REMARKS IN REGARD TO THE COMPOSITION OF THIS WORK. 



The plan of the author, in the commencement of this work, was to prepare a 

 complete manual of examinations on the Anatomy and Physiology of the Horse ; 

 but, finding that he could not bring the matter within the prescribed limits, the 

 plan was speedily abandoned. The examinations, excepting those descriptive 

 of the osseous structure, are intended, either to elicit some physiological fact, 

 or to introduce topics that have not been treated of in the body of the work. 



In attempting to furnish the public with a systematic treatise on Anatomy 

 and Physiology, it will be obvious that the author must necessarily avail 

 himself of the labor of others ; for, as regards the science of anatomy, no one 

 has anything new to offer. The industrious anatomists and dissectors of early 

 times have borne off all the laurels, and there remains but httle, if anything, 

 for future discovery. As regards physiology, also, there are very few facts to 

 discover; we now allude, however, to practical physiology — that science which 

 teaches us the functions of the animal body, or the uses of its parts. The 

 author has, however, occasionally stepped beyond the details of practical 

 physiology, and has endeavored to throw some light on the complex combina- 

 tions in which vital phenomena present themselves, and the nature of their 

 dependencies one upon another. Matter of this kind he has thought best to 

 introduce in the form of examinations. 



In preparing this work, the author has endeavored to select the most recent 

 and reliable information. The following list of authors consulted and com- 

 piled from, together with the foot notes and the writers' names appended, Avill 

 serve to indicate the principal sources on which the author has relied for 

 information. 



Mr. Percivall's Anatomy of tJie Horse has been freely employed in composing 

 the anatomical part of the work. The description of the abdominal viscera 

 is from the pen of Mr. Gamgee, and was written as a prize essay, and pub- 

 lished in the London Veterinarian. Carpenter's Physiologif, general and compar- 

 ative, is also quoted. Liebig's Chemistry, Hooper's Dictionary, Percivall's Hippor 

 pathology, Roget's Outlines of Physiology, have also been consulted, and extracts 

 made from the same. The illustrations, not otherwise indicated, are by Girard; 

 explanations translated by the author. For the loan of the French plates, the 

 author is indebted to C. C. Grice, V. S., of New York City. 



The plan of the examimdions was suggested to the author by Ludlow's Manual 

 of Examinations, — a work which he formerly, while studying medicine, had 

 occasion to use. The subject matter, in this work, of course diflers from that of 

 the former. 



In preparing the "Definitions of Veterinary Technicalities," and "Diction- 

 ary," the author has availed himself of the works of Cooper, Hooper, Cleve- 

 land, Blaine, Mahew, and White ; and, regarding the method of making ana- 

 tomical preparations, etc., the works of Parsons, Pope, and Swan, have been 

 consulted. G. H. D. 



