taking up 

 various substances, and principally fluids which may be in contact with the 

 skin. The little vessels which are thus occupied collect together and form 

 larger branches, which run in company with tlic superficial veins, and there- 

 fore farcy was once supposed to be a disease of the veins, and the tumours 

 by which it is characterized accompany the course of the veins. The poison 

 which they take up produces inflammation in them, which gradually spreads 

 along the absorbent, and causes it to swell. 



These vessels, small as they arc, contain valves, like those in the com 

 mon pump, which permit the fluid to pass one way, but prevent ii.« return. 

 The inflammation, M'hich pursues the natural course of the fluid through 

 ihese tubes, that is, towards the reservoir into which it is throwi before it 



