294 Food, 



who may chuse^ for that reason^ to take their diseased Horses out of 

 the clutches of ignorance and prejudice, may if I mistake not, turn 

 the knowledge of it, to very good account. For, the result of the 

 drenching system in these cases, is never by any means, of a nega- 

 tive kind ; and it can in no instance be said of these kinds of com- 

 positions (as many are inclined to suppose) that if they do no good, 

 at least they can do no harm. 



So far, indeed, is this from ever being the case, that much positive 

 evil, and that too of very great magnitude, very commonly results 

 from this preposterous practice. For, it happens almost always, 

 (even in the case of the human stomach) that the capacity of diges- 

 tion and the desire for food correspond, and mutually keep pace 

 with each other; and if this may be laid down as a general rule,, 

 with regard to the human species whose stomachs are, in most in- 

 stances, so artificially educated, and in many so absurdly ill treated, 

 how strongly must the principle apply to the case of brute animals, 

 which obey the benevolent impulses of all-watchful nature, and are 

 guided by her unerring instincts ? If, therefore, this fundamental 

 point be conceded, (and I do not see how it can possibly be denied) 

 few, indeed, must be the cases where it can be proper to subject a 

 Horse to a painful, distressing, unnatural mode of swallowing, 

 what is absurdly termed nourishment, because, if left to himself, he 

 will eat of his own accord, as much food as will be beneficial to him, 

 in other words, that quantity which the powers of the stomach are 

 capable of converting into chyme. 



For, in most instances of disease, these powers are partially or 

 totally suspended ; and in either of these cases, the officious inter- 

 ference of art, or rather violence, by forcing down the throat such 



