THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



be lame ; and the more porous the soil is, the more likely will 

 it be for the damp to ascend, for which reason, sandy soils, 

 which appear to be the driest, because they dry soonest after 

 rain, are the worst for the sites of kennels. Some attribute 

 the malady to several other causes, such as washing, dressing, 

 etc. I do not believe washing hounds has anything to do with 

 it; although it is possible the injudicious use of sulphur in 

 dressing or physicking may. Madness I hope you will never 

 experience. One thing, however, I think you may assure 

 yourself of, namely, that your hounds will never go mad spon- 

 taneously — tliat is to say, U7il('ss from the bite of a rabid dog. 

 At least such is my opinion ; and it is also the opinion of 

 several veterinary surgeons, who are now turning their atten- 

 tion to the diseases of dogs, as well as those of horses. In 

 case, then, of any hound in your pack being bitten by a dog 

 of whose state of health you are ignorant, have him separated 

 from the pack instantly on seeing anything unusual in his 

 appearance. Of all other diseases, distemper excepted, clean- 

 liness will be the best preventive. As Somerville says — 



"Much does health on cleanliness depend." 



' As for distemper, j^ou must take your chance for that. 

 There appears to be no specific as yet found out; but acting 

 on the prophylactic system has answered with me. I give 

 repeated mild doses of salts to my young hounds when they 

 first come up, and then, should they take the distemper, the 

 disease is less virulent, and oftener yields to those medicines 

 which are found to be partly efficacious. Physicking and 

 bleeding and dressing, after the season is concluded — all of 

 which are essential to the well doing of your pack — will be 

 attended to by your kennel huntsman ; all you have to do is, 

 to see that they are properly performed. During the moving 

 of the coat is considered the best time to dress. 



' Over accident you have no control ; rest is the best 

 doctor for strains of shoulder, stifle, etc. ; and the sharpest astrin- 

 gents are to be applied to wounds in the feet, to which hounds 

 are so liable in their work. The most efficient remedy for 

 wounds^was supposed to lie in' the dog's own tongue ; but 

 experience has proved it to be, in man}' cases, injurious. 

 Spaying bitches is recommended by many ; and it is said that 

 twenty couples of spayed bitches would do the work of twenty- 



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