60 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



are an abuse of a physiological function, and that special 

 conditions may have in consequence to apply to such cases, 

 but it has never yet been shown that unlimited fresh air 

 in byres and cattle sheds either seriously retarded fatten- 

 ing or milk production, and there is no reason why they 

 should if animals are liberally fed. Further, if a high 

 temperature is desired it can always be obtained by 

 artificial warming, without interfering with the supply of 

 fresh air. 



The advantage to be gained by the pure air method 

 would be the practical eradication of tuberculosis among 

 cattle. 



Of the total cubic space the largest part should be made 

 up in length and breadth and not in height ; in human 

 hygiene it has been proposed to disregard anything above 

 twelve feet in height, for the reason that excessive height 

 does not mean dilution of respiratory products, as these 

 have a natural tendency to accumulate in the lower 

 strata. 



For veterinary requirements twelve feet with a closed roof 

 must be regarded as an irreducible minimum, the remainder 

 of the cubic contents to be made up of length and breadth. 

 Where stables have an open roof, eleven feet to the spring 

 of the roof is a suitable height. 



Superficial area should be large both for the comfort of 

 the animal, its safety, and the safety of the attendants ; 

 as a rule this matter is disregarded probably on the score 

 of economy. For man ^V of the cubic space is desired 

 as floor space; ^V is sufficient for the larger herbivora, 

 and in this calculation is included not only the actual 

 standing room of the stall, but the share of the passage 

 behind. 



The superficial area for the stall should be 70 feet, and 

 this should be made up to a total of 100 square feet by 

 mcludmg the share of the passage. For boxes the super- 

 ficial area should be 200 feet. 



The amount of cubic and superficial space allowed cattle 

 IS extremely small. The law insists the cow in a town 



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