THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 71 



record what I have found to succeed best in my own 

 practice. 



Some contend that spring grass is, of itself, alone 

 sufficient physic for horses at the close of the season, but 

 I conceive that they require more thoroughly cooling 

 with active medicine, as soon as they are thrown out of 

 work. This will prevent the inflammatory tendencies 

 consequent upon the high state in which they have been 

 kept since the autumn. In all cases where firing or 

 blistering is necessary, it is an invariable rule to adopt 

 this plan as a precautionary measure, and I believe that 

 even with the soundest and healthiest, it is better not 

 omitted. I am no advocate for bleeding, except in cases 

 of positive illness, where active inflammation must be 

 subdued by summary measures. I would resort to the 

 lancet with the caution recommended by the poet, as to 

 the use of superhuman agency in a story or a play, 



" Nee Deus intersit, nisi d'lgmis vindice nodus, 

 Incident." — 



Bleeding, merely as an alterative, must lessen its effect 

 when reqviired for depletion, and cannot fail to operate 

 injuriously, rather than beneficially, upon the consti- 

 tution. Many horses, and not only horses but human 

 beings, have been killed by having been incautiously bled, 

 when animation has been all but suspended from exhaus- 



