WHERE ABSOLUTE REST IS NECESSARY. 75 



In a state of disease, that is, if that disease be 

 of an inflammatory nature, absolute rest is cer- 

 tainly necessary, in some cases even the absence 

 of all motion is desirable; and if, after severe 

 exertion, any sjnnptoms of fever manifest them- 

 selves, perfect rest and quiet are necessary to 

 prevent results that probably might end fatally. 

 But that which may be quite necessary in a case 

 of over-excitement of the general temperament, 

 is neither necessary nor conducive to the restora- 

 tion of the vigour and pliability of the limbs. 



The question might naturally be put as to 

 whether the work hunters must go through to 

 bring them out in first-rate condition, does not 

 tend to impair the durability of their limbs and 

 constitution ? To a certain extent I should say it 

 probably does ; that is, there may be fewer horses 

 going with hounds at from twelve to twenty years 

 old than there were formerly. Great excitement 

 and great exertion naturally tend to wear, the one 

 the constitution, the other the limbs. Still I do 

 not consider it does this so much as might be 

 imagined. 



There can be no doubt, but, if we purchased 

 two pair of, we will say, gig wheels, each made 

 of equally good materials, and each equally well 

 put together, and ran the one pair three hundred 

 miles per week, and the other only two, one pair 

 would be used up long before the other ; because 



