INTRODUCTORY LECTURE. 
617 
of scientific principles, besides the remedies employed, but 
that I am desirous of leaving this to those “ abler” than 
myself to do justice to the subject. 
I think it will be conceded that we use the lancet far less 
frequently than we were wont to do ; blood being withdrawn 
only when absolutely necessary, and the effects of its 
abstraction from the system are always closely watched : thus, 
we husband nature’s powers, having found that it is much 
easier to take away blood than to replace it ; while the period- 
ical performance of the act is never now recommended. 
Violent purging, too, is not advocated, unless the disease 
imperatively demands it, and cathartics are rarely exhibited at 
stated periods ; while we hear nothing of “ stirring up the hu- 
mours, and carrying them off” by three consecutive doses of 
physic, as was once so common. The rowel has given place to 
the seton,and less irritating agents are resorted to forblistering. 
Here I might have alluded to the Mylabris cickorii as a sub- 
stitute for the Cantharis vesicatoria , introduced to the notice 
of the profession by Mr. T. Hurford, of the 15th Dragoons, 
who kindly furnished me with a quantity of these flies for 
experiment, he having tried them in India with marked 
success. In common with others I have ascertained that they 
are, as he asserts them to be, most active and valuable vesicants. 
India is a source whence, perhaps, we might have fairly 
anticipated a large addition to our Materia Medica, but 
the harvest has not yet been reaped. Still, some of the first 
fruits have reached us, and I am indebted to several friends 
there for specimens of the drugs they occasionally give, 
either experimentally or otherwise ; especially to Mr. Western, 
Mr. Hagger, and Mr. Aston. 
Some of these specimens I place before you, as well as the 
drugs used by the native horse-doctors of India, — which were 
left me by my late house-pupil, Mr. Waller, from Madras. 
In fever, we cool the place in which the animal is kept by 
evaporation. Ventilation is strictly enjoined, and the crowd- 
ing of animals together avoided, as well as long abstinence 
from food — all of which are fertile sources of disease ; it being 
as much the duty of the veterinary surgeon to prevent diseases 
as to assist nature in their eradication. This may sound 
singular in the ears of some that are present ; but in after life, 
when you are called upon to stay the ravages of some enzootic 
or epizootic, you will find it to be the case. 
The various fanciful “ shoes” applied for diseases of the feet, 
which I remember, are now seldom if ever used. Not that 
the foot of the horse is less obnoxious to disease than it was, 
but simpler methods have been devised to bring about the 
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