236 THE HISTORY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



Cavallo," di Carlo Ruini, senator of Bologna, 1598. This work 

 contains numerous illustrations, finely executed, when we take into 

 consideration the period and the condition of equine anatomy. It 

 remained unequaled for nearly two hundred years, when its place 

 was in part taken by the really magnificent " Cours d'Hippiatrique " 

 of Laiosse, fils, Paris, 1772. 



Carlo Ruini * was born and died in the sixteenth century, at 

 Bologna, Italy, the exact date being unknown. His grandfather 

 was a professor of note at the university of that place, lecturing 

 upon jurisprudence. Ruini also studied the same subject, and, as 

 stated on the title-page of this book, became senator in his na- 

 tive city. But little is known of his life, but in the preface of the 

 book in question it is said that from early youth he displayed a 

 great fondness for horses. The original edition of this work ap- 

 peared in 1598, and the printing and paper are marvels of perfec- 

 tion. Uffenbach gave out a German translation, and several from 

 French sources soon followed. The book served as a fountain from 

 which subsequent compilers drew much information, using also the 

 illustrations, which, however, frequently lost much credit in the 

 copies made of them. The first part of the book treats of the anat- 

 omy of the horse, and the numerous illustrations testify to the dili- 

 gence of the author in dissections. The second part treats of the 

 diseases of that animal, and is based in no inconsiderable degree 

 upon Ruff us and other authors. As little as the authorship is in 

 general to be questioned, yet it is very doubtful if the " Anato- 

 mia del Cavallo " is from Ruini's hand. " I harbored this doubt," 

 says Schraeder, " very early in my study of this book, and the more 

 I have reflected upon it the more have I become confirmed in my 

 doubts. It is my opinion that some young doctor had at his own 

 instigation, or perhaps incited by Ruini, studied the anatomy of the 

 horse, and drew the illustrations, and had them engraved upon cop- 

 per, which could not be done save at considerable expense, which 

 the wealth of Ruini made possible." 



Ercolani, one of the most learned veterinarians of Italy, and 

 celebrated for his researches into historical veterinary literature, 

 questions the above assertion, and gives full credit to Ruini. 



I have casually mentioned the brilliant contribution to veterinary 

 literature, the " Cours d'Hippiatrique" of Laf osse ^s. While Rui- 

 ni's work was the first illustrated book of any account which had 

 until then appeared, that of Lafosse was the first book with colored 

 plates which appeared upon equine anatomy. The work is divided 



* Schraeder-Hering, loc. cit., p. 369. 



