THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 143 



in Other words, there exists a disproportion between the amount 

 of carbon taken in the form of food, and the oxygen received 

 in the process of respiration. Now to illustrate this, we will 

 suppose that a man engaged in mercantile pursuits owns one or 

 more horses, he has not the time nor inclination to give the one 

 or the other the necessary amount of exercise ; they stand up 

 to a full crib, from day to day, enjoying, or rather, gorging, 

 themselves with a certain amount of fodder, over and above 

 what they actually require, and much more than they really 

 need ; the surplus is often stored up in the form of fat, and this 

 induces acute diseases, and they die of too much food and care. 

 It is very rare that we have occasion to recommend a man to 

 feed his horse more liberally ; but almost always the reverse. 

 Starvation is said to be the cause for many equine diseases, 

 but so far as my experience goes, such cases are, in this coun- 

 try, very rare. We conceive the term starvation to be a libel 

 upon civilization ; and so infrequent is its application among a 

 nation of husbandmen, that it is omitted in our dictionaries. A 

 man on a barren rock, or an animal in the deserts of Arabia, 

 might probably starve^ but the idea of the latter starving in 

 the vicinity of a well-stocked barn, or stable, within striking 

 distance of a land of plenty, seems to be a very absurd con- 

 clusion. 



There are enough animals to be found dressed up in the garb 

 of starvation ; having tight skins, prominent ribs, and a cadav- 

 erous countenance, living, yet half dead. But they know 

 nothing of the "Famine in Egypt;" they get enough, but too 

 much of the same kind. They probably require a change in 

 diet, or else they are confirmed dyspeptics, laboring under a 

 chronic form of indigestion, and if such should be the case, 

 quantity is objectionable, and good quality more desirable ; (he 

 stomach, however, is not at fault, its function being deranged. 

 Or they probably get enough, and perhaps too much for a weak 

 stomach, hence loss of flesh, etc. 



Some men are in the habit of bleeding their animals every 

 spring ; this is done in view of reducing fat and flesh, the sub- 

 jects being humory, plethoric; their systems abounding in 



