408 WORMS— AN UNSETTLED QUESTION: [BOOK II. 



of the mesenteric canal (see page 140), and not 

 within the gut or stomach ; for the excess or the 

 suspension of perspirable matter must alike depend 

 upon somewhat of a more general affection than 

 worms, that fasten on this or that part of the sto- 

 mach or intestine (as we are told,) and can only in- 

 fluence the part they immediately occupy. Unfor- 

 tunately, we know of no specific cure for worms, 

 the remedies that are usually prescribed being of a 

 hot, burning, and destructive nature, that are as 

 likely to injure the intestine as the worm ; it be- 

 comes our primary duty, therefore, to ascertain 

 when the disorder be really the worms, so as to 

 prescribe the proper remedy when we have ascer- 

 tained that the fact is so. It is very easy to say 

 a horse " has the worms," and to give him worm 

 medicine ; but much more difficult to ascertain the 

 real fact, than to remove it when well authenti- 

 cated. Our inquiries, then, should be directed 

 towards this point as much as to any other unset- 

 tied question — the existence and quality of true 

 glanders, for example ; and yet, moxejine learning 

 has been bestowed upon the uncertain knowledge 

 of botts, and other worms, than has attracted the 

 attention of our veterinary writers to any other por- 

 tion of their labours. 



Causes. — Indigestion, and consequent stoppage 

 of the aliment in the stomach and ccccum ; which, 

 again, may be occasioned by bad corn, musty hay, 

 or hay made from rank grasses, — if all hay what- 

 ever does not contain the means of generating inl 



I) 



