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THE HORSE
ITS TREATMENT IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
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THOROUGHBRED STALLION ST. SIMON
•\W \»-a 4«t cA VC\s, utvve. V.-j tiatopv^'. Olvvto, 't.v. Kwj.vY.v \yj KW; Yom. 'Tlia ptopetVj oS YY\s. titivce v\\e YX\Ve o! Y>owYand
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THE HORSE
ITS TREATMENT IN HEALTH AND DISEASE
WjTH A COMPLETE GUIDE TO BREEDING
TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT
Edited by
PROF. J. WORTLEY AXE, M.R.c.v.s.
Ex-President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Late Lecturer at the Royal Veterinary College, and at the Agricultural Colleges of Downton and wye
Chief Veterinary Inspector to the Surrey County Council
Consulting Veterinary Surgeon to the British Dairy Farmers' Association
Author of '' The Mare and Foal" '' Abortion in Cattle " " Anthrax in Farm Stock "
" Examination of Horses as to Soundness " " Glanders, its Spread and Suppression " " Swine r
" Lithotomy or the Removal of Stone from the Bladder of the Horse'
VOLUME I
LONDON
THE GRESHAM PUBLISHING COMPANY
34 SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND
1908
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*
PREFACE
The object of the editor in preparing this work has been
to set out in one compact whole some of the most useful
^formation relating to the horse. The origin and develop-
ment of the horse, his varieties, his breeding, training, and
Management, in health and disease, with other cognate sub-
jects, have each in turn been considered.
To render the book more intelligible and useful to the
reader, each group of diseases is preceded by a brief reference
to the anatomy and physiology of the parts therein concerned,
an(* the whole has been written in the simplest possible
language consistent with a clear enunciation of the subject.
Having regard to the extent and variety of the matter to
be dealt with, it was necessary to seek the co-operation of
0utside help, and I have much pleasure in saying how readily
*hls was accorded by my friends Sir George Brown, C.B., Dr.
teming, Professor Shave, Mr. Harold Leeney, Mr. Hunting,
f^r- Vero Shaw, Mr. Lupton, Mr. Malcolm, and others, and
°w much I owe them my grateful acknowledgments.
The greatest care has been taken in the selection and
Production of the very large series of illustrations which will
e founci in this book. Of these many are in colours, em-
afmg portraits of prize - winning animals of the leading
ieties, and drawings from nature illustrating anatomical
Pathological subjects. Of the large number of black-and-
1 e illustrations many are reproductions from photographs,
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vi
PREFACE
many are drawn from original specimens, or reproduced from
drawings in the portfolio of the Editor, while some are from
the text-books of Chauveau, Kirks, and others.
To those who have allowed me the use, or favoured me
with portraits, of their animals, I am duly grateful, and
my best acknowledgments are due to Captain Nicholas for his
kindness in allowing me to present to my readers photographs
of the beautiful white horses which are used by His Most
Gracious Majesty the King on state occasions.
J. WORTLEY AXE,
The Wilderness,
Pinner.
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CONTENTS
VOLUME I
Introduction -
Page
xvii-xxii
Section I.—THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
Divisions and Points of the Horse ------
                      3
The Head, Upper Aspect of the Body—Top-line; Posterior Extremity,
Anterior Extremity, the Lateral and Inferior Region, External Genital
Organs, Fore Extremity, the Posterior or Hind Limb.
Section II—CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
Introductory - .... -     27
Centre of Gravity....._..---     28
Equilibrium - .....-     30
uscles in Relation to Power and Speed - - -     31
The B°nes as Levers -..........     33
Head and Neck........... -     36
The Withers...........- -     52
The Back.............     55
The Croup ........... .     58
The Brkast -............     61
Chest and Abdomen...........     62
LE6S - -..........- -     66
The Shoulder, the Arm, Elbow, Forearm, Knee, the Canon, the Fetlock,
*e Pastern, the Foot, the Hind Limb, Leg (Second Thigh), Hock, Cow-
Hocks, Bow-legs, Sickle or Curby Hock.
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viii                                                            CONTENTS
Page
Body and Limbs ------......      90
Distribution of the Weight of the Body - .....      91
Height --------------      93
Elevation of the Height at the Withers, Elevation of the Height at the
Croup
Length............- -      95
Width ------ ---_._.      98
Proportions of Height to Length - - - - . - . -      99
The Head as a Unit of Measurement -------      99
Compensation of Defects of Conformation......    101
Section III.—VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
English Breeds ----------                 - 107
The Thoroughbred, the Hackney, the Pack-Horse, the Cleveland Bay, the
Yorkshire Coach-Horse, the Hunter, the Saddle Horse, the Harness Horse.
Ponies and Pony-breeding - - - -.....- 153
The Dartmoor, the Exmoor, the New Forest, the Welsh, the Westmoreland,
the Shetland, the Irish, the Dale or Fell Pony, the Rum Pony, the Hackney
Pony, the Wilson Pony.
Heavy Horses -.._'.......                . 172
The Shire Horse, Clydesdales, the Suffolk.
Foreign Breeds ------------ 200
The Arab, the Percheron, the Hanoverian Horse, the Morgan Horse, the
Oldenburgh, the Holstein, the Schleswig, the East Friseland.
SECTION IV.—HEALTH AND DISEASE
Introductory          ------ ...... 213
Etiology—Causes of Diseases, Bacteria.
The Digestive System - - - -.....                 - 229
The Alimentary Canal and its Appendages, The Lip, the Teeth, Salivary
Glands, Deglutition, the Stomach, the Small Intestine, the Large Intestine,
the Colon, the Rectum, the Liver, the Cells, the Blood Vessels, the Bile-
ducts, the Bile, Glycogen, the Pancreas, Food, Gastric Digestion, Intestinal
Digestion.
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«s
CONTENTS                                                             ix
Page
The Digestive System—Its Diseases and Injuries ----- 247
Diseases of the Lips, Inflammation of the Mouth (Stomatitis), Aphthse,
Inflammation of the Tongue (Glossitis), Congestion of the Palate (Lampas),
Inflammation of the Throat (Pharyngitis), Abscess of the Throat, Salivation
or Ptyalism, Inflammation of the Parotid Glands (Parotitis), Fistula of the
Parotid Duct, Salivary Calculi, Choking, Vomiting, Acute Indigestion,
Chronic Indigestion, Gastritis, Chronic Dilation of the Stomach, Euptured
Stomach, Colic or Gripes, Flatulent Colic, Constipation, Diarrhoea, Super-
purgation, Dysentery, Enteritis, Eupture of the Intestine, Intestinal Ob-
struction, Calculi (Stones), Inversion of the Eectum, Diseases of the Liver,
Hernia or Eupture, Irregularities and Diseases of the Teeth.
