INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 



DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



The regular, undisturbed, natural action of the various functions of 

 the vital organs of an animal, is health ; the reverse, constitutes sick- 

 ness. Every sickness has its causes, eflects, forms, duration, and 

 termination. 



Causes of sickness are both internal and external. The former, 

 called predisposition or susceptibility to sickness, lies in the general 

 mutability of animal nature, which, in order to exist, needs continu- 

 ally the outer world, and consequently may be endangered by too 

 much, or too little inflxience therefrom. Another cause of sickness is 

 hereditary deterioration. These causes may undergo many changes ; 

 may increase or decrease ; dependent on age, sex, constitution, tem- 

 perament, and manner of living. 



For instance, old age inclines to stiffness of the joints ; very young 

 animals are apt to suffer from disease of the lymphatic ducts ; the fe- 

 male is liable to diseases of the udder ; those with a strong constitu- 

 tion are subject to fevers and inflammations; those of a choleric 

 temperament, to bilious diseases. 



The manner of keeping domestic animals is very diverse from 

 their natural halnts, and therel)y the cause of special disease. Light, 

 air — its dryness and moisture — cold, warmth, exercise, food and 

 drink, stables, and the attention paid to the animals, are all subjects 

 for consideration. 



Much of the physicking, as a preventive, such as bleeding, purging- 

 powders of all kinds, is erroneous and prejiosterous ; and often de- 

 ranges the condition of otherwise healthy animals. 



Other causes are either mechanical (pressure, blows, stabs, etc.), or 

 chemical (poisons, acids, alkalies), and finally active causes, which 

 operate directly on the sensibility of an animal, and thereby produce 

 sickness. 



