PECULIAR TO HORSES. 49 



in England until November, 1859, when several cases occurred among 

 some horses, the property of Mr. Champion Calcot, near Reading. 

 Three of this gentleman's animals had died, a fourth was not ex- 

 pected to live many days, and two others were laboring under the 

 same disease, in a less acute form. The most singular feature of 

 the disease, as it appeared on the premises of Mr. Calcot, were, that 

 it did not appear to owe its origin to any perceivable cause, and it 

 was not known to be prevalent in any other part of England. Still, 

 my opinion is that it does exist in that country, only not being sus- 

 pected is not sought for. It prevails very extensively among horses 

 brought to Ohio, and hundreds of horses are purchased for the 

 American army in the course of a few months, having more or less 

 enlargement of the lower jaw, yet I do not belive that either seller 

 or purchaser suspects the same. This arises from a lack of know- 

 ledge on the subject, and the same remarks, so far as our ignorance 

 of the subject is concerned, may apply to England. 



In answer to questions put to Mr. Calcot on the subject of man- 

 agement, &c., he contends that the aifected animals had plenty of 

 exercise; there were no chemical factories or works in the vicinity; 

 one horse aifected was pin-chased at a distance, the rest had been 

 bred on his farm; the sires and dams all appeared free from the dis- 

 ease, and they were not all got by the same sire; the food consisted 

 of good grass, hay, j^ollard, oatmeal and roots: other horses were 

 on the farm, fed in the same manner as the affected ones, yet they 

 had no symptoms of the disease (perhaps they will show symptoms 

 when the jaws shall ha examined — they may have the disease, yet 

 not be lame or apparently ailing.) Mr. Calcot never saw a case of 

 the kind before. From the above testimony, we may infer that the 

 causes of this affection are not yet discovered in England, but my 

 impression is, that overfeeding has a good deal to do in the produc- 

 tion of the malady. 



It appears to me that this disease, as I have already written, is 

 one of mal-nutrition or defective nourishment ; hence, may be con- 

 sidered as a scorbutic affection, like that affecting the human sub- 

 ject, which is known to be the result of faulty nutrition, and which 

 often results in division of bony parts which were once immovable — 

 the epiphysis of the pelvis for example — also in the separation of 

 cartilages from the ribs, and the shaft bones softened and ruined by 

 caries, ulceration or death of bones. 



Name of the Disease. — Big-head and big-jaw are terms suffi- 

 ciently explicit in ordinary conversation ; but in view of scientific 

 inquiry it is necessary to employ terms indicative of the pathology 

 of the disease. We cannot expect, however, to select any one 

 name that shall apply to all the pathological conditions, during the 

 rise, progress and termination of this peculiar malady ; the condition 

 of the bones, are : a state of enlargement, softening, and degenera- 

 tion of the same. The disease is known to veterinary surgeons as 

 osteo-porosis. 



Cause of the Disease. — I have already informed the reader 

 that the disease may have an hereditary origin ; otherwise, I can- 

 not accmmt for its universal prevalence, in certain localities, under 

 the ordinary modes of feeding and general management. I grant 



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