DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
135 
of evolution—“ The survival of the fittest Well-bred horses 
and cattle surrounded with all the comforts that can be 
given to them by good, clean, hygienic stables, and always pro¬ 
tected against the inclemency of the weather need more nursing 
and veterinary attention than those that have no comforts and 
receive less care. The same thing is noticed in animals of dif¬ 
ferent species with different environment, e. £*., wounds of the 
hog are seldom followed by the formation of pus or abscesses. 
The effect of dirt and filth may be considered by the veter¬ 
inarian as twofold : i. In sanitary science, it is considered as 
being an element of bad hygiene. 2. In surgical and infectious 
diseases, as being a conveyance of infection to wounds or the 
economy. Pus cocci are generally incorporated in dirt and 
filth ; suppurating conditions are usually enzootic ; and the as¬ 
sociation of the living animal with these organisms and such con¬ 
ditions, has a tendency to increase the resisting capacity of the 
economy exposed. This capacity is the same as any other en¬ 
durance ; it does not differ from the muscular capacity or lung 
capacity of an animal, and is developed by exposure to infec¬ 
tion, and diminished by protection against infection. We often 
notice the wounds of horses that are kept in filthy, ill-ventilated 
stables yield to the most rudimentary cleaning, while other 
wounds resulting from the same cause, in horses that are always 
well groomed, kept in good stables, thoroughly cleaned, well 
ventilated, and comfortably heated, are treated by cleanings 
that are far more thorough, yield very inefficiently. 
This illustrates the many failures in antiseptic treatment of 
wounds that are often hurled at its advocates by those that can 
not understand the importance of clean surgery. The veterinar¬ 
ian that is successful in treating neglected stock is often very 
unsuccessful in treating stock owned by fanciers, and a useless 
party on stock farms, stocked with well-bred animals, simply 
because he is inclined to think that anything is good enough for 
a horse, ox or dog. 
The progress in the stock industry of the United States en¬ 
courages better breeding, better feeding, better care and environ¬ 
ments, and as a consequence of this improvement, the demand 
is better veterinary attention and surgical methods.—(ZT. Mi) 
During the year 1900 there were reported to the Cattle 
Commission of Massachusetts 849 cases of glanders, of which 
699 were killed and 150 released. This is largely in excess of 
any previous year. 
