LETTER OE TRANSMITTAL 



Sir: I have the honor to siil)mit herewith a report upon diseases of 

 the horse, whicli has been prepared with great care by a nnniber of the 

 most eminent members of the veterinary profession in the United 

 States. The production of a Avork of this character is a task of such 

 mag:nitude that it could not be undertaken by any one man with a 

 prospect of its early completion. It was deemed best, therefore, to 

 divide the subject into sections and to place the preparation of each 

 section in the hands of a veterinarian whose practical experience and 

 reputation Avould insure a valuable contribution. Bj^ adoj)ting this 

 plan the contents of the volume have been made ready for the printer 

 within a year from the time the work was begun, While, on account 

 of this method of preparation, there may not be quite the same uni- 

 formitj' of style and treatment which would be expected in a volume 

 written by a single author, it is hoped that this will not be found 

 objectionable, and the speedy completion and the co-operation of 

 authors Avho have given special attention to their subjects will prove 

 of great advantage. 



The need of a work on the diseases of the horse, which could be dis- 

 tributed to farmers as a safe and scientific guide in the treatment of 

 this species of our domesticated animals, either when affected with 

 slight disorders or serious illness, has long been felt. This obvious 

 want has led to the preparation of the present volume, which is designed 

 as the first of a series to cover the diseases of all varieties of farm ani- 

 mals. The writer would not advise the farmer in ordinary circum- 

 stances to dispense with his veterinarian, any more than he would 

 advise him to treat the diseases of his own family, to manufacture his 

 own furniture, or to be his own blacksmith. There are, however, 

 only too many cases in which the veterinarian can not be i^rocured in 

 time f<n' success, if at all; and, consequently, the farmer who knows 

 or has the means of learning the nature of the disease and the proper 

 treatment will be able to save an animal when otherwise he would 

 lose one. It is common for intelligent people to laugh at the idea of 

 attempting to make every man his own doctor, his own veterinarian, 

 or his own carpenter, and in an ideal condition of society no doubt 

 this would be absurd. But under the conditions which actually obtain 

 on our farms, the farmer Avho can use tools, if but awkwardly, often 

 finds it extremely convenient to temx)orarily usurp the functions of 



