50 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



word diathesis, it means a well-marked tendency in a 

 disease by a corresponding diathesis: for example, a 

 cancerous diathesis or an inflammatory diathesis. 



Diet. — The different articles used by the horse as food. 



Disinfectants. 



French, Delsenfectants ; German, Fauhiisswidrige suh- 

 stanzen. 



Disinfectants are such as remove the causes of infec- 

 tion, or any injurious taint. To accomplish this effect, 

 disinfectants will have to embrace a class of substances 

 known by the name of antiseptics, (agents which prevent 

 animal or vegetable matter being decomposed,) and deo- 

 dorizers, (agents which destroy hurtful or bad smells, 

 when arising from decomposing material.) 



(1.) Natural Disinfectants. — The atmospheric is 

 the great disinfectant. The soil has been found a valua- 

 ble disinfectant, decomposing animal matter with great 

 quickness, and sending out gases which are without 

 taint of any kind. Hence, the necessity of deep burial 

 of animals dying, or that have been killed, on account 

 of contagious diseases. 



Ventilation is entirely a mechanical plan of disinfect- 

 ing, and which is in the power of every farmer in the 

 land to more or less perfect in all buildings containing 

 horses, cattle, etc. In ventilating, it is only necessary 

 to admit the purest air, and for this purpose have the 

 openings, or ventilators placed at least eight to 'ten feet 

 from the ground, as it is well known that heavy vapors 

 are sometimes seen a few feet above the ground. Also, 

 the ventilation should come from the front or top of the 

 building, as the back of a stable is never so pure as its 

 front. 



