394 NEGLECTED COMFORT, &C., OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 
observes Mr. Percivall, in liis excellent work on the Disorders of the 
Horse, than “ that disease is the penalty which nature has attached 
to the domestication of the horse. So long as the unbroken colt 
remains at grass or in the straw-yard, even though he be houseless 
and shelterless, little apprehension is entertained about his health : 
no sooner, however, does the time arrive for his domestication, than 
from the day, nay from the very hour, when he becomes stabled, 
we begin to look for his ‘ falling amiss ; ’ and so prepared for 
this event do we feel in our own mind, that, should the animal 
escape all ailment during this probationary stage of his life, we are 
too apt to regard him as a fortunate exception to what seems to be 
established as a law of nature.” 
Mr. Percivall has given the following table, shewing the ages at 
which horses appear most disposed to certain diseases : — 
Diseases. 
j 
Patients 
under 5 
years old. 
In their 
5 th year. 
Above 5 
and 
under 10. 
| 
Above 10 
and 
under 20. 
20 and 
up- 
wards. 
Totals. 
Disease of the lungs 
170 
50 
20 
50 
10 
300 
„ bowels 
! 10 
20 
40 
70 
20 
160 
brain 
1 4 
2 
5 
14 
2 
27 
„ eyes... 
30 
10 
70 
35 
5 
150 
Total 
214 
82 
135 
169 
37 
637 
1 
Of the 637 cases brought under medical treatment, 134 had a 
fatal termination. The deaths, therefore, were at the rate of 21 -03 
per cent. In 300 pulmonary cases died 77, or 2566 per cent. 
Of 118 cows that died in various grazing districts of England, 
in the six months from May 3 to November 3, 1844, the cause of 
death, as recorded by various medical men, who for a particular 
purpose made their returns, was as follows : — 
Pleuro pneumonia 72 
Accidents 9 
Black-water 1 
Colds, or inflammation 2 
Constipation of the manifolds .... 2 
Decay - A 
Diarrhoea 1 
Hoven 3 
Hoose I 
Inflammation (undefined) 1 
Inflammation of liver 1 
Brought up 98 
Inflammation of bowels 1 
Loin fallen 2 
Milk fever 5 
Poisoned 1 
Rheumatic fever I 
Water on the brain 2 
Paralysed stomach 2 
Shute 1 
Quinsey I 
Cancer 1 
Doubtful 3 
98 118 
Of the causes that are productive of the most fatal diseases of live 
stock very little is known, the most common definitions being 
