336 The Feeding of Animals 



oats, and there appears to be a popular notion abroad 

 that this grain contains a peculiar compound which 

 acts as a nerve stimulant and imparts "life" to the 

 horse. 



No chemical facts to support this view can be cited. 

 To be sure, it was announced in 1883 that Sanson had 

 discovered in oats a characteristic alkaloid having a 

 stimulating effect upon the motor nerves of the horse, 

 but subsequent elaborate investigations by Wrampel- 

 myer failed to verify Sanson' s conclusions. Notwith- 

 standing the fact that the oat kernel has been the 

 subject of very careful chemical studies, no chemist 

 has yet discovered that it contains any compounds so 

 characteristically unlike those of other grains as to 

 account for an unusual influence upon the nervous 

 system, or for a superior development of the muscles. 



There does not appear to be on record testimony 

 of a more convincing character concerning the stimu- 

 lative influence of oats than opinions, partly traditional 

 and partly the result of not very exact practical obser- 

 vations. While it is certainly not easy to present a 

 definite and satisfactory explanation of the existence of 

 these opinions, it may be suggested that the "life," or 

 nervous condition, of a horse is a resultant of several 

 factors or influences. These are the quantity of diges- 

 tible food supplied, the proportion of protein in the 

 ration, the condition of the digestive tract, care, exer- 

 cise, and all the many small influences which affect 

 health. In those instances where feeding oats has 

 seemed to improve the performance of the horse, even 

 if this has actually occurred, we have no assurance 



