Grease, 97 



are always ready to have recourse, io a vitiated, foul state, of the 

 blood and humors, as a cover for their own negligence and idle- 

 ness. 



And, without meaning* to detract, from the posthumous reputa- 

 tion of that very diligent and skilftd Veterinarian, the late Professor 

 St. Bell, I cannot refrain from observino-, that I consider his essay 

 on the Grease, (for which he obtained a Prize Medal in FranceJ as 

 havinn; contributed to strengthen this unphilosophical opinion, re- 

 specting the nature of this disease.— At the same time, it appears 

 to me, to furnish an irrefragable proof, of our having made in these 

 countries, further progress in physiological, at least, if not in ana- 

 tomical researches, than our continental neighbours. — For, the only 

 material point, of any practical moment, which Mr. St. Bell labours 

 to maintain, is, that the Grease is a contagious disease. An opinion, 

 than which, I apprehend, nothing can be more absurd, or, at least, 

 no position more untenable. For does not every day's experience, 

 show numberless instances of Horses, standing for weeks, and even 

 months, not only in the same stable with, bat close to others, that 

 are badly affected with Grease, without being attacked with the dis* 

 order ? A fact that could rarely, if ever, happen, provided the dis- 

 ease were communicable, either through the medium of the atmos- 

 phere, or any of the ordinary channels of infection. But, surely, no 

 man can wonder, that amongst a number of animals, which are 

 treated in the same wa}'^, and exposed to the same exciting- causes of 

 disease, a great man^ should be attacked, with similar morbid symp- 

 toms. Stripped, in fact, of all mystery, and all the technical 

 language of the schools ; the Grease may be considered^ simply, 



Bb 