The Urinary Apparatus - -                -                                  - - - 333
-Definition, the Kidneys, the Arrangements for the Eetention and the
Discharge of the Urine, the Quantity and Composition of the Urine,
Morbid Condition of the Urine, Diabetes, Polyuria or Profuse Staling;
Hematuria or Bloody Urine; Diseases of the Kidneys, Inflammation of
the Bladder—Cystitis; Eetention of the Urine, Incontinence of the Urine,
Stone in the Bladder, Inversion of the Bladder.
The Nervous System -----                -                         - - 373
The Cerebrospinal System, the Sympathetic System, Structure of the
Cerebrospinal Nervous System, Functions of the Nervous System, Cerebro-
spinal Nerves.
Diseases of the Nervous System ------                - 405
Cerebritis and Meningitis, Vertigo, Abscess in the Brain, Epilepsy, Ec-
lampsia, Chorea (St. Vitus' Dance), Stringhalt, Apoplexy, Crib-biting,
Tumours in the Brain and Cranium, CEdema of the Choroid Plexus
Exostoses or Bone Tumours, Thickening of the Membranes, Diseases of
the Spinal Cord and its Membranes, Paralysis.
The Absorbent System - -                         -                ... - 425
The Lacteal System, the Lymphatic System, the Lymphatic Glands.
The Organs of Circulation-                                                                             " 430
The Blood, the Nerves of the Heart, the Blood Vessels, the Pulse, the
Contractility of the Arteries, Blood Pressure, Prevention of Death by
Hemorrhage, the Capillaries, the Chief Arteries and Veins, Distribution
°' the Systemic Arteries.
ISEASES OF THE HEART AND OF THE BLOOD-VESSELS -                            -         - 453
General Consideration of the Pathology of Heart Disease, Physical Exami-
nation of the Heart, Pericarditis (Inflammation of the Heart Sac), Endo-
carditis (Inflammation of the Lining Membrane of the Heart), Myocarditis
(Inflammation of the Muscular Structure of the Heart), Diseases of the
Valve of the Heart, Hypertrophy (Enlargement of the Heart), Atrophy of
the Heart, Fatty Diseases of the Heart, Eupture of the Heart, Arteritis,
Atheroma (Endarteritis Deformans), Thrombosis, Iliac Thrombosis, Throm-
bosis of the Jugular Vein (Phlebitis), Aneurism.
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CONTENTS
Page
Diseases of the Blood -.........- 478
Anaemia, Plethora, Septicaemia.
The Organs of Eespiration and the Eespiratory Process - - - 482
Description of the Eespiratory Process, Effects of Eespiration, the Mech-
anism of Eespiration, Asphyxia, Ventilation.
Diseases of the Eespiratory Organs -
497
STJflW ST ?? Catarrh' NaSal Gleet> Hemorrhage, Bleeding
Larynx
           ' %        ' "* " the GuttUral Pou<*es> Dise^es of the
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ILLUSTRATIOiNS
VOLUME I
FULL-PAGE PLATES
Horoughbred Stallion, St. Simon (colour) - - -        Frontispiece
Symmetry—Arched Chest - -........28
Equilibrium in the Walk and in the Gallop - -.                              30
Hackney Stallion, Danegelt 174 (colour) -                                                     38
Short Neck-Long Neck.......                              48
High Withers—Low Withers ------                              52
Short Back, Dished Face—Long Back - -                                             54
CK Hollow from Age—Back Naturally Hollow                                       56
Straight Croup-Sloping Croup - - - -                                      58
Roach Back—Good Quarters—Split-up - - - -                              CO
Good Fore-Legs—Weak Fore-Legs - -                                                     66
0NG Sloping Shoulders—Straight Shoulders - -                      - 70
bright Pasterns—Good Quarters and Gaskins ----- 80
Phases of the Gallop-.....                                             82
Good Hocks—Weak Fleshy Hocks—Curby Hocks -                                      86
Shire Stallion, Harold (colour) -                                                                     98
Brown Horse, Ard Patrick - -                                                     - 108
AY Filly, Sceptre—Bay Horse, Flying Fox - -                      - - 112
Hackney Mare, Lady Dereham 2891                                               - ' 116
A Group of Ponies (colour) - -                                                             - 154
xi
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xii                                                  ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
Hackney Stallions, Confidence, D'Oyley's 153, and Lord Derby 415 -      170
Champion Shire Mare, Rokeby Fuchsia (colour) - - - - -      174
Hackney Stallion, Polonius 4931 - .....-     180
Pack-horse, Triumph II, and Dartmoor Pony Stallion, Goldfinder -      190
Suffolk Stallion, Ruler 2453 (colour) -------     202
Hunter, Tennis Ball - - - - - - - - . _ -214
Harness Horse -------.....     222
Shetland Ponies ---........             234
Stroxton Tom 15871 ------....-     246
Cleveland Bay, Speciality 1562 (colour) - -.....      258
Shire Horse, Lincolnshire Lad II -------             266
Clydesdale Stallion, Lord Stewart- -------     280
Arab Mare, Bozra - .......      294
Hackney Mare, Ophelia (colour) ---------      306
Hanoverian -----......-             320
American Trotters, Crescens and Star Pointer -----      336
The Anterior Aorta and its Branches (colour) -----     344
Operation for Stone ---........      364
Calculi - - - ........     370
Nerves, Arteries, and Muscles of the Limbs—I (colour) - - -      390
Nerves, Arteries, and Muscles of the Limbs—II (colour) - - -      398
Anatomy of the Horse's Head (colour) --....-     402
Brain Tumour—CEdema of Choroid Plexus (colour) - - - -     414
Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis and Arteritis (colour) -                                     424
Distribution of the Arteries—I (colour) - -.....     448
Distribution of the Arteries—II (colour).......     452
Valvular Disease of the Heart - - .....     464
Thrombosis ------ - -                                     474
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".:•
ILLUSTRATIONS
TEXT ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
53
54
61
61
64
67
68
74
74
75
75
75
77
77
78
78
80
80
80
82
82
84
87
Page
2
4
6
7
Exterior of the Horse: Side View
The Head: Side View
Portion of Lower Jaw, showing Tongue
Examination of the Mouth - -
Median Section through a Horse's
Head, showing Soft Parts -
The Head: Front View -
Examination of the Nostril
Examination of the Haw -
Exterior of the Horse: Three-quarter
Back View -
Exterior of the Horse: Three-quarter
Front View -----
Bones of Left Fore-Leg -
Principal Tendons of the Fore-Limb -
Front View of Horse -
Back View of Horse - - - -
Bones of Left Hind-Leg -
Centre of Gravity -
The Centre of Gravity in the Horse -
Equilibrium -----
Base of Support.....
