Mechanical : wounds and injuries from falls, blows, 

 kicks, uneven ground, and other accidents, besides surgical 

 injuries, &:c. 



Obstructive : from hot, badly ventilated stables ; want 

 of cleanliness ; dirty, bad food or drink ; neglect of the 

 bowels, &c. A host of diseases arise from this cause. 



Conditional : excess of heat predisposes to diseases of 

 the liver, stomach and bowels, besides exhaustion and 

 injuries of the brain. Excess of cold, with dampness, 

 induces inflammation of the lungs and air passages. 



Ingestive causes : poisoning by accident or otherwise. 

 Medicines in immoderate quantities or at improper times, 

 or remedies of a powerful sort given in their pure form ; any 

 and all of these abuses of medicine have done and are doing 

 immense mischief. 



Improper food causes dysentery, diarrhoea, colic, &c. 

 Deficiency of food, with cold, leads to rheumatism. 

 Excess of food : plethora, bleeding from the nose, and, 

 lastly, to laminitis (founder). 



Gontactive : mange (itch), ringworm, hydrophobia, 

 glanders. 



It must be borne in mind that very often more than one 

 cause is in operation to produce disease. 

 Influence of age on disease : 



During colthood the functions connected with the 



nutrition of the animal are most active. 

 The capillary portion of the vascular system is most 



mature. 

 The skin surfaces are delicate and impressible. 

 The heat-making process is less potent than in the 



mature animal. 

 The period of teething is marked by reflex excitability. 

 Fibrin abounds in the exudation resulting from injuries 



or inflammation in colthood. 

 The glandular apparatus are especially active. 

 The diseases most frequent in young animals are : 

 Eruptive fevers. 

 Strangles, skin diseases, &c. 



Peritonites, resulting from the effects of castration. 

 Diseases of the air passages, caused by removal from 



the open country to close city stables. 

 Bleeding from the nose, called "epistaxis;" and lastly, 

 Swelling of the plates of the mouth, vulgarly called 

 " lampas." 



