200 PATHOLOGICAL FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS. 
which, in several instances, was rapidly followed by inflamma¬ 
tion of the bowels, and death even in a few hours*. 
The crowded state of the brigade after landing, and the insuf¬ 
ficient time allowed for rest after the voyage, especially to some 
of the squadrons that went first, are, I think, to be considered 
as additional predisposing causes, and probably had a great 
share in producing the malady in question. And this I take to 
be sufficiently proved by the fact of the 7th having suffered so 
much more severely than the 15th on this occasion. Eight or 
nine days make a good deal of difference ; and besides the greater 
length of time, there is also to be taken into consideration, that 
as each squadron moved off, more room was made for the remain¬ 
der, who were thus enabled to lie down and take their rest in the 
recumbent posture, a matter, I think, of much importance, and 
should always be attended to when horses are brought from on 
board of ship. This, together with the avoidance of exertion, at 
least for some time, are, I am persuaded, the best preventives 
against the occurrence of this troublesome complaint; and of this 
I am so well satisfied, that in a code of instructions which, on a 
more recent occasion, I have been desired to draw up, relative to 
the treatment of horses during a voyage, I have said, “ When 
horses are disembarked, they ought to have as much rest as it 
maybe possible to give them. The practice of getting upon their 
backs and riding them away from the ships’ side, should also be 
avoided; not only as at that time they are more or less cramp¬ 
ed, and in a state very unfit for exertion, but because such forced 
exertion is a likely means of bringing on inflammation or fever in 
the feet, a disease to which horses are most particularly subject 
after a sea voyage.” 
During the remainder of the Peninsular campaign, the cavalry 
regiments were, for the most part, landed at Lisbon, where they 
were always allowed a fortnight or three weeks’ rest before they 
commenced their march; by which practice, any severe casualty of 
this sort was, in a great measure, avoided. And yet, I believe, 
every regiment had several cases of inflammation of the feet when 
they first began to move. 
During these campaigns, we had often also to deal with this 
complaint as appearing under other circumstances. We found it 
was very liable to occur after long and wearisome marches, al¬ 
though these marches were always performed at a foot’s pace ; 
and in this way it would attack subjects who had been a long 
* In some instances the progress of inflammation was so rapid as to 
have all the character of a virulent poison.' Oil administered internally, 
and extensive counter-irritation over the whole surface of the abdomen, I 
thought, saved some of these cases. 