Eever of the First Order -
Eever of the Second Order -
Lever of the Third Order -
r*ie Bones as Levers -
Eean Head, well set on - - -
fleshy Head.....
Front View of Skull and Temporal
Muscles ------
Broad Face, lop ears - - - -
yarrow Face - -
■Straight Face (Arab Stallion) -
Undulating Face -
™ed Face -
Roman Nose - - . -
orehead Prominent between the Eyes
EongEars- ......
Head loosely coupled -
f*ead close coupled -
f*ead carried vertically
bwan Neck
Straight Neck.....
^eNeck- -__._--
he Mastoido-humeralis Musole "
ection of the Withers, showing Sus-
pension of the Trunk between the
* ore-Limbs -__'„-
Ligamentum Nucha? -
Section through the Withers
Narrow Breast -
Broad Breast -
Two Ribs, showing Costal Cartilages -
Articulation of the Hip Joint
Oblique Position of the Limbs in draw-
ing a Load -
Bowed Knees
Calf Knees                                   -
Toes turned out -
In-kneed ------
Toes turned in -
Good Forearm and Canon -
Weak Forearm and Canon -
Bones of Fetlock and Pastern
Attachment of the Sesamoid Bones to
the Skeleton of the Leg -
Good Pasterns -----
Long Sloping Pasterns
Short Sloping Pasterns
Flat Foot - - -
Upright Foot              - H
9
10
11
13
14
19
20
21
22
23
28
29
30
31
33
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
39
40
40
41
41
42
42
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
nil Hind-
Posterior View of Pelvis
Limbs of Horse
Bones of the Hock Joint
drawing a
The Hind-Limbs bent ii
Load                                             ^B
Cow-Hocks -----
Bow-Legs ------
Excessive Length from Two Different
Causes ------
Compensation for Excessive Length -
Proportions of the Horse in Profile
Bacteria and Bacilli -
Spirilla - - - -
Salivary Glands exposed -
Salivary Glands.....
Section of Salivary Gland, showing a
Group of Lobules - - - -
Section of Salivary Gland, showing the
connection of the Lobules with the
Ducts ------
The Nervous Mechanism of Salivary
Secretion.....
Abdomen laid Open -
Stomach laid Open
Peptic Gland - - - - -
89
89
96
97
100
226
227
230
231
231
231
232
233
234
234
52
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
Page
235
Caries.....
330
236
Parrot Mouth -----
331
237
Reversed Parrot Mouth
332
Teeth of Crib-Biter -
332
238
Wolf's Tooth - - - -
332
239
The Kidneys, Ureters, and Bladder -
333
240
Section through Kidney
334
240
Uriniferous Tubules - -
335
Urine Salts -----
338
245
Crystals of Urea -
340
Hippuric Acid -----
341
259
Uric Acid......
341
260
Kreatin ------
342
262
Kreatinine -----
342
264
Blood Corpuscles and Leucocytes
343
265
Haemoglobin Crystals from the Blood -
344
267
Pus ----- -
344
269
Casts in Horse's Urine
345
277
Crystals of Oxalate of Lime from
279
Horse's Urine -
345
280
Retention of Urine in the Mare—Pass-
281
ing the Catheter - - - -
351
282
Retention of Urine — Catheter in-
291
serted ------
Stone overgrown with Granulation
352
296
Tissue ------
358
297
Stone empouched in the Fundus of the
299
Bladder ------
358
299
Stone empouched in the Fundus, and
300
extending into the Cavity of the
302
Bladder ------
359
309
Grooved Staff - - - - -
362
313
Lithotomy Knife (sharp-pointed)
362
314
Lithotomy Knife (blunt-pointed)
362
316
Whalebone Probe -
362
317
Dilator ------
36a
Spike-faced Forceps - - - -
364
317
Drainage Tube.....
366
Perineal Needle
366
318
Lithotrite ------
367
321
Forceps for Lithotripsy
367
324
Scoop ------
368
Sound ------
368
Vesical Calculus -
369
326
Sections of Vesical Calculus
370
Inversion of the Bladder -
372
327
Ganglion Cells of the Sympathetic
328
Nerve of the Muscular Coat of the
328
Bladder ------
374
329
Diagram of the Ganglia of the Sympa-
329
thetic System of Nerves -
375
Section through the Small Intestine -
Large Intestine -----
Large Intestine -----
Large Intestine, showing its Position
in the Abdomen -
The Liver and Pancreas
Hepatic Cells -----
Section of Lobule of Human Liver
Section through Duodenum, showing
Brunner's Glands -
Head of Horse, showing Positions of
the Parotid Gland and Duct-
Parotitis ------
Fistula of the Parotid Duct
Two Views of a Salivary Calculus
Choking in the Throat -
Choking in the Neck - - - -
Sleepy Staggers -----
Ruptured Stomach -
Spasmodic Colic (1) -
Spasmodic Colic (2) -
Spasmodic Colic (3) -
Flatulent Colic - - - - -
Dysentery - - - -
Portion of Intestine impacted with
Concretion -
Strangulated Bowel -
Group of Faceted Calculi -
Rounded Calculus -
Mixed or Conglomerate Calculus
Inversion of the Rectum
Fatty Liver .--._■-.
Common Liver Fluke -
Liver infested with Echinococcus
Truss for Umbilical Hernia
Clamp for Umbilical Hernia
Treatment of Umbilical Hernia with a
Clamp ------
Treatment of Umbilical Hernia with
Needles ------
Inguinal Hernia.....
