TEETH. 165 



Certain readers may feel opposed to the illustrations which have been 

 inserted into this division of the present volume. It may be justly ad- 

 vanced that, in the earlier portion of the present treatise, the author 

 asserted horses could live until the animal had reached its sixtieth year. 

 However, recently he adduced the mouth of a quadruped which endured 

 but half that period ; yet this specimen exhibited features indicative of 

 immediate decay. 



Such an accusation would be well grounded ; it could not be denied. 

 The sixty-year old of which the writer spoke was not feeding in the 

 stable. The creature whose teeth are delineated to represent the ap- 

 pearances displayed at the thirtieth year was not in the field, but tied 

 up in a stall. The one quadruped was consuming its natural food, the 

 other had to masticate those artificially-prepared substances which man 

 finds it most convenient to place before the dumb captive. 



The engravings inserted to illustrate the aspect of the mouth, during 

 the thirtieth year, may therefore be regarded as exemplifying the evils 

 which result from the present mode of feeding. Hay and oats, as now 

 given in dry and hard conditions, are the most expensive articles of 

 sustenance which could be found. Much of the hay passes through the 

 system only partially digested. In what condition the oats are voided, 

 the sparrows of the roadway and the chickens' on the dung hill equally 

 attest. Under the present system at least half the diet is ejected from 

 the body unappropriated. Much more would be lost, but for the capa- 

 cious and convoluted intestines of the equine race. Within these, the 

 provender swallowed is long retained, and during the entire period of its 

 retention it is exposed to the digestive action which its components are 

 beautifully formed to resist. 



Aloes, a most drastic purgative, is the one in common use with stable- 

 men. It takes four and twenty hours before its operation is witnessed ; 

 for an entire day it lies dormant within the body, notwithstanding the 

 aids of warm water, bran mashes, and occasional exercise are resorted 

 to, so as to quicken its laxative effects. The animal, during this period, 

 is obviously ill, and the medicine may be heard causing a "rumbling 

 noise " within the bowels. But if a drastic purgative is four and twenty 

 hours traveling along the digestive track, what period will be occupied 

 by those dry materials which must have positively a constipating effect ? 

 F'^wever, the latter kind of diet is not all acted upon when cast forth ; 

 that portion which is ejected in an unchanged condition represents so 

 much cash which has been expended to no purpose. 



Of course, the mastication of artificially-prepared food wears the 

 ''Ceth, and also taxes the powers of nature far more than would the 

 natural diet. By the operation of both causes, the horse's life is ren- 



