54 THE YELLOWS, AND DISTEMPER. 



was built at a short distance from the one previously 

 used, I desisted from the practice, and when occupy- 

 ing another kennel at ten miles' distance, where the 

 pack was most grievously affected with that disease 

 during the winter months, washing even their feet after 

 work was entirely dispensed with ; the lameness, 

 however, even continued to increase, which circum- 

 stance convinced me, that selecting an improper 

 situation when building the kennel, is the sole cause 

 of the existence of this most dreadful curse upon hound- 

 flesh, and that the practice of washing has nothing to 

 do whatever with it. This opinion about washing was 

 afterwards confirmed when I hunted the Holderness 

 country. Some lodging-rooms are white-washed only 

 once during the year, but it should be done much more 

 frequently; the objection to their being damp for the 

 hounds to enter, may be easily remedied by lighting a fire 

 in them during this necessary operation, which may be 

 removed a short time before they are occupied. There 

 are stoves made on purpose for airing damp stables, 

 kennels, &c. with a long flue to conduct the smoke 

 out through the window ; if a stove is not at hand, the 

 easiest method is to turn the benches carefully up, and 

 form a fire-place of loose bricks in the centre placed 

 diagonally ; open the windows and keep the door shut. 

 No lodging-room which has been long unoccupied, 

 should be ever used, unless it has been well aired for 

 a whole day ; it is certain to be more or less damp, 

 and nothing is more likely to produce that disease 

 called the yellows, or jaundice, in hounds, than lying 

 in a damp place ; amongst the puppies it is almost 

 certain to produce distemper. The building a new 



