XXVI 1. 



in most instances, simply means that the animals are suffering one and all 

 from the effects of certain neglected causes of disease. When these and 

 the ordinary laws of health are known and attended to, disease on the farms 

 and in the stables may be expected to diminish in the proportion of 60 per 

 cent, at least. Prevention is better than cure ; and, the causes of disease 

 being comparatively few and simple, time and money spent with the view of 

 obviating them, is very well invested. Diseases are too frequently brought 

 about by errrors in dieting, and in the amount of work done, which may be 

 either too great or too small. Age, cold, damp, and wet are often productive 

 of disorders. Poisoning is still not stamped out. Injuries due to accidents 

 or to carelessness frequently bring about severe wounds, and many kinds of 

 lameness. There are also many minor causes also, such as worms, tumours 

 external and internal parasites. It will be seen at once, that many of these 

 fruitful causes might be obviated. There is no doubt that those which are 

 preventible are diminishing, in direct proportion as the knowledge of hygiene 

 and science increases among the rural and urban populace. Errors in 

 dieting are still common ; mistakes of this nature being especially made in 

 the feeding of heavy draught horses. The serious disorders caused by 

 exposure to damp, cold, and draughts are diminishing. More care is taken 

 with regard to proper modes of ventilation, and unnecessary exposure is 

 avoided. Many horses are still poisoned by the ill-advised administration of 

 medicines by the ignorant ; but it is very probable that, as veterinary science 

 has made such a determined and successful advance in the last few years, 

 wholesale quackery will probably soon be a thing of the past. 



Congenital defects might often be obviated by the exercise of greater 

 care in the selection of animals used for breeding. Injuries and many causes 

 of lameness might also often be avoided. Tumours to some extent probably 

 depend on inherited tendency, and therefore care in breeding is highly 

 necessary. Finally, many specific fevers might doubtless be lessened by 

 greater attention to the principles of hygiene. For instance, there is no 

 doubt that anthrax, which, as we have said, is liable to affect almost all 

 animals, depends on bad drainage, at least to the extent that animals which 

 are exposed to the effects of insufficient and faulty drainage, are more likely 

 to go down with this disease than animals more favourably situated. 

 Similarly too, with sheep-rot, and other diseases of sheep, sometimes a 

 whole flock of sheep will contract a serious affection of the lungs. When this 

 happens, it is often the case that they have been exposed in bad weather to 

 the noxious vapours of badly-drained lands, reeking with decaying vegetable 

 matter. What else could be expected 1 



We have mentioned some aspects of recent progress. Let us turn now 

 to another, which is also of the greatest interest and value. 



In the field of Philosophy, the firm establishment of the Evolution Theory 

 as a fundamental basis of thought, is of the highest importance. It is only 

 in comparatively recent times, that the Law of Causation, which had been 

 already for some time more or less completely recognised in the less 

 complex of the phenomena around us, was also applied, principally as a 