Ventral Hernia.....
Lower Jaw of Horse, showing Numeri-
cal Excess of Molars on the Right
Side - - -
                 - -
Overgrowth of Anterior Molar below
and Posterior Molar above -
Undulating Irregularities of Molars -
Marginal Irregularities of Teeth -
Tooth-Rasp -
Tooth-Shears                            ^^1
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"I
ILLUSTRATIONS
Nerve Cells
Section of Nerve
ihe Spinal Cord
^tions of Spinal Cord "
U^er Surface of Horsed ■ '
LPPer Surface and H
           am "
°f the Brain Hori20ntal Section
;et't>go, or Megrims -
Si;heLymPhat^e;selsofthe
Setten tL°Ugh ^ Small Inte,
fcfL^icGia„d : :
p 00d Corpuscles
sucdr ,°d CorPuscles, showing
^essive changes of outline during
a Penod of ten minutes . . g
Horse's Heart -
Page
438
439
442
450
468
469
478
483
484
485
486
-187
500
50]
505
505
509
510
Page
378
379
381
381
382
384
385
406
408
413
422
426
427
429
431
433
Diagrammatic Views of the Heart ^ -
Section of the Heart, showing the Val-
vular Apparatus -
Transverse Section through a small
Artery and Vein -
Diagram of Circulation
Fatty Infiltration of Muscle
Fatty Degeneration of Muscle -
Aneurism of the Aorta
The Lungs in their Natural Position -
The Larynx
The Larynx, seen from above -
The Lungs and Bronchi
Sack-like Ends of a Bronchiole -
Insufflator - - -
Fumigation of the Nostrils for Catarrh
Transverse Section of Horse's Head,
showing the Guttural Pouches -
Concretions of Pus from the Guttural
Pouches -
Tracheotomy Tubeinsertedinthe Wind-
pipe
Larynx of a " Roarer
434
437
PEDIGREE TABLES
Hermit ........
Orme ........
Stockwell.......
St. Simon.......
Denmark .......
Lord Derby II......
Confidence......
FlREAWAY -------
Speciality......
What's Wanted.....
Royal Albert......
Lincolnshire Lad II - - - -
William the Conqueror - - - -
Page
110
111
114
115
118
119
122
123
128
176
177
184
185
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INTRODUCTION
"Only the introduction! That may very well be passed over"—is a
not uncommon exclamation from the reader, and even a more frequent
unuttered impression in his mind. In opposition to this idea of the reader,
J6 Writer ventures to press the author's view of the question in the hope
Jeing able to show that a synopsis such as the present introduction is
^tended to present is a very useful, indeed it might even be designated an
dispensable, preparation for the study of what is to follow. Certainly it
Cannot be otherwise than helpful to a reader to have spread before him in
one view the outline of the work to which he intends to devote his attention.
0 °ne disbelieves in the value of a plan of a building, or a map of a
country, and in the present case the object is to indicate as briefly as
Possible, in a preliminary sketch, the chief features of the work on the
orse, so that the reader may be informed of its scope and intention at the
outset.
b iv miiy De 0Dserved that the division of the literary work into sections
y different writers was obviously a necessity, and the book is consequently
16 outcome of the knowledge and experience of a considerable number of
. ontributors, each one of whom has been selected for his special qualifications
» his own department. The object which has been carefully kept in view
d roughout is to fill a hiatus in the literature relating to horses, by pro-
^Clng a book of the horse which shall contain information on all the
an?tS WllicJl are constantI7 the subject of enquiry among owners of horses,
^ c at the same time to present this information in a form which will not
inTn"^ a previous study of technical or scientific works to render it
te 6! gible to tne unscientific reader. Not because in this work the
bacnings of science are ignored or treated in a slovenly manner, but
°ause the method is here adopted which is happily becoming very general
n °n§ scientific writers, of using plain words to express ideas, and so losing
0 hing of accuracy in regard to the facts of science, while gaining the
^ advantage of leaving no shadow of doubt to obscure the meaning.
c paling of necessity with a multiplicity of subjects, the importance of
J°nciseness of diction has from the first been recognized, and in arranging
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INTRODUCTION
XV1U
the plan of the book it was impossible to ignore the fact that many books
had already been written on the subjects which it was proposed to
treat in a single volume. The subsequent pages indicate that the chief
existing works on the horse have been consulted and the value of their
teachino-s acknowledged. But the promoters of the present work had before
them the constantly - repeated request for a treatise on the horse which
should meet the requirements of a large class of readers whose time and
patience are limited, and who are not disposed to undertake the task 01
wadino- through a small library of books in order to get the information
which they want.
In this connection we may recall a story told of an Eastern potentate
who determined to acquire something of all the knowledge which was
extant. His learned men accordingly made a vast collection of the most
advanced works which the world contained. The king, staggered at the
sio-ht of the accumulated books, demanded if it were not possible to reduce
the contained wisdom of the volumes to a smaller compass. The learned
men agreed that it might be done, and the command was given to proceed
with the work.
Laborious attention to the business before them enabled the philosophers
to submit to the monarch a few volumes which they assured him contained
an epitome of all that was really true of the sciences in the world. The
monarch essayed to study the new tomes, but soon became wearieci.
Another command then went forth to prepare one book in which all the
knowledge should be represented as far as it was real. This also was done
at the king's order with no better result than the issue of a final mandate
to the wise men to formulate a single word in which the science of the
universe should be expressed. Wisdom was justified of her children in this
case at least. In a moment of inspiration the learned men saved their
reputations and their lives by giving his majesty the one word "Perhaps!"
How perfectly the two short syllables conveyed to the wise men their
estimate of the scientific works which they had had to study and condense,
only themselves could say. How far the word might be applied to much
that has been written since let the masters of modern science tell us if they
will, and it remains for the reader to decide how much of the Eastern
monarch's craving for the mere results, without the necessity of following
the steps in the process, mental or physical, by which they were obtained,
still remains in the world. The present authors do not promise to epitomize
by the summary method of the Wise Men of the East, but they venture to
claim that they have succeeded in compressing a large amount of valuable
information within limits which could not be contracted without the
omission of facts that could not well be spared.
