74 
ON FARCY. 
ing as soon as that irritation has ceased. This will doubtless 
suffice to shew what little solidity this theory has*. 
Farcy is a peculiar disease ot‘ the lymphatic system that we 
meet with every where, and almost only so on comparatively 
plain and level countries ; in hot countries, as well as in cold and 
humid ones—in young horses, and in adult and old ones—in 
females as well as males. The horses which are fed on barley, 
chaff, oats, and hay, and on aliments of the most wholesome 
kind, are, if living in flat countries or districts, as subject to it 
as those who live upon nothing but bad, dry, and innutritive 
herbage. It is observed on the banks of the Nile, where the 
animals have wholesome water to drink, and in the villages 
where there are nothing but stagnant pools. 
In Europe, working in the water or the rain, or living in cold 
humid climates, or ill-constructed stables, or damaged food, are 
said to be causes of farcy eruption. In this enumeration of 
causes nothing is said of heat. If a Wahabite is asked what 
are the causes of farcy, he first of all mentions heat,” and 
then he adds the custom of leaving horses exposed in the air; 
and to these he joins barley, chafl", deficiency of nourishment, and 
the bad quality of the food. 
Is farcy contagious ? In the present state of veterinary science 
perhaps it is impossible to give a definitive answer. There are 
contradictory facts. Professor Gohier has instituted numerous 
experiments at the school of Lyons, the result of which is, that 
farcy can be transmitted, both by immediate and mediate con¬ 
tact. Experiments have been made by other persons, the result 
of which is altogether of an opposite nature. Some say that 
they have produced the disease by inoculation ; others affirm 
that they have never been able to accomplish it, and utterly deny 
the contagiousness of farcy. 
We have placed sound horses in the same stables with farcied 
ones, in whom the malady had existed in a very advanced stage ; 
they have eaten together—they have rubbed against each other— 
they have played with each other—they have bitten each other. 
We have left them together five or six months, but never, so far 
as our experience has gone, has farcy been communicated. The 
matter which runs from farcy ulcers and buds has been intro¬ 
duced under the epidermis of the skin of several horses. One 
of them had chronic catarrh ; he alone, at the end of five months, 
* What has M. Hurtrel D’Arboval done, that he should be incessantly 
attacked by M. Hamont, in this supercilious, sarcastic, unbecoming man¬ 
ner? Surely all this shews very bad taste, and bad policy too; for we 
shrewdly suspect that the “theoretical’’ “amateur” veterinarian would 
have by far the best of the argument.— Edit. 
