VARIOUS ARTICLES IN “ THE VETERINARIAN.” 347 
takes your valuable periodical ; for, among all my numerous 
friends and acquaintance, I know of no one who is so much in- 
terested in what relates to the horse, nor are there many better 
judges of his form and powers. 
It may be not altogether out of place to mention, that the 
Castrel mare, of which I have spoken, was purchased by Mr. 
Mayer for ten pounds, having been turned into the park of So- 
merford Hall by the late Mr. Shackerley, who bred her, after 
having been given up as indomita, by every man calling himself 
a colt-breaker, in the county. By what means Mr. Mayer got 
the better of her temper, I either never knew or have forgotten ; 
but a more docile animal, in a plain snaffle-bit, than she was, 
when I purchased her, was never seen in the field, or in any 
other place. 
At page 29 of this number, is a notice of a disease among 
cattle, in Aberdeenshire, “ fatal in many cases, and cured in none 
by medicine.” During a visit I paid to Captain Barclay, of Ury, 
in that county, the winter before last, a fine short-horned cow 
died, having exhibited the effects of the cause here given. She 
was administered to by William Cross, the captain’s old and ex- 
cellent groom ; but had I been in the captain’s place, she being 
a very valuable animal, I should have sent to Edinburgh for Mr. 
Dick, who l surmise, by the signature D., is the author of the 
“reply” here given to the comments on this disease. The cow 
in question had been living on turnips and straw. 
P. 52. — The article on the employment of sulphuric acid in 
blister ointment shews the glorious uncertainty of other things 
than the law. I never heard of sulphuric acid being employed in 
blisters ; but in my younger days corrosive sublimate was much 
resorted to in blistering legs; and although the sloughing pro- 
duced by it was the almost certain cause of blemish, its effects 
were much relied upon in cases of bone-spavin, curbs, and splents, 
as well as injured sinews. 
In the Abstract of the Proceedings of the Veterinary Medical 
Association of this month, I find my old friend, Mr. Turner, pre- 
senting a copy of his work on the Navicular Disease, which I 
hope soon to have the pleasure of perusing. 
February Number, p. 67. — I here find, in a cleverly written 
article by Mr. Cupiss, of Diss, doubt thrown upon the value of 
the internal use of nitre. Nitre is a drug which has been long 
in high esteem in hunting stables, not merely as a febrifuge in 
disease, but as a slight diurectic alterative, tending to restore the 
appetite, by checking excitement after severe work, &c. : but 
all good grooms are aware, that, from its repellent and occasion- 
ally irritating powers, moderation in the doses must be observed 