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INTRODUCTION
The history of the horse begins, as seems fitting, with an account of the
animal's origin in prehistoric times from ancestors which differed greatly in
form and habit from the horse of to-day, but possessed special characters
which entitled them to the name of horse-like animals, characters wlncli
became more marked age after age until they culminated in the appearance
of the horse as it now exists.
                                                               . ,
Many collateral subjects had to be considered in connection with tne
evolution of the horse—embryology, geology, and palseontology, all had to
be laid under contribution, so far only, however, as was essential to the
argument. In fairness to the reader, who is not asked to believe more than
js capable of proof, it was deemed necessary to show that what is called tne
"theory of evolution" in reality represents a fact in nature, a process which
ls always and everywhere going on, and is exhibited in an intelligible form
*« the development of the ovum in the higher mammalia as in the lowes
forms of life. The fossils of what is known as the Tertiary formation
Ornish among other things a consistent record of the evolution of the horse,
Wlth hardly a gap, certainly without one of sufficient extent to lessen the
*al«e of the facts on which naturalists have based their conclusions. As
leading Up to the evidence which geology furnishes, it was essential to
devote some notice to special organs and parts in the anatomy of the noise
°n account of certain features they present suggesting that tney must at
f°ae remote period have existed in a more developed form and possessed
lmPortant functions which, owing to changes in conditions under which tne
Jjunal lives, they have gradually ceased to perform. Among the structures
tJlat the horse possesses, but for which no present use can be found, tn
J110^ conspicuous are the horny growths on the insides of the legs, above tne
^ees and below the hocks, and also at the back of the fetlock joints.
xlhese "corns", "callosities", or "chestnuts" and "ergots" as they are
ax]^ly called, have always attracted attention and excited curiosity,
and ^ was thought desirable to make a special investigation in reference to
tlleir structure. The description and the illustrations which are given will
tfVe no doubt in the mind of the reader that whatever may have been
7lr originai function, and whether they occur in the form of distinct
iterances (as in the horse) or merely as "bare patches" (as inl the ass;,
ley are true horn. Whether or not they represent vanished digits (oi
a°?.s) ls a question which is to some extent answered, but the reply leaves
"gering doubt in the mind.
                                                 , , .. , .,
**om the horse of the remote past, the horse known only by its toss
emains, to the creature of to-day the change is not very marked, and to the
"ClentiSt, indeed, is hardly perceptible. When we deal with more recent
Peri°4s, the varieties of the horse of historic times, and the first historical
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xx                                                  INTKODUCTION
notice of the animal under some kind of domestication, form an interesting
chapter, in which many important facts not unclouded by tradition are
introduced to the notice of the reader.
In connection with the History of the Horse, our heavy and light breeds,
our Shire horses, Clydesdales, Suffolks, and Cleveland bays, our racers,
hunters, hacks, and ponies all receive due notice in regard to their origin,
specialities of form, and qualities.
The chapters dealing with the external points of the horse and the
general subject of its conformation, its excellences and its defects, cannot
fail to interest the practical horseman. Room for differences of opinion
exists in questions of form and quality, as the awards of our judges at
exhibitions of live-stock prove; but there are canons to be remembered,
to infringe which would bring down thunders of animadversion from the
orthodox horseman. Outside these fundamental maxims, however, much
liberty is permitted. Every horseman knows something of the standards
of form, some know a good deal, and all are concerned to know whatever is
to be learned on the subject.
Principles of breeding and the management of breeding stock, including
the different systems of training for the turf, the chase, and the show-yard,
constitute a chapter in our book of the horse which will be read with
interest by all lovers of the animal, whatever may be the sphere of work
in which it is employed. There is perhaps no enquiry more constantly
advanced than that for information regarding the management and training
of animals and the diseases to which they are subject, and the stereotyped
reply to the enquiry always and truly has been hitherto that there is no
single book in which all these matters are dealt with. Stable architecture
and stable fittings are also important matters, in regard, for instance, to
aspect, means of ventilation, and sanitary arrangements in general. Indeed,
such questions cannot be estimated as anything less than vital to the
well-beino- of animals which are confined for a large portion of every day
and nio-ht within a box or stall; and even the possessor of a pony is
interested in knowing the common details of stable life, of which a large
proportion of owners of horses are ignorant, and thus become subservient
to their servants. How much fodder, litter, water, air, and exercise a horse
requires are points of practice about which no material difference of opinion
exists, but the man who does not know is often afraid to ask even of a
friend, and must not, for his reputation's sake, enquire of his groom on
such elementary matters. All such details are given in the present work.
Veterinary hygiene or sanitary science as applied to the horse has a
chapter to itself, with the object of bringing to a focus all the scattered
rays of knowledge on the subject, which are often too diffused to be of
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*
xxi
INTRODUCTION
much practical value. Starting with a healthy animal, free from hereditaiy
taint sanitary science claims to know how to keep it healthy, and the clam
may be admitted to be reasonable. At any rate failure can be shown.tobe
due n0t t
              Qf kQ           e                 ^ of the ganitari but to tl e
- tence of obstacles which render that knowledge inapplicable; and *«e
does occur not unfrequently an unsatisfactory combination of surrounding
- g ^tnfifc is ^ ™yto see ^ t0 d0> the fact
c, /ca that it is impossible to do it,                                      . , Hnn
to i]lgT; dealiDS *<* the laws of health, forms a natural introduction
dablr f ^-^olog^-which relates to the laws of disease An
I ,treatiSe °* «- diseases of the horse has not been aimed ,
mil' T^1' tempting an exhaustive description of the many
2&lf Whi<* W-fiesh is heir to, it will be absolutely essential to enter
1 n!t0 the object that the enquirer may not have to complain o
?»V* information on matters which he rightly looks upon as mo
^Want. An intelligent acquaintance with the principles of P^f
atllW cal^ated to check than to encourage rashness on the part of^the
an^teur doctor, and such knowledge is certainly not likely to incline
Possessor to undervalue the services of the experienced professional man
Horses are particularly liable to certain acute affections of the clige
*»; respiratory organs, and in many cases the success of remedial measu
Will depend on the promptitude with which they are applied, bonier 0
must be done in sudden illness of man or beast, and no doubtcan exis
f the desirability of using remedies which will be beneficial ^steaa
^1. It would conduce to the interest of the veterinary surgeon.ana
**> to the well-being of domestic animals, if stock-owners were ^oura
Z r? a 8UW]y of suita^ remedies at hand for use in an emergency,
"*** of being forced to take refuge in the employment of the numerou
»0st™mS which are offered, and of the composition of which no one but
Proprietor knows anything.
