78 DOGS : THEIR MANAGEMENT. 



the point the author does not yet pretend to have fully 

 attained. The study of years will be required to perfect 

 that which is now commenced, and further experience 

 will probably demand the retraction of many of the 

 opinions herein advanced. The reader will understand, 

 the author in the present work asserts only that which lie 

 now believes. It must not be imagined, however positive 

 may read the language in which his sentiments are 

 expressed, that the writer is pledged to uphold any of 

 the conclusions at which he may have arrived ; know- 

 ledge is in its nature progressive, and canine pathology 

 is not yet clearly made out. The advantages which 

 accompany the study of anatomy, physiology, and thera- 

 peutics have yet to be more largely applied to the dis- 

 eases of the dog, and until this has been accomplished, 

 science, not reposing upon truth, will be constantly sub- 

 jected to change. The present work, therefore, will be 

 accepted only as a contribution to veterinary literature, 

 and its contents will be viewed as doing nothing more 

 than declaring the temporary convictions of one, who, 

 desirous of truth, does not conceal that his mind is 

 oppressed by many doubts. 



In the following pages advantage will be freely taken 

 of the labours of those authors who have written upon 

 the subject ; nor must it be supposed, because the writer 

 may feel himself obliged to dissent from, he therefore 

 undervalues the genius of Elaine or Youatt. Before 

 Elaine collected and arranged the knowledge which 

 existed concerning the diseases of the dog, canine patho- 



