XVd PREFACE TO THE THIRTEENTH EDITION. 



provements he may have observed in the practice of the vete- 

 rinary art, he will, no doubt, communicate to the public. 



It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to form a correct com- 

 parative estimate of the state of veterinaiy science in this country 

 and France, merely by perusing the works of the French pro- 

 fessors and veterinary practitioners ; but, if one might presume 

 to judge from such evidence, the author would feel no hesitation 

 in saying, that he thinks the veterinary art has made greater 

 progress in England than In France. In the latter country, it 

 w^as cultivated by men of science at an early period ; but here, 

 it can scarcely be said to have existed till the establishment of 

 the Veterinary College. Some good practical works appeared 

 before that time, particularly Gibson's and Clarke's ; but the 

 anatomy and physiology of the horse had not been attended to. 

 Since that period, however, it has been assiduously studied ; and 

 to the acquisition of this essential branch of knowledge we may 

 attribute the great improvement that has been made in the 

 treatment of diseases. French practitioners appear to be still 

 influenced by the humoral pathology, as it is termed, and, con- 

 sequently, depend too much on decoctions of plants, and other 

 vegetable preparations, in acute diseases, many of which are 

 nearly. If not quite, inert, with respect to the horse; while 

 similar diseases in this country are often subdued by one copious 

 bleeding. Much praise, however, Is due to the veterinary prac- 

 titioners of France for the great attention they appear to pay to 

 morbid anatomy. The accuracy and minuteness with which 

 morbid subjects are examined after death, and the scrupulous 

 attention with which every symptom of a disease is observed and 

 noted, is worthy the imitation of British practitioners. 



In addition to the French veterinary works here noticed the 

 following have since appeared : — 



1. Traltement pour toute Espece de Maladies des Chevaux. 

 Par M. Desmare. 



2. Extrait d'Abrege de Medicine Yeterinaire Pratique, public 

 en Itahen, 1813. Par J. P. Voljn. 



3. Tableau Indicatif des Maladies du Cheval, et des Remedes 

 qu'on pent appliquer selon les Manx et Accldens. 2 feullles, 

 folio. 



4. Pathologic Veterinalre. Par jNI. Dupuy. 



The earliest English writer on Farriery we have an account 

 of, is Mascal, who lived In the reign of Edward the Sixth. He 

 pulillshed a treatise on Farriery, which was greatly esteemed, 

 and passed through several editions. At the same time lived 

 Martin Clifford, who also wrote a treatise on Farriery ; but 

 it was not considered of any value, and passed through two 

 editions only. Next to him appeared Captain Burdon, of the 

 Dragoons, who published a very small treatise on Farriery, 



