142 ON THE STABLE, 



it, by excluding the external air as much as 

 possible. Flannel applied to the skin prevents 

 animal heat from evaporating so quickly as it 

 does when the body is exposed without cover- 

 ing, and thus the surface of the body will be 

 considerably warmer. Yet the warmth does 

 not exist in the flannel, but in the body which 

 it covers ; for the temperatures of ice, and me- 

 tals when cold, are not increased by being en- 

 veloped in flannel, although heated bodies there- 

 by retain their heat much longer ; but these ul- 

 timately become cold, unless the original gene- 

 rating cause of heat is continued to be applied. 

 In the same manner, therefore, the heat which 

 flies off from the body of the horse when in a 

 close stable, certainly renders the atmosphere of 

 the stable warmer than that which is without; but 

 this heat will not continue to be generated in a 

 proper degree, unless the lungs are plentifully 

 supplied with fresh air, unpolluted by the breath 

 and perspiration of the animal, and the fumes 

 arising from his excrements. On this account, 



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