128 THE HORSE. 



of low rtnti confined stables is unquestionably one of the principal causes of 

 glanders. 



Next to ventilation stands cleanliness; for the foul air from the ferment 

 ino- litter, and urine and duns, must not only be highly injurious to health 

 generally, but irritate and predispose to inflammation that deli-ate mem- 

 brane which is the primary seat of the disease. If to this be added rec^ulai 

 exercise, and occasional green meat during the summer, and carrots in the 

 winter, Ave shall have stated all that can be done in the w ay of prevention. 

 The farmer's horse, in his cool or cold stable — and during the greater pait 

 of the vear running loose when not at work — would be exempt from glanders 

 if, at tiie market and the fair, he were not so much exposed to contagion. 

 In truth, glanders may be considered mainly as the consequence of the 

 stabling of the horse. In South America and Arabia, they are unknown ; 

 but wherever the uimatural European plan of stabling has been introduced, 

 glanders have sooner or later followed in its train ; and, therefore, if any 

 means are resorted to for the cure of glanders, the first, and, perhaps, the 

 only effectual one, would be to remove every exciting cause of the disease; 

 to restore the horse almost or quite to a state of nature ; to turn him out 

 for a long time, or at leasi to throw open his stable as much as the season 

 and the weather will permit. Experience, however, tells us that, although 

 the symptoms have disappeared when the exciting causes of disease have 

 been removed, and the horse has returned to his stable after a twelvemonth's 

 run, apparently sound, every symptom has gradually shown itself again, 

 when these causes have been once more called into action. 



FARCY. 



Farcy is intimately connected with glanders ; they will run into each 

 other, or their symptoms will mingle together, and before either arrives at 

 its fatal termination, its associate will almost invariably appear. An animal 

 inoculated with the matter of farcy will often be afflicted with glanders, 

 while the matter of glanders will frequently produce farcy. They are dif- 

 terent types or stages of the same disease. There is, however, a very ma- 

 serial difference in their symptoms and progress, and this most important 

 oi all, that while glanders are generally incui-able, farcy, in its early stage 

 unci mild form, may be successfully treated, especially if an experienced 

 practitioner be employed. 



Veterinary writers tell us that it is a disease of the absorbents in the skin. 

 The small arteries are employed in building up and nourishing the various 

 parts of the body ; and another set of vessels are busied in taking up and car- 

 rying away that which is worn out and useless. There is no part of *he 

 body on which thousands of these little tubes do not open. Those of '.he 

 skin are not only employed in removing useless materials, but in taking up 

 various substances, and principally fluids which may be in contact with the 

 skin. The little vessels which are thus occupied collect together and form 

 larger branches, which run m company with the superficial veins, and there- 

 lore farcy was once supposed to be a disease of the veins, and the tumours 

 by which it is characterized accompany the coui'se of the veins. The poison 

 w-liich they take up produces inflammation in them, vi'hich gradually spreads 

 along the absorbent, and causes it to swell. 



These vessels, small as they are, contain valves, like those in the conr* 

 mon pump, which permit the fluid to pass one way, but prevent iu"! return 

 The inflammation, which pursues the natural course of the fluid through 

 liiese tubes, that is, towards the reservoir into which it is throwi before it 



