THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
YOL. XXYI, 
No. 311. 
NOVEMBER, 1853. 
Third Series, 
No. 71. 
DISEASES OF ANIMALS IN INDIA SIMILAR TO ASIATIC 
CHOLERA. 
By J. T. Hodgson, V.S. 
Horses in India (except at the Government studs, where 
oats are grown, and from whence owners of race-horses 
procure some), are fed upon pulses ; in general Boot gram 
Ervum lens , which has been split, or soaked some time in 
water, so that the husk rubs off easily. 
Some persons, particularly when marching, give pulse dry, 
split, or whole, as it may be procurable ; others feed with 
barley, or barley and grain, parched and coarsely ground. 
These different methods of feeding have each advocates 
among Europeans. The natives frequently feed with moat 
grain boiled. The pulses are the most nutritious kind of 
grain, equally fit food for horses and other animals as other 
kinds of grain ; but, as I shall show, too much grain of any 
kind thus improperly given, unless the animal be worked or 
exercised, is extremely deleterious. 
Grain is very cheap in India, upon which animals, horses, 
and cattle, are fully fed, and this, too, in the rains, though for 
several days not worked or exercised ; the native groom, 
unless made to do so, neglects to avail himself of fair wea- 
ther. Thus, fed with grain, horses do not eat anything else, 
or very sparingly of green grass, or half-made hay, although 
before them in general lies an unlimited quantity of sun- 
grass, roots and all, (a fine grass, in variety to that in Eng- 
land called twitch , so troublesome to arable farmers,) without 
which, in India, animals would starve during the hot season, 
when, notwithstanding the drought, although short, it always 
remains green. 
It is really necessary, to avoid this bad stable management, 
to put some limit to the feed of horses not worked, and to 
set some trustworthy servant to see that horses are exercised. 
It will not do to give orders only, as it is an orientalism to 
reply, “ It is done, Sir \” and your native groom will lie him- 
xxvi. 78 
