HORSE-BACK RIDING. 75 



When the nervous mechanism is invaded, the ut- 

 most attention and care is requisite on the part of the 

 physician, since symptoms almost inappreciable are 

 oftentimes the most precious indications to the ob- 

 server. The progress of the disease may be so slow 

 and insidious as to deceive the vigilance of the most 

 careful physician. Very often the sufferer from this 

 disease cannot account for the gradual loss of both 

 mental and physical power and of weight. 



If these are accompanied by functional disorders, 

 especially nervous ones, which may be slight and of 

 short duration, the sufferer is led to believe that there 

 exists no cause for uneasiness, when in fact they are 

 potent indications of a most serious and grave con- 

 dition. 



The physician is seldom called upon until the 

 lesions are of a pronounced character. If by a fortu- 

 nate chance he is called upon in tinie, he may fore- 

 see their possible development, and take effectual 

 measures to prevent it. 



It is in the latter cases, when there yet remains in 

 the organism some power of resistance, that horse- 

 back riding, in addition to the proper specific reme- 

 dies, will be of great service ; we do not presume to 

 say in attacking the disease itself, but in placing the 

 economy in such a condition that it can resist ulterior 

 attacks, and the physiological may overcome the 

 pathological state. 



h. Gout. — Gout is an anomaly of the organism 



