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BULLETIN OF 

 MASSACHUSETTS BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



SYSTEMATIC FEEDING AND WATERING AS A PRE- 

 VENTATIVE OF DISEASE IN HORSES. 



By Prof. Jas. B. Paige, Veterinarian to the Board. 



I propose in this short paper to discuss very briefly a few of the 

 more important points suggested by the above title. My idea is 

 to show how many diseases of horses are referable to a faulty 

 system of feeding or watering, or both combined, and how they 

 may be prevented by the application of the principles that should 

 guide us in this matter. 



The subject is by no means a new one, numerous articles rela- 

 tive to it having already appeared in our books and agricultural 

 papers ; but it would seem, from the great number of erroneous 

 ideas which people entertain and put into practice in this connec- 

 tion, that the information imparted has not beeh productive of 

 much good. No one appreciates this more than the practising 

 veterinarian, who can trace, in a large majority of the cases of 

 intestinal disease, founder, etc., which he is called to treat, the 

 cause of the same to some fault either in quantity, quality or other 

 condition of the food used, or to some condition of the animal 

 when the food or water was given. From my own observations I 

 am led to conclude that it is not so much on account of ignorance 

 of the principles that should guide us in the feeding of horses, so 

 as to prevent the occurrence of disease, as it is on account of 

 failure to put the principles into practice. Many people are 

 thoughtless or negligent about these things. This api)lies more 

 especially in rural districts. It frequently happens that a fatal 



