684 
Translations and Reviews of Continental 
Veterinary Journals, 
By W. Ernes, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
Recueil de Medecine Veterinaire et Pratique . 
THE NUTRITIVE PROPERTY OF SUBSTANCES WHICH CON¬ 
TAIN A LARGE AMOUNT OF CARBON, FOR FEEDING OF 
CATTLE, AND PARTICULARLY THE WORKING HORSE. 
By M. J. Magne, Professor of Agriculture and Hygiene, Imperial 
Veterinary School, Alfort. 
M. Magne, in his work on agriculture and hygiene, has 
endeavoured to prove that the substances which contain 
the greatest amount of carbon are more required by those 
animals that are employed in severe work than by those that 
are idle, or merely fattening. Further, that the rations 
which are generally given to post-horses contain more carbon 
than those given to oxen for fattening them. 
This opinion is contrary to that which is generally received, 
namely, that the substances which are highly nitrogenous are 
better adapted for working animals, while those which contain 
the largest amount of carbon should be reserved for such 
as are fattening. It is therefore not surprising that a dis¬ 
tinguished colleague should maintain that this opinion is 
erroneous, and that, far from giving vigour to the animals, 
carbonaceous substances render them indolent and feeble. 
Under their influence, he says, they rapidly increase in size, 
by the accumulation of fat in the tissues, but, at the same 
time, their vigour diminishes, and they become less fit for 
active service; particularly for fast work. This is a con¬ 
sequence of fattening, but fattening does not necessarily follow 
on a system of feeding upon substances in which carbon pre¬ 
dominates. Feeding on these substances only increases the 
size of the animal, and produces atony, and fattens only when 
the animals are kept in idleness, and make no use of the large 
quantities of carbon and hydrogen they take in as food. 
Fattening is principally dependent on the care that is 
taken of the animals, and the way in which they are stabled. 
It is the absolute rest they enjoy which gives size to the ox. 
