THE MULE. 95 



develop its symptoms. There are a great many opin- 

 ions as to the soundness or unsoundness of an animal 

 aiflicted with this complaint. If I had now a good 

 animal afflicted with it, the pain caiised to my feelings 

 by looking at it would be a serious drawback. 



CRAMP. 



I have now under my charge several mules that are 

 subject to this complaint. It does not really injure 

 them for service, but it is very disagreeable to those 

 having them in charge. It frequently requires from 

 half an hour to two hours to get them rubbed so as the 

 blood gets to its proper circulation, and to get them to 

 walk without dragging their legs. In cases where 

 they are attacked violently, they will appear to lose all 

 use of their legs. I have known cases when a sudden 

 stroke with a light piece of board, so as to cause a sur- 

 prise, would drive it away. In other cases sudden 

 application of the whip would have the same effect. 



SPATm. 



It is generally believed that the mule does not inherit 

 this disease. But this is not altogether true. Small, 

 compact mules, bred after the jack, are indeed not 

 subject to it. On the contrary, large mules, bred from 

 large, coarse mares, are very frequently afflicted with 

 it. The author has under his charge at the present 

 time quite a number of those kind of mules, in which 

 this disease is visible. At times, when worked hard, 



