118 HOUSING THE PATIENT. 



Either remove the old straw at the bottom of the bed every- 

 day, or do not touch it until the patient has recovered. If the 

 old straw is removed once every two or three days, the urine 

 and dung with which it will in places be saturated, will have 

 decomposed, and upon turning it up a powerful effluvium will be 

 emitted, and if taken away, the temperature of the place will 

 fall considerably, which, in cold damp weather, may be produc- 

 tive of bad effects. If allowed to remain without being dis- 

 turbed, and fresh dry straw spread over the old, no such result 

 probably will follow, if the ventilation be good. The best plan 

 to pursue, is to gather up the dung, and allow all the straw to 

 remain until the patient is recovered ; or else to remove the old 

 litter at least once every day. The straw supplied to diseased 

 patients, should he cliopped or cut into lengths of about six or 

 eight inches. The advantages gained by this will be evident. 

 The patient can move its limbs with greater freedom ; the box 

 can be cleaned with greater facility ; and the urine will be more 

 readily absorbed. 



The temperature of the box or stable containing a sick 

 horse, should range from 62° to 64° Fahrenheit, during the 

 winter season. In summer it should be maintained at a similar 

 temperature. Loose boxes at many establishments are perfect 

 pests. They are exposed to the full glare of the sun; and 

 closely contiguous to them, are perhaps large heaps of half 

 rotted manure. This in summer, attracts thousands of flies, 

 numbers of which crowd into the box, and irritate the poor 

 animal beyond measure. If a more retired situation cannot be 

 had, the manure should be removed, and the doors and windows 

 fitted with gauze wire or perforated zinc. 



III. — Clothing. — The kind, the quantity, and the way of 

 clothing a horse, will depend upon the season of the year, the 



