692 
FRENCH MILITARY VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
armies spread abroad through the various provinces of France and 
Algeria. These documents, containing the sanitary condition of 
the whole of the horses of the French army, are analysed by the 
committee, and framed into a report for the information of the 
Secretary of State. 
Quitting the “ Introduction,” as containing nothing further that 
need detain us, we commence the body of the work with 
Experimental Inquiries 
On the Alimentation of Troop Horses , instituted by Order of the 
Secretary at War. 
In May 1811, the Barrack Board, with the sanction of the 
Cavalry Committee, proposed to the Secretary at War some modi¬ 
fications in the regulated ration (of forage) for troop horses. This 
proposition was forwarded by the Secretary to the committee of 
surveillance at the Veterinary Infirmary of Lamirault, in order that 
it might there undergo thorough scientific and practical investi¬ 
gation. M. Boussingault was charged with this investigation, and 
made to the committee the following 
Report 
On the new Composition of the regulated Ration intended for Troop 
Horses, at the Suggestion of the Barrack Board. 
The Barrack Board, after having attributed, in a great measure, 
to the insalubrity of the generality of the stables the lamentable 
condition of the French cavalry regiments, have given it as their 
opinion that the inferior quality of certain descriptions of forage, 
their ill-managed commutations, together with the frauds so easy 
of commission in mingling different qualities of hay, are so many 
causes, in addition to others, which appear to have their origin in 
the bad hygienic conditions of the cavalry quarters in general. 
After having observed that hay is the only forage concerning 
which complaints are made, the oats and straw rarely provoking 
any, it is proposed to substitute a certain augmented proportion of 
oats in lieu of so much hay, with a view of maintaining greater 
regularity in the ration of forage, and so rendering it less liable to 
variations in alimentary ingredients. 
They therefore recommend, 
For the Reserve Cavalry. 
In lieu of 1T0166 lbs. of hay . . . 8*8102 lbs. 
of 1T0166 lbs. of straw . . 11*0166 lbs. 
of 7*9519 lbs. of oats . . . 9*2539 lbs. 
