PUBLICATIONS KEVISED. 507 



Very soon after publishing the first edition of my little 

 book for my classes, I found it not only too small, but im- 

 perfect ; so in 1865 I made a revision of it, greatly improv- 

 ing and enlarging it. But with a constantly increasing 

 experience and success, I very soon felt the necessity for 

 still another revision, which I made in 1867. Revisions 

 were again made in 1869, '71, and '75 ; thus enlarging the 

 book for my classes from a small pamphlet of 64 pages, as 

 first published, to a work of 276 pages, quite largely illus- 

 trated, as it now stands. There have been fully 100,000 

 copies of these various editions issued, and given to my 

 classes. 



During my early experience, my advice was asked 

 almost daily in regard to the cure of some form of disease 

 of horses. Though continually admitting that I knew 

 nothing about the diseases of horses, I would be pressed 

 to give such advice as I could. Consequently I read such 

 books on the subject as were available, but practically 

 could make but little or nothing out of them, as the treat- 

 ment would be either contradictory or too indefinite for 

 reliability. What would perhaps be highly recommended 

 by one authority, would not infrequently be condemned 

 by another. 



I came in contact with a great many horse-doctors 

 who claimed to have remedies of great value for the cure 

 of spavins, ring-bone, etc., and at various times I was 

 induced to pay considerable money for recipes, etc., that 

 proved not only worthless, but really dangerous. There 

 are doubtless many who, though not regular practitioners, 

 are geniuses in their way, and worthy of entire confidence ; 

 but my experience has been that men who claim to have 

 wonderful secret cures, and who aim to sell a little 

 medicine for a large price, are unreliable, and should be 

 avoided. 



