VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
753 
and ten pounds in the third. The cause of death was certainly this 
sand on the stomach. It might be suggested that the sand got 
there in grazing, but these horses were not turned out to graze. An 
analysis of the meal was made by Professor Tuson, of the Royal 
Veterinary College, and by Dr. Taylor, of Colston Bassett, and the 
jury would be told that 11 per cent, of the meal was impurity, and 
5 per cent, sound. The plaintiff valued the three horses at 56115, 
whilst there were losses on another horse not expected to live, and 
services procured in connection with the illness of the others. After 
some further observations Mr. Seymour proceeded to call evidence. 
Mr. Newton , the plaintiff, examined by Mr. Cave, said — I am a 
farmer at Colston Bassett. The defendants are corn and cake mer- 
chants at Nottingham and Derby. Last year I had twelve horses, 
and for part of the year was in the habit of feeding them on rice 
meal. They had been kept in the stable and yard. On the 18th 
June I went to Nottingham. I saw Mr. Pink, the agent of Messrs. 
Warhurst, who sells meal in the market. He asked me whether I 
wanted any rice meal. I said, “ I shall want some.” I also said, 
“Have you any good?” and he said, “I can recommend it.” I 
said, “ Do you know it’s pure ?” He said, “ Yes, we buy the rice 
ourselves ; I know r it’s pure, and therefore I warrant it pure to you.” 
I said I would have ten packs of it, and eventually he sent it. On 
the 25th I bought another ton, and on the 6th of August a third. 
My horses have had rice meal for fifteeen or twenty years. It has 
always agreed with them. The rice meal was put in the granary, 
the key of which I kept myself. It was delivered in bags stitched 
at both ends. At this time Burton had charge of my horses. When 
I bought the meal in June I had three or four bags which the de- 
fendant had supplied me with. I used that first, and it agreed with 
the horses. I used two or three packs every week, giving it out to 
Burton as he wanted it. It was given to the horses with chopped 
hay and straw, and sometimes beans, all mixed together. Burton 
and another man named Rippon mixed the food. Burton attended 
the horses up to the 24th November, when a man named Willimott 
took his place to the 3rd December, then Tyler had charge of them. 
I first noticed something the matter with the horses in the middle of 
September. We thought it was colic at first ; they would not eat, 
and showed symptoms of pain in the bowels. I gave them some 
medicine which we always give for colic. I had this medicine 
from Mr. Marriott, and the result was that they were better for a 
few days. 
Ultimately I called in Mr. Marriott to attend a chestnut 
horse, which died on the 10th December. At that time the other 
horses were affected, and showed the signs spoken of. The stomach 
and bowels of the horse were buried on the premises. Soon after a 
black horse was taken ill, and Mr. Marriott said that he was sure 
from the symptoms that there was something wrong with the food. 
After the black horse died they examined the digestive organs, and 
found a large quantity of sand in the bowels. It was washed clean 
and weighed. There were nine pounds and a half. I ultimately 
