GENERAL REMARKS AS TO THEIR IMPORTANCE. 591 



liarities of horses to a certain extent determine tlie frequency 

 or otherwise of diseases of this class of organs, still I am 

 rather inclined to place the chief cause of the production of 

 these to the credit of agencies operating from without, to 

 causes dietetic. It is certainly true that agricultural horses, 

 and those of the heavier and coarser breeds, are greater 

 sufferers than others ; this, however, is probably not because 

 they are constitutionally more disposed to suffer from these 

 disorders, but rather that they are differently operated upon 

 by causes from without, that they generally receive in the 

 matter of their food-supply less attention than their more 

 fortunate fellows. 



The relation of work to the occurrence of these diseases is 

 also deserving of notice as having a marked influence in their 

 production. 



We find that exhausting labour followed by full feeding is 

 exceedingly apt to be succeeded by disorders of the digestive 

 apparatus. The lowering of the vital powers consequent on 

 fatigue is in all cases adverse to the healthful performance of 

 digestion. Where the work of horses is irregularly distributed, 

 there must of necessity be an irregular distribution of alimen- 

 tation ; while, as the consequence of the enforced fasts and 

 continued work, the food is frequently given at the particular 

 time when of all others it ought to be Avithheld. 



Irregularity of work associated with irregularity in the feeding 

 of horses is everywhere a fruitful source of diseases of the 

 organs specially concerned with digestion. 



In our different patients there are, it is to be noted, varying 

 degrees of susceptibility to contract disease exhibited by dif- 

 ferent portions of the digestive apparatus ; this varying sus- 

 ceptibility may in some instances be feasibly accounted for, in 

 others there seems some difficulty. 



Of our two chief patients, the horse and ox, the former is 

 more subject to disturbance of the intestinal, and the latter to 

 disorders of the gastric portions of the canal. This speciality 

 for locality of derangement may in great measure be accounted 

 for on anatomical grounds. 



In the horse there seems little doubt that the number and 

 character of the entire class of the diseases of the alimentary 

 canal are largely influenced by causes under our control ; 



