356 
ON THE AGE OF THE HORSE. 
became convalescent. In this case, we repeat it to be our firm 
and conscientious belief that blood-letting saved the patient. 
The case related by Mr. King, in our present Number, which we 
have taken the liberty of calling “ influenza,” affords an example 
in which a contrary plan of treatment was required. Had the 
horse been bled, we believe he would have died. The case was 
treated with great judgment and complete success. 
It is to us, and we are quite certain will be to our readers, pleasing 
to see that the important subject of “ age” is attracting attention in 
those quarters from which it will surely receive the ablest exposi- 
tion. Mr. Goodwin has for man}' years past been in the habit of 
collating such observations as he has made on horses bred in the 
royal establishment, and from time to time has discovered some 
curious mouths, shewing that, on occasions, Nature plays strange 
freaks in teething as well as in other vital operations. His paper 
in illustration of this, in our last Number, and Mr. Pritchard’s paper 
in the present, will be perused with great interest. The subject 
of age is too weighty a one for us to trifle with. Veterinarians 
have ever been looked up to as the arbiters of horses’ ages, and, 
we trust ever will be : we may add, indeed, ever must be, so long, 
as their judgment turns out to be no other than the true interpre- 
tation of Nature. Should any veterinary surgeon be detected in 
calling fifty or a hundred colts three years old that were known to 
be but two or that were four years old, or vice versa, then, indeed, 
would the public have reason to mistrust his opinion ; but because 
one or two out of the fifty did not happen to turn out of the age which 
he, from the doubtful mouths they presented, imagined or suspected 
them to be — their mouths being of such a nature as not to admit of 
an unqualified opinion — to pronounce all his knowledge about age 
on this single account to be vague and unsatisfactory, is surely not 
dealing fairly with him. Did ever any surgeon know two children 
who cut their teeth precisely alike, as to period, growth, &c. I 
Why then is it to be expected that horses are always to do so I 
At the same time, we know from long and large experience and 
observation, that, in general , horses cut their teeth with that 
