SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
879 
diagnose a case on the thermometer and pulse and treat the 
case. There is a psychological condition that can be applied to 
animals. Some say they have a sonl and others they have not. 
There is an expression in all animals by which we can tell to a 
certain extent the things that are passing through their minds, 
and I am surprised that a veterinarian should ask how this 
I could be applied to a mule. It has been my misfortune not to 
be much associated with mules, and therefore I have not been 
able to study their physiognomy. When you consider the num¬ 
ber of strange horses that are led into the ordinary blacksmith 
shop, it is astounding why you never hear of a horse-shoer 
being kicked. It is because the horse-shoer knows pretty well 
how to behave himself around certain horses, and we all know 
the disposition cf a horse the more we are associated with him. 
Veterinarians who are careless and rough seldom meet with suc¬ 
cess in the treatment of horses on account of their actions. I 
know a man who is careless and rough in the handling and 
treatment of horses, and I have seen horses become extremely 
nervous on account of it, and I contend that this psychological 
condition should be carefully observed. I do not pretend to be 
a physiognomist and to read expressions, but every horse has a 
general expression that leads us to be careful in going around 
him. I, for instance, now recall the case where a horse will 
drive double under ordinary circumstances for 15 or 20 miles, 
j but if you take him and hitch him into a top buggy you cannot 
driv^e him over a mile. The reason is that one day when he was 
hitched the top buggy caught in a hook and he became fright- 
i ened. 
I 
I Dr. Quitman related the story of a pleasant mule which was 
, very vicious when meddled with. 
Dr. Hawley .—Does Dr. Robertson mean to say that an ani¬ 
mal can be psychologically unsound ? 
Dr. Robertson. —Yes, sir. I consider that a horse can be psy¬ 
chologically unsound. The line is well drawn. A horse that is a 
dummy and his brain is not in proper working order is unsound, 
I and the line of demarcation is well marked. I have tried to 
I show the connection with the mind and the work of the ani- 
I mal. I think the connection is very close. A man may be 
I sound in body, but in mind he may have a paresis. I think it 
I is as necessary that a horse have a sound mind and body, and we 
must take note of the horse’s mind. Kxcessive viciousness I 
regard as an unsoundness. We must take everything into con- 
j vsideration that protects the physiological combination. A horse 
