THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 83 



seems to have some doubts; for, says that writer, "we seem 

 to lack proof of this being the case ; whereas we have had demon- 

 stration enough of horses ' breeding the disease ' in their con- 

 stitutions." 



The history of pulmonary consumption in the human family 

 substantiates this opinion ; for men of broad chest and iron consti- 

 tution have been known to fall victims to pulmonary disease of this 

 character, when we know that the man predisposed, as it is termed, 

 is the one of narrow chest, spare muscles, tall frame, and slender 

 limbs. On the same principles we characterize the colt with 

 narrow chest, flat sides, long legs, and spare muscles, to be the 

 one most subject to phthisis. 



Our own opinion is, that the evils of domestication have as 

 much, if not more, to do with the development of this form of 

 pulmonary disease than predisposition. We will introduce to 

 the reader's notice a single illustration of the evils of domestica- 

 tion : — 



" When I came to the farm which I now hold by purchase, I 

 found the stables built under large trees, and near a spring of 

 water, with a northern aspect. My horses were soon in poor 

 condition, with long and rough coats, and almost always lax in 

 their bowels, nor could I get them up by extra food or lighter 

 work ; but my cows suffered most, for they were always sick. 

 Their milk fell off, and their butter was poor, and of a bad color 

 and taste, and four of them slipped their calves before their time. 

 When the spring came, they left their winter quarters in a w r orse 

 state than I had ever seen them, and two of them died from the 

 scours on going to pasture. On inquiry, I found that the tenant 

 who had left had always been what the neighbors termed unfor- 

 tunate in his horses and cattle ; and from that cause, more than 

 any other, he had not been able to make both ends meet. The 

 truth flashed upon me in an instant, and in a very little time 

 longer than it has taken me to tell you my story, I had com- 

 menced pulling down the stable, the unhealthiness of which had 

 been, I was convinced, the cause of all the evil and all the loss ; 

 and it was not more than two days before there was not left one 

 stone upon another of the whole fabric. I now set to work and 



