CHAPTER IX 



DISEASES AND ACCIDENTS 



The writer of an elementary work of this description 

 must almost of a necessity find himself compelled to 

 devote a certain portion of his space to the con- 

 sideration of the common ailments of horses, and to 

 the treatment of the numerous accidents which beset 

 the equine race. At the same time he is confronted 

 by a serious difficulty which is doubtless felt by all 

 writers upon veterinary subjects, namely, that 

 although the amateur may be perfectly well able to 

 treat the sick animal when he has made up his mind 

 as regards the nature of its disease, the correct 

 diagnosis of the complaint is a very different matter. 

 Indeed, the preliminary symptoms of many diseases 

 are so very similar in character that the expert is not 

 infrequently in doubt during the earlier stages ; and 

 consequently what possible chance can the tyro 

 possess of diagnosing correctly until the disease has 

 made good headway, and consequently becomes 

 more difficult to check. It is, therefore, best for the 

 beginner to bear in mind that if his horse is worth 

 saving at all it is wise to avail himself of the services 

 of an experienced veterinary practitioner as soon as 

 he has convinced himself that his horse is out of 

 sorts. If it is only a slight cold the outlay will be a 

 small one, but, on the other hand, if it should be the 

 beginning of an illness, both time and money will be 

 gained by the early appearance of the doctor upon 

 the scene. 



