ON WASHING HOUNDS. 53 



was huntsman to the Warwickshire pack, he invariably 

 had the hounds washed in warm water after eacli 

 hunting day; they were Ufted up into a large tub 

 which held about two couples at a time, and their legs, 

 thighs, and bellies, well washed with a brush ; such as 

 were very dirty were even washed over the back, but 

 no shoulder lameness was ever the result of this 

 method. William Boxall who succeeded him in that 

 office, also pursued the same system without any bad 

 effects; and a few years after when entering their 

 kennel, on my return from hunting, with Thomas Day, 

 who had been first whipper-in, and who was promoted 

 at the time when William Boxall relinquished that 

 situation, I observed that he still kept up the system 

 of washing, but only such as were very dirty were 

 lifted into the bath ; the rest were moved round the 

 court in marching order, and as they passed, warm 

 water was dashed against their legs and bellies, with a 

 large hand-bowl, care being taken not to wet their 

 backs, more than could be helped. During the twelve 

 years that I was in the habit of not only hunting with 

 these hounds, but also of continually passing many 

 hours in the kennel, I never was aware of shoulder 

 lameness being detected amongst them, excepting 

 in cases of kicks from horses and other accidents.* 

 During the period that I kept fox-hounds myself, I 

 usually pursued the system of washing them after 

 work ; while I practised it the hounds were perfectly 

 sound, but kennel lameness having shown itself upon 

 the hounds being placed in a new lodging-room, which 



* One cause of casual lameness amongst hounds arises very frequently from 

 the doorways particularly of the lodging-rooms being too narrow, and from their 

 being allowed to come ri[iping out, helter skelter, when moved by the huntsman. 