                                                             ., to the
Aln°ng the diseases of the horse, those which are traceable to
Vf^on of parasites have received a considerable share of attention. 11
^Portance cannot well be overrated, whether these creatures occur mtt
*? of microbes of the disease - producing order, originating specific
tl0Us Which result in the development of infective material. « » *
i°!e tangible shape of so-called worms occupying the cavities of he body
af c^hig irritation by their mere presence. The whole subject
£arasitism is profoundly interesting, and although it has for many>**»
Jeen jn absorbing study with many advanced scientists, some, oTwhom
^ devoted their IhJto the solution of the problems which i^presenta
tllere are numerous mysteries yet to be elucidated in reference to
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xxii                                           INTRODUCTION
origin and development of even some of the most common animal parasites.
With the completion of the section treating of diseases of the. horse, the
chief object of the work may be said to have been attained, but there
remained some collateral subjects on which the reader might reasonably
expect to be informed. Among them that of the Law of Warranty in
relation to soundness and unsoundness, vices, and patent defects, comes
prominently forward. Very few experienced owners have escaped some
complications in connection with the purchase and sale of horses, and it
was deemed, therefore, advisable to make this chapter as complete and
authoritative as possible.
Dentition has been treated in special relation to the changes which
occur in the teeth at different periods in the life of the horse, and thus
afford a fairly correct indication of the animal's age. The subject is an
interesting one for the horseman, and at times it is a matter of some
importance to be able to judge of a horse's age, especially when the marks
to which so much value is attached in early life have been obliterated.
The illustrations in this chapter are authentic copies of drawings from
nature, excepting a few that show the peculiar changes which occur after the
age of ten years up to thirty or later. These drawings were copied from a
pamphlet by Mr. Sidney Galvayne, and it will be sufficient to remark that
his method of judging the age beyond the period when the ordinary marks
are present has been tested for many years and found to be remarkably
reliable.
Horse-shoes and horse-shoeing form a subject the value of which will
not be questioned. It has been exhaustively treated by the writer both ii
its ancient and modern aspects, chiefly of course in its regard to the
application of shoes to the healthy foot. The methods of shoeing for the
cure or amelioration of diseases and defects have not, however, been passed
over. An index and a copious glossary have been appended to the work.
The last was rendered necessary by the unavoidable introduction of terms
in such constant use among scientists that it was inexpedient to omit them,
although it has been throughout recognized as a matter of moment that the
text should be as free from technicalities as the character of the different
subjects would permit.
Lastly, it is necessary to refer to the illustrations, which are numerous,
and it is believed well calculated to fulfil their object. Some of the mos*
important have been drawn especially for this work, and to ensure absolute
accuracy advantage has been freely taken of the art of photography, whielJ
has recently made such vast strides towards perfection.
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THE EXTERIOR OE THE HORSE
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Fig. 1.—Exterior of the Horse: Side View
References
numbers are used to indicate the same parts throughout this chapter.
(Note.—The same
1  Forehead.
2  Forelock.
3  Ear.
4  Supra-orbit.
5  Eyebrow.
6  Eye.
7  Nose.
8  Nasal Peak.
9  Nostril.
10  Upper Lip.
11  Lower Lip.
12  Chin.
13  Cheek.
14  Temple.
15  Neck.
15' Crest.
16  Withers.
17  Back.
18  Loins.
19  Croup.
20  Tail.
21  Throat.
22  Cervical G roove.
23  Shoulder.
24  Shoulder Point.
25  Breast.
26  Upper Arm.
27  Elbow.
28  Point of Elbow.
29  Forearm.
30  Chestnut.
31   Knee.
32  Canon.
33  Fetlock-joint.
34  Pastern.
35  Coronet.
36  Foot.
37  Brisket.
38  Chest.
39  Abdomen.
40  Flank.
41  Testicles.
42  Sheath.
43  Buttock.
44  Point of Buttock.
45  Thigh.
46  Haunch.
47  Stiae.
48  Leg or Gaskin.
49  Hock.
50  Point of Hock.
51  Tendo Achilles or Ham-string.
52  Chestnut.
53  Canon.
54  Fetlock-joint.
55  Pastern.
56  Coronet.
57  Foot.
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*
Section I
THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
IVISIONS AND POINTS OF THE HOESE
np-i .
DarQely i t) °tt borse may 1)e primarily divided into three parts,
fcwo are so di           ^ 2' the Tnmk; and 3' tlie Extremities- Thc ,i,st
organs oL *SP0sed as to form cavities in which are lodged the various
Tfle head                     6' &S the brain' heart' IunSs» or8'alls of digestion, &c.
parts anter^°m         ndS th°Se Portions forming the skull and the face—
the body ^ r° the neCk The tnmk' which makes UP thc cllicf bulk of
backwards.^ J.IV1Slble into~ 1> tl)e sPine> which extends from the head
The extr V ****' 2' tbe tborax or chest; and 3, the abdomen or belly.
(fore extr" V ?** movable suPPorts of the body. The two in front
two heir T/^ eXt6nd flm the top of the shoulders t0 the feet' tlie
Viewed              extremities) from the hip-joints to the feet.
p.uts wi • ema%> each of these several regions presents a number of
names s
                convenience of desertion are distinguished by special
are of' 6 wmc'h are based on anatomical considerations, while others
two side°nT0n °ligin' and m°ie °r leSS familiar t0 aU horsemen. Of the
being the ^ b°dy' lt k usual to speak of the left M the " near ' "icle'
as the "6ff"e °n Wbicb tlie rider mounts and dismounts, and the right
, °n side.
extendrn Cfmm°n WheD refen'in§' to the ox to sPeak of the uPPer Part
expressi Sm ^ he&d t0 the tail M the
" tol>Iilie "> and tlie same
(iuT'i 'S "0t infre1uen% employed in the case of the horse.
