690 
VETERINARY APPRENTICESHIP ADVOCATED. 
a general practitioner, how is it possible for him to get thoroughly 
acquainted with the diseases incidental to the parturient mare 
and cow, and their offspring, until they arrive at the age of two 
years, in the short space of twelve months? To illustrate my 
argument, it will not be necessary to say any thing about the dis- 
eases that occur to the mare and cow during pregnancy, as they 
are not numerous, but I will come at once to difficult cases of partu- 
rition. The presentation of the foetus will be varied — the natural 
one is easily managed ; but unnatural presentations call forth the 
energy, skill, tact, and perseverance of the practitioner, to success- 
fully extract the foetus. When the foetus is ushered into the world 
alive, it is susceptible of many baffling and obstinate diseases 
before it arrives at the age of two years. Secondly ; I will begin 
with some of the principal diseases the colt is liable to. Immedi- 
ately after birth it has sometimes constipation of the bowels, at 
other times diarrhoea, both of which require medical treatment. It 
now and then voids its urine through an aperture in the umbilicus, 
in consequence of the non-contraction of the urachus. Prompt and 
mechanical agents must be resorted to, otherwise inflammation 
takes place in the surrounding parts, and terminates fatally. From 
three months old and upwards, it is liable to a painful disease of 
the joints, commonly called “ wood evil to combat which the sur- 
geon must exercise his best skill. From three months old to two 
years it is frequently attacked, particularly in marshy districts, 
with anasarca, or what is commonly called “ water farcy the symp- 
toms resemble oedema in the adult, but the disease differs materi- 
ally from it in its nature, and must be treated differently. It is a 
long and exceedingly tiresome disease, and requires much time to 
be thoroughly understood. From one to two years old they are 
peculiarly liable to be ricked in the back, from suddenly slipping 
up when galloping and gamboling with others ; these are gene- 
rally protracted cases, and frequently come under the notice of the 
practitioner. Colts invariably are attacked with strangles from 
one to four years old ; many cases must be actively and. scientifi- 
cally treated to insure the animal’s future health. Inguinal, um- 
bilical, and ventral hernia take place from birth to three years old ; 
and it is almost impossible to reduce them but by an operation, 
although some disappear without treatment. The operations of 
castration and docking are usually performed at one year old. I 
omitted to state, before I began to relate a few of the most import- 
ant diseases, &c. liable to colts, that mares, subsequently to par- 
turition, have sometimes acute inflammation of the uterus or va- 
gina; sometimes the symphysis pubis is injured, and sometimes 
the muscles of the haunch to all of which the attention of the 
veterinarian is directed. Thirdly ; To further substantiate my ar- 
