36 TIIE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



Not long ago, a firm in this city (Boston) lost three valuable 

 horses, in the course of six weeks, from stomach staggers, brought 

 on by the hazardous experiment of making the victims subsist 

 on two meals a day, one at five o'clock in the morning, and the 

 other after work at night. The experiment was not from pecu- 

 niary motives, but because the stable was so far distant from the 

 owners' place of business that it was inconvenient to drive the 

 horses there. 



On the death of the first horse, some one possessing a knowl- 

 edge of the facts in the case, and understanding that sudden 

 changes of this character in diet were sure to terminate in stag- 

 gers, represented the matter to one of the partners in business, 

 who, however, treated the affair lightly, and remarked that 

 many of his acquaintance kept their horses on two meals a day, 

 making up for the loss of the noon meal by giving them double 

 allowance at night. On the death of the second, which was a very 

 valuable animal, from a disease that had never before prevailed 

 in their stable, the proprietors themselves began to doubt the ex- 

 pediency of dispensing with the noon meal, and therefore ordered 

 the horses to be driven home at noon ; but ere the order was ex- 

 ecuted, a third horse had gone the way of all horseflesh. Some 

 eighteen months have since elapsed, and the survivors, who have 

 enjoyed their three meals a day, are in good health. The dis- 

 ease was thus timely arrested. 



Those of our species, who, after protracted abstinence, in- 

 dulge too freely in the luxuries of the season, can call to mind 

 their sleepy, unpleasant sensations, headaches, &c, can, proba- 

 bly, realize what a horse suffers from an empty, overloaded, 

 or disordered stomach. From these and other facts which 

 might be adduced, we may safely conclude that the disease is of 

 stomachic origin. 



The disease, having once manifested itself, is very apt to re- 

 turn, and for the simple reason that precautions are not taken to 

 .guard against a relapse. So soon as the animal appears bettei*, 

 and craves food, he is bountifully supplied, and returns almost 

 immediately to work ; even before the stomach has had time to 

 recover its equilibrium. The animal soon becomes a confirmed 

 dyspeptic, and is saddled with an incurable disease. 