We ha ° fD^ a* tbe extei'ior °f tlie l10rse the primary divisions to which
and Wt • "^ become at oncc obvious. The subdivisions—their extent
—Will
          °nS' toSetherwith the surface markings and characters of each
SUp Iiein°W be considered in some detail. The information to be here
branch f°i7 ^ re8'arcled as essential and complemental to that higher
confo • ° • Ke knowlecls?e presently to be considered under the head of
a ion. Each of the primary divisions is capable of being broken
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4
THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
up into subordinate parts. These have been classified and arranged in the
following description, and the subdivisions are mapped out and indicated
m the figures which accompany it.
1. THE HEAD
The head is suspended from the neck, to which it is united by a number
of muscles, as well as by a long elastic ligament attached to the cervical
vertebrae and extending backward to the withers. Its bony base is united
with the first bone of the snine by a free-moving joint
Pig. 2.-The Head : Side Vie.
3 Ears. 4 Supra-orbit 5 F 1, ^^■■I^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H
11 Lower Lip. "Chin Mn,!v !'» ye' ? Nose- 8 Nasal Peak. 9 Nostril. «Upper Lip.
leeK-
         Lemrjle. « k„„u 2, m,-----, ,0
'Temple. «Neck. 21 Throat. 22 Cervical Groove.
th^lt \ V7T           conside^tion two extremities (the superior and
lost rio or^l 1 TrfaCeS' distin§-hed as the anterior or front, the
postenoi or back, and the right and left lateral surfaces.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITY OF THE HEAD
This region campises-l, the poll; and 2, the throat.
It ocnmiH              u P°U 0r "aPe is the hiShest Point of the head.
ridrSL tl SPaCe tW6en the 6arS- In fron" * is lifted by a bony
Belfind i7 § thf,BUmmit 0f the forehead, and termed the occipital crest.
th neck Tl8 ft ?f6n0r 6Xtremit^ 0f the C™1 ^ or upper line of
neck. A tuft of hair, the forelock, falls from this point over the fore-
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THE HEAD
head, and
insects^ j86to protect the eyes from the sun's rays, as well as from
*
Tjie Throat.
foreign «,*«»,                                       '
reign matter.
tlle lo\veinr°at* TJle tiiroat is tflat Part occupying the angle between
comprised th* ^ ^ neck' ^ extends uPwarcis towards the ear, and
0r recent e/ar^nx or upper part of the windpipe, and the pharynx
hardly t +J? mt° Wfi^cn ^ie f°°d passes before being swallowed. Out-
uu
organ ileS6' and beneath tlie skin °" either side, is the parotid gland,
and ves ]V 10Se nct*on i* *s to secrete saliva. Many important nerves
' seis are also situated about the throat.
INFERIOR EXTREMITY OF THE HEAD
Tl -
;
""! l»arfCgl°n comPrises—!j the lips; and 2, the mouth, with the organs
contained in it
Th
■me r *
Where t]                ^le ^Ps are P^ced at the lowermost part of the head,
'he low • ^Ua ^he entrance to the mouth. The upper lip unites with
mi.s.surp I above the chin, where together they form the angles or com-
;111 < 1 ]ow              mouth. They are loosely attached to the bones of the upper
8uitab] • r WS resPe0tively, and by the aid of a number of muscles
to the sPoseo-. are capable not only of opening and closing the entrance
ifldfWi U          * a^so °f seizins; the food in the act of feeding. They are
-The UD                 prehension, and may be regarded as hands to the mouth.
than tli i °ne 1S tne more voluminous, and has a greater range of action
. le lower ou e.
These ar      ^ °^ ^0l)^ coarse hairs are scattered over the outer surface.
'"','u ter       nne°ted by their roots with nerves of sensation, hence they have
t° clip ri          teelers". It is a common practice among grooms and dealers
ance.           1 ln o^er to give the head a clean and more refined appear-
" Tl
0rgan 0f ^'
         tne nostril, the eye, and the ear, is a most remarkable
reclined X*f"ess*on- When it is curled up, relaxed, lowered, elevated, or
^hen weWe
          S° many variations which affect the whole pi rysiognonrj.
Pleasure j- tlle exPressiori of the horse under the influence of pain, fear,
°r bite '• 1 C;lstress>" Wflen we observe his attitude as he attempts to snatch
certain d"
            ^ or one of his companions; when we observe the lips in
*he ttai,'S6ases; when we translate the language of the stallion as he scents
Se° how ' / animai as he passes through the death agonies, then can we
-~~Gni,h perfect the expression is and how it varies in each circumstance."
™°°™x and Barrier.
tne nostr'l 6r extrem^y °f the head, from a line drawn across the face above
s and angle of the mouth, is commonly spoken of as the muzzle.
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6                                    THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
The Mouth.—The mouth is an elongated cavity situated between the
upper and lower jaws. Below it is limited by the lips, laterally by
the cheeks, while above it communicates with the cavity of the throat
(pharynx). When the mouth is opened the parts exposed are—1, the
teeth; 2, the tongue; 3, the bars; 4, the frcenum.
The Teeth.—The front teeth, of which there are six in each
jaw, are distinguished as incisor teeth. Beyond these, in the male
animal, are four canine teeth, one on each side above and below.
In the mare these are absent. Still farther back will be seen the
molar or large teeth, or, as they are commonly
termed, grinders, of which there are twenty-four,
arranged in rows of six, right and left of each
jaw. The eruption of the teeth and the changes
which they undergo serve to indicate the age.
(See Dentition.)
The Tongue.—The tongue is the soft fleshy
organ filling up the channel of the mouth.
The anterior part is free and capable of being
protruded, while the posterior portion is fixed
to the lower jaw. Behind, it is connected with
a bone (os hyoides) having several joints, so
arranged that the organ may be freely extended
and retracted. It is acted upon by five pairs of
muscles, by which it is capable of being moved
in every direction.
Fig. 3.—Portion of Lower Jaw,
showing Tongue, &c.
B,   Cireumvallate Papilla?.
C,   Fungiform Papilte.
D,  Tongue.
E,   " Bar" or Interdental Space.
1,  Canine Tooth. 3, Lateral Ineisor.
2,  Corner Incisor. 4, Central Incisor.
Endowed with a high degree of sensibility
and mobility, it plays an important part in
the function of mastication and deglutition.
