140 DADDS VEIEfilNARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



horse can endure the depressing influences of a cold atmosphere, 

 because he has within the body a vast generator and non-conductor 

 of heat in the form of adipose matter. It has been proved that 

 the immediate cause of death in warm-blooded animals, when food 

 has been withheld, was their inability to keep up that temperature 

 necessary for the integrity of vital operations. The animal located 

 in an air-tight stable is, probably, surrounded by an atmosphere 

 almost equal in temperature to that of his own body, and, conse- 

 quently, he does not require so much food as the former. Hence, 

 the amount of food necessary in the one case might be too much for 

 another, and, consequently, operate injuriously. A cold, bracing 

 wind is said to " sharpen the appetite." The inhabitants of north- 

 ern regions require more food than those of the southern. A horse) 

 therefore, of weak muscular organization, the subject of debility, 

 requires a comfortable stable, and food that will develop muscles. 

 Now, it has been ascertained that horse-beans contain more of the 

 nitro-albuminous principles than any other article of diet. Eng- 

 lish horses are very partial to the same, and in such the develop- 

 ment of muscle is very remarkable; consequently, a fat horse 

 requires less of the nitro-albuminous principle, and more of the 

 aqueous, in the form of carrots, potatoes, and beets. 



It must never be forgotten that some horses will keep in fair 

 working order on a moderate supply of aliment. In such cases, 

 we infer that the digestive organs are in a state of activity capable 

 of extracting all the nutrient properties from the same. On the 

 other hand, a horse performs less work than the former, consumes 

 twice as much food, yet actually loses flesh. The digestive organs 

 are then at fault. A horse, however, may lose flesh, become weak 

 in the legs, etc., in consequence of the laborious nature of his em- 

 ployment. Therefore, any derangement occasioned in this way 

 prevents the food from being converted into healthy chyme, chyle, 

 or blood, and thus the necessary deposit of new matter is pre- 

 vented. 



Most voraciour- feeders are dyspeptic, and such are almost never 

 free from intestinal worms. Their breath becomes feted; saliva, 

 thick and tenacious ; excrement, slimy ; and should the subject be 

 fed on oats, the same would be found, after traversing the aliment- 

 ary canal, unmasticated. The principal remedy for indigestion is 

 change in diet. Sometimes it may be proper to allow scalded oats, 

 although cooking does not add to their nutritive quality, yet, mora 



