84 ENOS WALTER. 
thirty quarts of water at a time. This of course aids in bring¬ 
ing on dyspepsia and visceral neuralgia. 
As to regulating the work to prevent broken-wind no 
rule can be laid down. 1 would only suggest that it is im¬ 
possible for a horse exhausted by work to digest rough food 
enough to keep him in good condition, without overtaxing 
the digestive organs, and that long continuance of this will 
lead to dyspepsia and so to broken-wind very likely. 
Another step in the prevention of this disease is to furnish 
good nursing and tonics to horses recovering from such dis¬ 
eases as influenza and bronchitis; the respiratory system is 
then.weak and needs attention. 
Prof. Williams says, “ This disease, like many others that 
result from ignorance, is fast becoming a thing of the past.” 
It seems to me that such is not the case in this country. 
Why certain foods so markedly affect this disease has long 
been the subject of inquiry. It appears that, although no 
one has been able satisfactorily to explain this question, its 
study has led to the discovery of valuable facts. 
Dr. Somerville of Buffalo, states that prairie hay is more 
laxative than timothy hay, and that the horse cannot eat half 
as much of the prairie hay in a given time as of the timothy. 
He also thinks grass better than hay because it is more laxa¬ 
tive, and that corn-fodder is equally as good as prairie grass 
or hay, as it is laxative and not very bulky. He farther states 
that straw is better than hay to feed the heavey horse. 
While I think Dr. Somerville partly right, I have found 
that a horse when hungry will eat as many pounds of prairie 
hay per hour as of timothy. 
Prof. Law in his “Veterinary Adviser” says, “ Over-feed¬ 
ing on clover hay, chaff and other bulky and innutritions 
foods is the main cause for heaves ; in Arabia, Spain and Cal¬ 
ifornia, where there is no long winter feeding on hay, and in 
our territories, where clover is not used, heaves is a disease 
that is virtually unknown ; it has advanced westward just in 
proportion as clover hay has been introduced as a general 
food for horses, and it has disappeared in England and New 
England in proportion as the soil has become clover-sick and 
other aliment had to be supplied.” 
9 
