38 
ON THE INFLUENCE OF EXERCISE 
Of Climate. 
According to Aristotle, cold, heat, dryness, and humidity, form 
the basis of all organizations. Their combinations or degree con- 
stitute climate ; and this spreads its influence over the organism 
of beings in general, and determines their especial much or little of 
vitality, their much or little of energy. One of the principal ex- 
citants of organic life is, as everybody knows, heat. 
Without stopping to consider this question in a scientific point 
of view, let us inquire into the direct influence exercised on the 
horse by climate. 
Fahrenheit’s thermometer never descends in Arabia lower than 
30° at night, while during the day it rises to 80°, sometimes even 
to 150° in the shade. In spite of this intense heat the horse 
thrives wonderfully. His bones are more slender, but they are 
firmer and more resisting than those of the breeds of other coun- 
tries. The osseous structure, as well as the marrow, is greater in 
weight. In respect to flexibility and muscular strength, likewise, 
the Arabian horse has no equal, no more than he has for the energy 
of his organs of assimilation. The horse of the desert, exposed to 
burning heat, and living on furze ( bruytres ), will endure thirst for 
three days without losing any of his energy or courage, while our 
horses could with difficulty support the same privation for four- 
and-twenty hours. 
Well, these excellent qualities, which constitute the Arabian 
the first of horses, are the effect of climate rather than of any other 
cause ; and we can no longer doubt this, when we see the Arabian 
losing them as soon as he is transferred from his native country. 
Transplanted into our country (France), our climate speedily robs 
him of part of his individual worth, and his descendants quickly 
become French horses , as in England they become English, in 
Germany German horses. This fact has remained too long un- 
known, on account of our ancestors not sufficiently diving into the 
study of the influences of climate over animals. 
Analogous considerations to these it is which has induced us to 
call the attention of competent men to the necessity of getting up 
a Medico-Veterinary Topography, a work yet wanting to us. 
Studies on this subject would open a field altogether new to us, 
equally vast and rich for minds of deep thought, one whose trea- 
sures would be found unencompassable by ordinary intellects. 
We avail ourselves of this occasion to beg the Society will 
kindly bethink themselves of some way of accomplishing this, so 
that the necessary steps may be taken to interest the Academy of 
Sciences in the question, in order that it may assist us with the 
