VETERINARY HYGIENE 65 



intelligence without the verbal formula. Every horse-owner, for example, 

 knows whether his animals are well or ill, and usually he will be able 

 to give an intelligent explanation of his reasons. In general terms 

 health may be said to consist in the regular performance of the functions 

 which are relegated to the various structures and organs of the body; 

 these are simple or complex according to the position which the living 

 being occupies in the animal world, and it is interesting to note that a 

 vast number of organisms only visible with the aid of optical appliances 

 live in a condition of ceaseless activity and perform their functions of 

 respiration, circulation, nutrition, and locomotion — in fact everything 

 which contributes to the completeness of organic life — in the most perfect 

 way by the aid of very simple apparatus, so long as the conditions in 

 which they are placed remain favourable to their existence. For example, 

 myriads of living organisms, animals and plants, are found in stagnant 

 water, and so long as the medium in which they live remains unchanged 

 their activity continues. Should any serious alterations occur in the 

 conditions of the medium on which their life depends, they become 

 inert, all their functions cease, and the simple tissues of which they are 

 composed become shrivelled, and the once active, living creatures are 

 to all appearance dead. It is only necessary, however, in a large number 

 of instances, to supply, to apparently dead creatures, the medium, water, 

 which is favourable to their life, to enable them to resume their 

 form and functions. The illustration is one of the most simple that 

 can be offered of the physiological maxim that life depends upon the 

 correspondence of the organism with its environment; when the corre- 

 spondence ceases, either from failure on the part of the organism, or on 

 the part of the environment, then life or health, or both, can no longer 

 be maintained. 



The science of Hygienics may be shortly defined as the maintenance 

 of the relation which exists between the organism and its surroundings, 

 and the important question arises in the case of the higher animals: 

 What are the conditions which have to be maintained in order that the 

 organism may perform its functions? 



In considering the surrounding circumstances or environment in 

 which an animal lives, it has to be borne in mind that the organism 

 itself may be at fault, while the conditions of life may be in perfect 

 order. When, therefore, it is assumed that if the conditions of life are 

 maintained in perfect order the organism will remain in health, it must 

 also be possible to affirm, with equal reason, that the organism was in 

 a perfectly normal state to begin with. It is hardly necessary to add 

 that in the greater number of cases this perfect correspondence does not 



Vol. III. 70 



