THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT OF FARCY. 357 



good) capable of undertaking work ; indeed, it is advisable that he 

 should do so, since under the operation of slow or moderate work 

 it often turns out that his limb experiences, by degrees, further 

 reduction, and that his heath and condition by generous feeding 

 improves. All, in fact, is likely to go on well so long as the ani- 

 mal experiences no return of his disease or fresh attack of it : 

 should he do so, in the same limb or part even, it will much lessen 

 the chances of his second restoration ; and, should he do so in some 

 o/Aer limb or remote part of his body, above all in the head, wear- 

 ing the aspect of approaching glanders, we may bid adieu to any 

 hope of recovery : it is pretty certain, then, that farcy in its worst 

 form, or that glanders, before long will manifest itself. Even, 

 however, when during treatment no relapse happens, when the 

 patient has, in a manner answering our warmest expectations, re- 

 covered the use of his limb, and with it renewed health and 

 strength ; even, I say, then, does it but too frequently happen that 

 at some remote period — and especially at a period when from any 

 cause the patient's system is thrown into a state of irritation or 

 derangement, or is labouring under depression or debility of any 

 kind — the disease returns, and returns in a more aggravated or 

 malignant form than before, and in the end consumes its victim. 

 The following case, extracted from Professor Peall's work*, is 

 excellently illustrative of this : — 



A horse had been " severely affected with farcy," of which he " was 

 cured ;" and he remained well, " perfectly sound, for more than a year. At 

 this period, being then about ten years old, he was castrated, and appeared 

 to be going on remarkably well after the operation ; when, on the eighth 

 day subsequent thereto, he broke out with the button farcy over the greater 

 part of the surface, and, though he struggled for a time with this formidable 

 disease, yet it proved eventually to be a breaking up of the constitution ; 

 which, but for the operation alluded to, would, in all probability, have re- 

 mained sound for a considerable time longerf ." 



The treatment of a case of farcy, no less unfortunately for our- 

 selves than for our patients and their masters, is but too apt to 



* Op. cit. at page 266. 



t This case may be regarded as somewhat analagous to the one to which I 

 have referred in a note at the bottom of page 251. 



