THE HORSE HYGIENE AND SANITARY CONDITIONS. 657 



The cost of this will be about one dollar. A pint of it 

 mixed with a gallon of water is strong enough. It is poisonous. 



The farmer's standby, however, for the cow-stable, pig-pen, 

 and chicken-house is lime. If every time these are cleaned out 

 a light sprinkling of lime is given, the stables and pens will be 

 dryer and free from odor, and the value of the fertilizers in- 

 creased. Lime should be used regularly in the cellars and barns. 

 It costs but little, and adds much to the neatness and health- 

 fulness of the home and premises. Lime, copperas, and car- 

 bolic acid should be kept and used as regularly as salt on the 

 farm. They are as essential to best stable and herd manage- 

 ment, as is soap in the family. 



Predisposing Causes of Disease. Besides the causes 

 spoken of before, we may mention overcrowding of animals in 

 winter quarters, or stables, as a prolific cause of disease. We 

 must bear in mind that all of our domestic animals are adapted by 

 nature to live always in the open air. Now, if in our farm 

 management we find it more convenient and more economical to 

 house animals, we must ever be on our guard lest we violate 

 the laws of nature and bring on disease, which is her penalty 

 for violated law. 



Fleming, in his great work, gives an instance of an English 

 farmer who tried an experiment of feeding sheep a certain va- 

 riety of turnip. They became ill and began dying. A veter- 

 inary surgeon was sent for and he recommended merely letter 

 ventilation. More air was allowed each sheep, and the disease 

 disappeared, though the same feed continued. The horses on 

 a vessel imperfectly ventilated during a storm, with the hatches 

 closed, were attacked with glanders and farcy. 



Overcrowding may cause sudden death, or induce epizootic 

 and contagious diseases. French authority gives a case where 

 forty-two head of cattle were infected by the emanations from 

 accumulated manure. 



Labor and Fatigue. That a certain amount of exertion 

 is good for man and beast, we have claimed, but it is equally 

 clear that a sufficient amount of rest and suitable food must be 

 allowed to repair the loss of tissue. Long repose, as in winter, 



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