148 
EDITORIAL. 
Mortality of Horses in Hew York.— We are indebted to 
the courtesy of Dr. S. S. Field for a statement of the number of 
dead horses received at the rendering dock of the city. The 
numbers were reported monthly for the first five years, and quar¬ 
terly for the year 1885, and during these six years the number 
is found to aggregate 39,957. Further statistics would doubtless 
be interesting, were they accessible, and it is to be regretted 
that a more general and thorough statement cannot be obtained. 
The pathological statistics of the subject would be of interest. 
If we could learn more of the causes of mortality, and, aside 
from the ordinary forms of inflammatory diseases, could be ad¬ 
vised of the number of animals which have died or were de¬ 
stroyed because of contagious diseases, it would largely assist us 
in devising measures of precaution against that class of maladies 
which without doubt contribute largely to the annual depletion 
of our equine population. In collecting the statement which 
follows, Dr. Field has certainly taken a step in the right direc¬ 
tion. We hope he will continue his work, and, if he will accept 
our suggestion, and make application to the Board of Health for 
the necessary data, he may be able to improve his statistics 
greatly in the future, by giving us the number of glanderous 
and farcinous animals which find their way to the foot of Thirty- 
eighth street. 
STATEMENT OF NUMBER OF HORSES RECEIVED AT RECEIVING DOCK, FOOT THIRTY- 
EIGHTH STREET, NORTH RIVER. 
By 
Dr. S. 
S. Field. 
1880. 
1881. 
1882. 
1883. 
1884. 
1885. 
January.. 
.400 
549 
574 
510 
607 
February. 
.417 
564 
606 
451 
545 
March. 
.435 
715 
731 
568 
720 
1,870 
April. 
.435 
633 
670 
479 
623 
May. 
.436 
537 
546 
469 
541 
June. . 
.446 
457 
463 
542 
479 
1,464 
July. 
.594 
492 
565 
641 
495 
August. 
.511 
599 
545 
517 
497 
September. 
.528 
666 
527 
480 
695 
1,932 
October. 
.760 
713 
674 
554 
420 
November. 
.765 
726 
496 
494 
394 
December. 
.451 
679 
536 
476 
436 
1,681 
Total. 
