8 LETTEE OF TRANSMITTAL. 



the carpenter; and he also finds that in many cases he must treat liis 

 ailing animals or allow them to suffer without treatment. Knowing 

 this to be the case, is it not far better for the stock-owner to have at 

 his command the advice of veterinarians eminent in their profession 

 than for him to follow the absurd, often barbarous methods of treat- 

 ment which have been handed down by tradition from the empiricism 

 and ignorance of long-past ages? 



It is an extremely difficult matter to divest medical literature of 

 technical terms and expressions more or less incomprehensible to the 

 general reader. This has made scientific medicine a sealed book to 

 the masses of our people, and there is no subject of which they are 

 more ignorant. An attempt has been made in this work to present 

 the matter in as simple language as possible, and while some of the 

 authors have been more happy than others in this respect, it is be- 

 lieved that no great difficulty will be met with in any of the articles. 



AVhile the subject has been treated in language of a more or less 

 popular style and the book is intended as a guide to the farmer, its 

 intrinsic scientific value should not be entirely lost sight of. In 

 many respects it is a notable contribution to existing knowledge, and 

 it will be prized by the veterinarian not less than by the farmer. No 

 doubt there are some defects in this first edition which the experience 

 of the future will enable us to remedy, but as a whole the book is one 

 which can not fail to be of immense service in educating horse-owners 

 and in hastening the adoption of humane and scientific treatment in 

 the disorders which afflict man's most patient and faithful servant. 



The illustrations have been very carefully drawn by Mr. Haines, 

 the greater part of the subjects being selected by Dr. Cooper Curtice. 

 In cases where they have been copied due credit has been given on 

 the plates, but it should be stated here that Ave are indebted to 

 Dr. John S. Billings, of the Army Medical Museum, for the use of 

 the Auzoux models and a number of specimens of diseased feet from 

 which drawings were made. 



Very respectfully, D. E. Salmon, 



Chief of Bureau of An imal Induslrij. 



Hon. J. M. Rusk, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



