ON THE CAUS#S OF DISEASE. 36 
and glory of the nation. The science which we are laboring te 
render popular is vast and boundless as the ocean ; and although 
it has been explored by many distinguished scholars, it is capable 
of unfolding new truths, and when the united intellect of intelli- 
gent Americans shall be brought to bear upon it, will advance 
with a rapidity truly astonishing. What the American people 
have accomplished, during the past few years, in rendering other 
sciences popular, is proof positive of what shall occur when the 
eurrent of investigation is directed to the science of veterinary 
medicine and physiology. 
In the absence of educated veterinary surgeons throughout the 
country, it is of vast importance that stock-owners generally 
should study, as far as they can, the diseases to which their prop- 
erty is subject, and acquire a knowledge of, at least, the ordinary 
remedies. By doing so, thousands of dollars’ worth of valuable 
horses, cattle, and swine may be annually saved to the country, 
and the intense misery which these poor brutes suffer frequently 
be relieved. It is our object in this work to simplify the science 
so that it may be acquired, to a very useful extent, by any intel- 
ligent man. If we shall succeed in enabling stock-owners to 
practice the healing art on their dumb but faithful companions, 
we shall feel that we have done a good work. 
Inflammation ; Its Nature and Treatment.—Inflammation is said 
‘o consist of pain, he-t, and redness. It is usually considered as 
an enemy to the patient; and we have been taught to subdue it 
by means of bleeding and purging, at all hazards; and some 
practitioners, when they undertake the job, generally succeed, 
get they lose the patient for their pains. 
Some writers have made inflammation cut up all manner of 
tranks. It is now sanative in healing a wound or injury, in 
repairing damages which occur in various parts of the animal 
economy ; and in the same paragraph the writers declare that in- 
flammation is the cause of nearly all the deaths that occur. This 
is sheer nonsense, and will not stand the test of Jogic, nor the 
daily experience of that practitioner who deals in fact, and does 
his own thinking, independently of the dictum of some of the 
schools, and the ancient method of reasoning on false facts. 
distinguished medical reformer, writing on this subject, says 
“ Numerous hypotheses or opinions respecting the true natnre o! 
