Diseases of the Plorse. 149 



the joint, if the animal does not succumb to the effects 

 of irritative fever. 



Prevention of Disease. 



This is a department of untold usefulness, and to all who 

 enter upon its consideration in a spirit of earnest inquiry, 

 it promises a rich reward of never ending satisfaction. 



It is doubtful if the subject has received serious atten- 

 tion, except in rare instances ; in the majority it has met 

 with animated derision, and seldom placed within the 

 domain of impartial criticism. 



We propose to consider the subject briefly in its 

 several aspects. 



The vast amount of wealth represented by the numerous 

 large studs of hard-working horses in almost every town 

 of the United Kingdom, opens up a wide field for an 

 attempted provision of means for the prolongation of use- 

 ful lives. The state of the times may forbid any relaxa- 

 tion of the severe strain of daily toil, and on that account 

 alone encourages the adoption of means which shall 

 maintain health and vigour, by an increase of the power 

 of endurance. The period of usefulness may be extended 

 by increasing the power of resistance against wear and 

 tear, and this is secured beyond question by the exercise 

 of care in the feeding. It is probable that few persons are 

 seriously conversant with the evils that attend the varied 

 systems at present adopted. The majority of fatal diseases 

 in the horse are directly as well as indirectly the result of 

 defects in this department. 



Having already placed our views on this question, 

 based upon long experience, before the public in the work 

 referred to at page 139 (footnote), we do not propose to 

 pursue it at this time. We simply suggest to all con- 

 cerned the desirability of giving the plan a fair and im- 

 partial trial, not confining it to draught horses and others 

 employed in public vehicles, &c., but extending it with, 

 of course, suitable modifications to carriage horses, hacks, 

 and hunters. 



Another aspect of the question is presented in the 

 adoption of a system of^ contract with the attendant 



