On the salivary Defiiixions of Horses* 357 



ing outwards, and exhibiting a handsome appearance 

 when its white flowers are fully blown. The E. canescens 

 which Linneus has restricted to Spain^ is an humble 

 plant, trailing close to the ground, but without emitting 

 radicles. Both these vegetables are found in dry si- 

 tuations. But the E, maculata with which we are more 

 immediately interested, although it is to be mostly met 

 w^ith in greater abundance on the margin of dry pas- 

 ture fields, is more generally diffused over the cultiva- 

 ted parts than any of the other species ; and, begins to 

 be in flower about the latter end of July, or the begin- 

 ning of August, and continues to flower for several weeks; 

 daring which time it, no doubt, possesses the greatest 

 acrimony; and it is during this time, that the horses are 

 most commonly affected with the disease known to the 

 farmers by the name of slabbers. 



A memoir was read a few years ago, before the LiU" 

 nean society of Philadelphia on the ptyalism of horses, in 

 which the author stated the E. maculata to be the cause ; 

 but I have not seen this memoir ; nor have I been able 

 to obtain any important information respecting it. In 

 all probability your investigation will be more satis- 

 factory and conclusive. In a conversation, however, 

 which I had a few days ago with Dr. Barton, he infor- 

 med me, that he believed several vegetables had a simi- 

 lar eflfect with the E. maculata in producing the slab^ 

 hers; and that he has known this disagreeable disease 

 to be produced by dry clover, which he supposed to be 

 in a diseased state. 



I am Sir, 



William Baldwin. 

 Dr. Abraham Perlee. 



