THEORY AND PRACTICE 



OF 



^ETERIIARY MEDICINE AND SURGERI 



■'»»« 



SECTION I. 



ON THE CAUSES OF DISEASE. 



Rkmabks on Vetekinabt Science, and the Relation it bears to Sooiai 

 Science — Veteeinabt Science; how to Inadgubate it — What Benefit! 



HATE WE derived FROM IT3 StDDT INFLAMMATION; ITS NaTCEE AND TbBU> 



MENT. 



rr^O explain the cause or causes of disease occurring among 

 _|_ (lomeetic animals is an herculean undertaking, when ex- 

 p«)unded by the theory and faulty logic as applied to the ancient 

 nicthod of reasoning on "false facts ;" but, thanks to the genial 

 9))irit of progression and improvement, we are enabled to throw 

 Bome light on the subject. We have been taught to believe that 

 many of the causes of disease are invisible and mysterious; but 

 this is not the fact. We are in possession of evidence going to 

 show, very conclusively, that the causes of disease may be classi- 

 fied very distinctly and intelligently under two heads, viz. : Pre- 

 disposing and Exciting; yet this classification is not offered by 

 the author as absolute, but is a more convenient arrangement 

 than any other to study the nuiltifarious conditions which people 

 believe are remotely or immediately concerned in the production 

 of disease. For example, many interesting and valuable facts are 

 on record, going to show that the peculiar properties, characters, 

 tnd qualities of the parent — whether good or bad, healthy or d»- 



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