266 DISEASES AMONG HORSES IN THE CRIMEA. 
at once they are well fed and housed. From these facts we 
may gather pretty fairly the causes of the mortality ; at least, 
I think so. I recommended Creta Ppt. et Pu. Opii, for the 
dysentery ; but neither was at hand. The chalk, however, 
has been procured to-day, but no opium. This has been 
again sent for, and a temporary hospital made, to which all the 
sickly animals are to be removed, thus isolating them. The 
doors of the sheds are all opened in the day, and the end 
doors at night ; thus getting a current of air through. The 
utmost cleanliness is ordered to be preserved, and the dung 
removed and burnt, as it is impossible to remove it very far off. 
With these directions finish the only assistance I can give. 
December 12 , 1855 . 
I again have a leisure moment, and gladly embrace it to 
finish this rambling epistle. The weather, with the excep- 
tion of one day (18th instant), has been fearfully violent: 
winds, snow-storms, and a degree of cold not to be described. 
On the 18th, I superintended the embarkation of 180 horses, 
going to Scutari for an artillery corps. They were on board 
H.M. Transport 214, c Resolute 5 steamship, and I got a kick 
from one of the horses, which would in England have had 
the effect of making me an invalid, but here I am obliged to 
think it quite a minor matter. 
1 have just returned from camp, having been to see a 
patient dangerously ill with enterits, and also from making a 
post-mortem examination of a mare that was reported to me 
as having suddenly dropped down dead. The exciting cause 
of vrhich, I believe, was her being galloped to water, drinking 
greedily, and perhaps galloped back, for the large intestines 
were intensely inflamed, and also the stomach. On looking 
at the lungs, I found them both hepatized, and the vessels 
engorged, presenting a beautiful appearance. The former 
disease was evidently chronic, but doubtless this state of the 
lungs hastened death, the immediate cause being gastritis. 
The animal was in good condition. I regret to state that the 
epizootic still rages fearfully amongst the cattle, twenty-five 
and thirty are dying daily. I am so busy, and the weather is 
so bad, that I cannot as yet make any more post-mortem 
examinations of them, but will as soon as possible ; and will 
report to you as soon as I do so, if there is anything worth 
the communicating. I am much afraid of the disease raging 
amongst my horses. Western writes me, saying glanders 
is rife in Balaclava, &c. I am keeping a strict look out for 
it here, having had one case ; but as yet 1 see no symptoms 
of it, and, fervently hope I shall not, or the loss would be 
