34 FRENCH MILITARY VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
practice of weighing horses, by squadrons, with a view of throwing 
light, in particular, on the effects of different dietaries, and, in a 
general way, on the actual state of health. 
In making this report to M. Marshal the Secretary-at-War, 
the Committee suggested that some direct experiments be made, 
by means of which it might be possible to ascertain, with cer- 
tainty, the real nutritive value of the different forages composing 
the (troop) horse’s ration. 
This suggestion having been acquiesced in, in 1822 the follow- 
ing directions were sent to the Committee : — 
1st. The Committee is authorised to make a series of inquiries 
into the nutritive value of different articles of forage by direct 
experiment on horses, the experiments to be conducted in the 
3d Regiment of Lancers, now in garrison at Paris. 
2dly. Twelve horses in sound health, whose ages, breed, former 
service, mode of feeding, and of weighing, will have been pre- 
viously determined on with accuracy by the Committee, will be 
submitted to experiment. 
3dly. There will be assigned to every two horses an exclu- 
sive alimentation out of the various articles composing horses’ 
food : thus, two of them will be fed on straw, two on hay, two on 
bran, two on barley, and two on barley-meal. 
The quantity of each of these provenders will be fixed by the 
Committee, at first, in the approximative manner; afterwards, 
according to effects, in a more rigorous manner. 
4thly. The horses submitted to these experiments will continue 
their ordinary duties, and will be subjected to the same hygienic 
regime and the same work as other horses of the regiment. 
5thly. During the carrying on of the experiments, the horses 
under them will be weighed every morning, fasting ; their weight 
being likely to afford some useful information on the respective 
nutritive value of the divers forages they have been living upon. 
Gthly. These first essays will be likely to lead to other experi- 
ments combining two or three forages, together, &c. ; and in di- 
recting the proportions the Committee have power given them to 
prescribe any that may seem to them useful in order to arrive at 
an exact knowledge of the nutritive value of the different articles, 
