184 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
ought so large, so comprehensive, and, we might on occasions add, 
so fatal, a class to pass without reflection — since they evidently do 
not pass without observation — from us”! It is in a case like this 
that French veterinary medicine is superior to English. They 
suffer no disease or class of diseases to escape record, with full and 
entire description ; we are but too apt to look to treatment alone : 
thinking if we can accomplish that to our minds it is enough. This 
however, though it turn out now and then successful, is not the 
road that leads to the scientific practice of medicine, but to empi- 
ricism. We are, while we follow it, in no better situation than 
the farrier or groom, who has found this to “ cure” that, and 
that to “ cure” this, without knowing or caring for why or for 
wherefore. 
Rhesus’ graphic narrative of the case of his old breeding mare, 
“ non-professional” though the hand be that penned it, is, all 
through, a sketch so proximate to nature, that none of our profes- 
sional brethren will peruse it without pronouncing its author to be 
both a lover and a keen observer of horseflesh. The history 
commences from the moment the mare came into his possession; 
and as it proceeds notes down every circumstance directly 
or indirectly connected with the final catastrophe. Close and 
intelligent observation has evidently kept its eye upon the patient 
from day to day, and month to month ; and nothing has escaped 
remark that could anywise tend to elucidate her medical history. 
This is the way we would have all cases — all cases, at least of 
importance from their rarity or mystery — treated upon paper. The 
medical writer is too apt to commence his record of a case abruptly, 
with detailing the symptoms of the disease, without any preface or 
history, so far as it can be picked up ; and this is apt to leave an 
unpleasant gap, or desideratum , to be filled up in the account. In 
cases of lameness, in particular, some biography of the lame ani- 
mal — if so we may call it — is very acceptable, as throwing light, 
not on the nature of the case only, but on the treatment proper or 
advisable to be pursued as well. But our printer warns us, we 
must “ hold hard !” When we commenced this article we had it 
in mind to make an observation or two on "rupture of the spleen.” 
We find, however, we have arrived at the length of our tether. 
