STABLES 69 



predisposing causes of disease of the nervous system, the digestive organs, 

 and, in fact, the organs of the body as a whole. 



Some kinds of food, again, tend to induce disorders of the integuments, 

 and others to disturb the kidneys. 



To detect and remove the various and often unsuspected causes which 

 act in upsetting the balance of health in various ways is a task which 

 necessitates close observation, and generally an amount of energy which 

 is exhibited constantly by sanitarians in regard to the public health', 

 but is rarely exerted for the benefit of the lower animals. 



STABLES 

 CONSTRUCTION 



The owner of the horse has often no voice whatever in the structure 

 and general arrangements of the stable in which his horse is to be kept. 

 In those cases, however, where the owner of the horse builds the habi- 

 tation for the, animal, lie may select, within certain limitations, the site 

 •on which the stable is to stand and the materials which are to be used in 

 its construction. The principal points to be observed are dryness and 

 cleanliness. To secure dryness the building must not only be weather-tight, 

 but damp must be prevented from rising through the walls and floors; an 

 impervious damp-course must therefore be laid in the walls at the floor- 

 level, and it is a good plan to spread a layer of brick or stone rubble under 

 the flooring. The use of iron for stable fittings, and, as far as possible, 

 in the construction of the partitions between stalls and boxes, in substitu- 

 tion for timber, is certainly desirable. The material is non- absorbent, 

 and lends itself readily to processes of cleansing and disinfection. The 

 timber which is absolutely indispensable should be well-seasoned, hard 

 material, and be rendered as little absorbent as possible by being saturated 

 with some of the tar products, or by a coating of paint or varnish. Bricks 

 should be of the best quality, and for the inside of the walls bricks with 

 a salt-glazed or with an enamelled surface are to be preferred. The salt- 

 glazed bricks, which are of a reddish-brown colour, are more suitable for 

 those walls which may be liable to damage, but at the heads of stalls, and 

 above the level of the mangers in boxes, enamelled bricks or tiles may be 

 used. Bright colours and pronounced patterns must be avoided ; a grayish- 

 green colour is the best, and an "egg-shell" glaze is better than a bright 

 glossy surface. The question of material for the flooring is rather a diffi- 

 cult one. It is easy to see that certain conditions must be complied with — 

 the flooring must be sufficiently hard, non-absorbent, and, above all things, 



