COUP DE SOLEIL. 
301 
I conceive that death may happen in several ways, viz.: 
from asthenia, apnoea; or coma, which is but a form of the 
apnoea; in the latter state the chemical functions of the lungs 
cease first, and the venalised blood suspends the sensibility, 
and causes convulsions; whereas in death by coma the 
cerebral functions cease first, leading to arrest of the functions 
of the lungs. The venous blood in the arteries in one case 
is the cause, and in the other the effect, of the cessation of 
life. 
Prevention .—The sun being the primary cause, avoidance 
of so much solar exposure must form the first item under 
this head. It occurs to me, from the experience which I 
have had with imported Australian horses, that if they are 
allowed sufficient time to recover from the effects of their 
voyage, and are afterwards properly managed, they are then 
capable of performing as hard a day’s work under the 
hottest sun of India as their rivals in the market. I speak 
with reference to Arabs, and those bred in the Government 
studs. 
During the latter part of 1869 and the early part of 1870 
it was no uncommon thing in Calcutta to see horses whilst 
at work wearing sola hats or “ topees.” The novelty did 
not last long, and one had not sufficient experience to say 
whether the hats protected horses from sunstroke or not. 
The harness should be made to fit loosely, to allow of the 
most perfect perfect freedom of respiration and the movement 
of the body, so as not to interrupt the circulation. If long 
journeys are to he taken by horses, they should always be 
conducted slowly, and as much as possible under the shade of 
trees, and always during the night if circumstances will permit 
of it. Cavalry marches in India are always nocturnal, except 
on active service. The stages should be short, only of a 
few hours’ duration, and at the end of each stage the horse 
should have a little food and water. Bathing of the face and 
head every now and then with cold water will prove very 
refreshing. I suggest that horses which have once had an 
attack should be used with a cap or bandage of spongio- 
piline; this material, with one good wetting, will remain 
cold and moist for some considerable time. If such horses 
could be put to night-work they would then be enabled to 
perform good service in a satisfactory manner. 
It may not be out of place here to state that spongio-piline 
forms one of the best eye bandages you can have, in conse¬ 
quence of its retaining moisture, and at the same time re¬ 
maining cool. 
