DISEASES OF HORSES. 393 



of exercise is a frequent source of this disease. When high 

 feeding is added to irregular or deficient exercise, the disease 

 is evidently still more likely to be produced. Want of clean- 

 liness in the stable is a fruitful source of grease. When 

 the heels are imbedded in filth, they are weakened by the 

 constant moisture surrounding them irritated by the acri- 

 mony of the dung and urine, and little prepared to endure 

 the cold evaporation to which they are exposed when the 

 horse is taken out of the stable. The absurd practice of 

 washing the feet and legs of horses when they come from 

 their work, and either carelessly sponging them down after- 

 wards, or leaving them to dry as they may, is, however, the 

 most common origin of grease. 



When the horse is warmed by his work, and the heels 

 share in the warmth, the momentary cold of washing may 

 not be injurious, if the animal is immediately rubbed dry; 

 yet even this would be better avoided : but to wash out the 

 heels, and then leave them partially dry or perfectly wet, 

 and suffering from the extreme cold that is produced by 

 evaporation from a moist and wet surface is the most absurd, 

 dangerous and injurious practice that can be imagined. It is 

 worse when the post-horse or the plough-horse is plunged up 

 to his belly in the river or pond immediately after his work. 



There has been some dispute as to the propriety of cutting 

 the hair from the heels. Custom has very properly retained 

 the hair on our farm-horses. Nature would not have given 

 it had it not been useful. It guards the heel from being 

 injured by the inequalities of the ploughed field, and prevents 

 the dirt, in which the heels are constantly enveloped, from 

 reaching and caking on and irritating the skin. When 

 the horse is carefully tended after his work is over, and his 

 legs quickly and completely dried, the less hair he has about 

 them the better, for then both the skin and the hair can 

 be made perfectly dry before evaporation begins or proceeds 

 so far as to deprive the legs of their heat. Grease is the 

 child of negligence and mismanagement. 



SETONS are pieces of tape or cord, passed, by means of 

 an instrument resembling a large needle, either through 

 abscesses, or the base of ulcers with deep sinuses, or between 

 the skin and the muscular or other substances beneath. 

 Tney are retained there by tl.e ends being tied together, or by 

 a knot at each end. The tape is moved in the wound twice 

 or thrice in the day, and occasionally wetted with spirit of 

 turpentine, or some aerid fluid, in order to increase the inflam- 

 Q* 



