REMARKS ON THE USE OE ACONITE. 
385 
thought calculated to improve them, was really placed in 
something like the dilemma which I have above mentioned. 
However, in-and-in breeding had no imaginary terrors for 
him, and therefore he boldly adopted the last of the courses 
which I have enumerated ; so that, by necessity, even if he 
had not from choice, he must have become an in-and-in 
breeder. I will not take upon myself to say that he has 
succeeded, but I do ask any gentleman who is sceptical of 
the possibility of the thing, to visit him, and inspect a flock 
of which every individual sheep has a pedigree that can be 
traced back for upwards of forty years without a cross ! 
With such a fact as this before me, Mr. Editor, and with 
the still more significant one that the Jews have bred from 
the closest affinities from the very time of their father 
Abraham, without any deficiency of nervous energy, or any 
physical or moral degeneracy, I think I may be justified in 
declaring my firm opinion, that the explanation of the 
numerous and palpable defects in man and animals, in 
modern times, must be sought, in other reasons than the 
system of breeding Mr. Lance so strongly objects to. 
I am. Sir, 
Your obedient servant. 
June 13, 1854. 
REMARKS ON THE USE OF ACONITE. 
By Robert Dod, M.R.C.Y.S.E. 
Sir, — In re-rambling over your last April number of the 
Veterinarian , I observe an inaccuracy ; viz. that Mr. Dun, 
in his introduction of ‘Veterinarian Materia Medica/ at 
p. 224, mentions a “ Mr. Balfour, V.S., Kirkcaldy, who has 
employed aconite upwards of three years, and with success.” 
Allow 7 me to state, that there is not a person of that name 
practising here as a veterinary surgeon ; but there is a 
Mr. A. Balfour, V.S., residing in Hole Mill, at a distance of 
between two and three miles from this place, and your 
humble servant has been in practice here since the year 1826. 
Your journal having an extensive circulation, may cause some 
of my friends to believe that l have either left the place or 
died ; and as there is a distinction of men’s names, pro- 
fessions, and residences, such as Walker and Wood, of 
Caithness and Kelso, I have no desire for a leaning from 
either north or south side of the Tweed. Having tried the 
