HOT-AIE BATH. 103 



not yet arrived to determine and advise in the matter. The 

 trials have been few and limited in extent of time, and are 

 inconclusive in their results. Thirty-two years ago, Sir Hed- 

 worth Williamson consulted me on the question as to whether 

 hot-air baths might not be used to some extent in substitu- 

 tion for the ordinary process of sweating race-horses. Then 

 a young practitioner, basing my opinion on physiological 

 grounds, I expressed that more than one object was sought 

 in the ordinary mode of sweating horses. By that process, 

 the animal system threw off matter, absorption was excited, 

 and at the same time the whole muscular system, both volun- 

 tary and involuntary, was put to that exertion hitherto deemed 

 essential to the full development of speed and power of 

 endurance. This consultation took place at Florence, where 

 Lord Normanby, with the co-operation of the honourable 

 baronet alluded to, and other gentlemen, had established 

 English races. The Roman bath, besides being now on its 

 trial at the principal centres where horses are trained in 

 England, is also on its trial on a more extensive scale, under 

 the surveillance of eminent scientific men. With some of 

 these we are intimately acquainted, and from them have been 

 in the way of periodically receiving information as to the 

 results of their experiments. 



" Agreeing as I do with the honourable writer, that there 

 are many defects in the management of race-horses which 

 call for reform, I am nevertheless at a loss to see any con- 

 nection between these and the supposed influence of the 

 Roman bath. Abusive employment of drastic purgatives 

 and other drugs, internally and externally applied, violently 

 sweating horses too heavily clad and sent over the ground at 

 too fast a pace, all this, with imperfect ventilation of stables 

 and other defects, admit of remedy apart from any conside- 

 ration of the Roman bath. In a few short sentences we are 



