THE HORSE HYGIENE AND SANITARY CONDITIONS. 645 







The same high authority teaches that the presence of even 

 a small quantity of carbonic acid in the air, taken in by breath- 

 ing, causes a serious diminution in the amount thrown off, and 

 of oxygen absorbed, hence the effete matter of the system is not 

 thrown off perfectly, and the blood is contaminated thereby. 



The Black Hole of Calcutta affords a remarkable illus- 

 tration of the poisonous character of a confined and oft-breathed 

 atmosphere. In 1756 one hundred and fifty-six prisoners were 

 confined in a room eighteen feet square, provided with only two 

 small windows. One hundred and twenty-three died in one 

 night. Of the thirty-three who were found alive in the morn- 

 ing, many of them were cut off by a putrid fever, caused by con- 

 tamination of the blood. In the crowded, close stables on too 

 many farms of America, if we have not almost Black Holes of 

 Calcutta, we have such shameful neglect of sanitary laws, and 

 especially of ventilation, that the animals kept there are re;idy 

 for any form of disease that may be introduced, while the occu- 

 pants of well-ventilated barns and stables will escape many 

 forms of epidemics or pass through without loss. We have 

 given, perhaps, too much space to this part of our chapter, but it 

 seems to us the bad ventilation of stables and pens is the pro- 

 lific cause of disease and loss. 



OVERCROWDING of school-houses, jails, etc., has furnished the 

 history of epidemics with many striking illustrations of the in- 

 creased danger to those who had been exposed to the damaging 

 influences of crowded rooms before the outbreak of an epidemic. 



The Stable Floor. In connection with the subject of ven- 

 tilation or keeping the atmosphere free from taint, the stable 

 floor plays an important part. If the sole object of the floor 

 were to keep the horse dry and clean, then an open or loose 

 board floor would be the best. But, while this floor admits of 

 quick drainage, it allows the urine to soak into the ground be- 

 neath, which defiles the foundation, and after the soil has been 

 saturated, it gives forth gases most detrimental to health. The 

 board-floor, too, is dryer than the ground, and the horse's hoof 

 becomes as dry as the board, whereas the normal and healthy 

 condition of the foot is to be moist and pliable. The board-floor, 



