HOT- AIR BATH. 105 



ignorance as to what the definition points to. Besides 

 curing cutaneous eruptions, the Eoman bath, we are told, 

 cures rheumatism and sore shins in horses. No matter 

 what the causes and character of these different diseases, the 

 Roman bath is to cure all. What a wonder that the old 

 Romans, who used their baths in great measure as a luxury, 

 should have overlooked all these miraculous properties ! 



" On the next important physiological question noticed, 

 the use of the bath for absorbing the fat and superfluous 

 flesh of the yearling colt, I submit that a healthy well- 

 managed colt, which has been allowed space for voluntary 

 exercise, will not at the age of 18 or 19 months have accu- 

 mulated deposits of fat that require other means to diminish 

 than the necessary breaking and training process. As to the 

 superfluous flesh spoken off, I never before heard of such a 

 thing, except when uttered by those whose limited knowledge 

 lead them to speak of flesh and fat as one and the same sub- 

 stance. I had always believed that trainers, in conformity 

 with physiological laws, tried to increase flesh, it being the 

 very element of power and speed; any process, including 

 starvation, that causes the flesh to be absorbed, would prove 

 as destructive to race-horses as to any other animal. Whilst 

 I am no adherent to old errors if once detected, I consider it 

 equally important that we should not run from one extreme 

 to another. The old errors were of slow growth, and have 

 had their sharp edges taken off. New projects, plausible in 

 themselves, and warmly advocated, may mislead; and if 

 so, the retracing our steps may be very difficult and very 

 costly. If the tender yearling colt could, by being submitted 

 to the hot-air bath, be prepared for trial as to speed and 

 power, what will not art be able to accomplish? Such doc- 

 trine contemplates a reversal of some of Nature's fundamen- 

 tal laws ; physical power in all animals, as well as mental 