The Bars.—The bars are represented by
that small section of the lower jaw situated
• -,          j .,                  m the male between the canine teeth and the
grinders. In the mare, where rtp f™.™              i            .               • i
? • „ •,. .. -, . , •.' eree former are absent, the space is larger,
being limited m front bv the on™01. ;„ ■
            mi ,                          ;,
,i ■ ° ...              , y ine C0lner incisors. The bars are covered by a
hm sensitive membrane, on which the bit rests, and are frequently the
Trtion 77 m V &Kl °ften reSulti*g in dea^ -nd sloughing of a
portion ot the law-bone Thw -™, •'<».,
                       &
L edge of the bone\ IITV" 1 " ^^ anim"ls' '" H
condition the pres^of thtolt "Z "T ™M ^ *» T2
+W ir. rT.0 i„f+         j ., ! ° n the Part ls more severe in its effects
measure ZeTl         * ^^ b ^ "mo^s" <**™* '* * a M
riZ the h T "f- /S the reSult 0f bad breaking and unskilful
riding the bars frequently become callous, and the natural sensitiveness
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^
THE HEAD
ier
destro^d the tractabilit37 of the horse depends is blunted, or altogetl
ThP m Wllicl1 CHSC the animal is rendered difficult to control.
Pale ■            *e'—Tne palate consists of a thick membrane of a whitish or
larger ^^ COVerin8' the roof of the mouth. The front, and by far the
derTse P°rtl0n' ls knovvn as the hard palate (fig. 5), in consequence of the
a lire of the tissues composing it. Here it presents a number of
Fig\ 4.—Examination of the Mouth
!>^Se rid
a, Tongue; J, froenum; cc, openings of the salivary ducts: d, teeth.
along th°C X £es' 8eparated from each other by shallow grooves, and divided
foi>Ward aiT-^ line bj a longitudmal furrow. The ridges are arched
behind a l ^ . aCt °^ ^eeciing assist in keeping the food in the mouth.
0rdinary nC COntlnuous with the hard palate, but beyond the reach of
That porteCti°n; is the S°fi Palate-
fr^Uentlv h 10n tbe ^ar<^ Pa^ate immediately behind the incisor teeth
the period £C°mes sw°Uen and painful in young horses especially during
from «j ° *ne second dentition, when the animal is said to be suffering
The' Pr>aS "' ^See Diseases of the Mouth.)
is ''l loose t]CenUm (%■ 4).—The froenum, or anterior pillar of the tongue,
surface 0f <■}, °^ P *"0^ 0I* mucous membrane extending from the under
5 tongue to the lower jaw. It unites the two parts, and
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8                                THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
while allowing ample liberty to the tongue it restricts in some measure
the range of its action.
ANTERIOR SURFACE OF THE HEAD
This division of the head comprises—1, the forehead; 2, the nose; and
3, its two orifices or nostrils.
The Forehead.—The forehead forms the upper part of the head
in front, extending from the poll and ears, down to a line drawn
Fig. 5.—Median Section through a Horse's Head, showing Soft Parts
j, Inferior Turbinated Bone. K, Body of Lower Jaw.
L, Hard Palate, showing Transverse Ridges m ac
M, Tongue.           O, Section through Hyoid Bone.
P, Soft Palate.               Q, Epiglottis.
R, Opening of the Eustachian Tube into the » J -
s, Cartilaginous Rings forming the Trachea or Windpip .
T, Qisophagus or Gullet.
A,  Lamellar Portion of Ligamentum Nucha;.
B,  Funicular Portion of Ligamentum Nuchse.
c, Brain in Section. D, Spinal Cord. E, Frontal Sinus.
F,  Anterior Meatus "j
G,  Middle Meatus V of Nose.
H, Posterior Meatus J
I Superior or Maxillary Turbinated Bone.
On either
hollow
across the face between the inner corners of the eyes,
side it is limited by the ear, the temple, the supra-orbit or
of the eye", the orbital ridge, and the eye itself. The upper portion
forms the vault of the cranium, and encloses the brain; the lower form
the front wall of two hollow cavities termed the "frontal sinuses". Hig
up it is somewhat rounded, being covered by two fleshy muscles,
lower part is protected only by skin. The forehead is partly covered t>y
the "forelock", to which reference has already been made. The forehea
J
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*
THE HEAD
not
Saiu        .              — *~*«* mm size in airrerent anima
strik' m"m at different periods of life. In the young it presents a
g prominence, but it becomes less marked as the animal -tows older.
and as the frontal
m, . —- sinuses open out and their bony walls expand.
of J^e Nose.-
-The nose forms the greater portion of the lower division
„_ i " 10ut °f the face. It is formed by the union of a number of bones,
Plat     -8 0I" two elongated cavities separated from each other by a thick
0r !    ° ''ai'tdage (septum nasi) and communicating behind with the larynx
jiS ],      ! Part 0I* the windpipe, and also with the pharynx, or throat. It
foreh?. i ^^ exPanded, where it joins the
down   U ' ^ Squally narrows as it proceeds
__,^r        (• tt ends in two crescentic openings
mine   n°'Stl'ils' between which is a slight pro-
limiterM tllC "MSal peak"' LateraUv ifc is
the ^ v the eyes and cheeks. The form of
t0 0se' like that of the forehead, is subject
"ariatirm
with age
The bones on either
of +i 2t' "lto which are implanted the fangs
tJle molar
descend
teeth, subside as the latter
a          l' 8lvmg to the face a sharp angular
' ,lUce' and to the nose increased promi-
nence Tl ■ i
in n
            cnaracteristic is especially marked
fro ( ses' an(i serves to distinguish them
n» more youthful specimens.
itte Nostrils. —The nostrils are two
ext, nt"shaped openings situated at the lower
tral 6mity °f the head' riSht and leffc of a cen"
,||(' Prominence, designated the "tip" of the
Fig. 6.—The Head: Front \
1 Forehead. ''Poll. 'Forelock.
3 Ear. 4 Siipra-orbit.
' Eye.            'No               ' N«
"Nostril. I0 Ppper Lip.
nmn °r the "nasal Peak"- They com"
icate with the right and left nasal passages respectively, along wind,
que air enters and leaves the lungs in the act of breathing. In conse-
«l"Ce of the long and pendulous condition of the soft palate (fig. 5), which
tal- 8 °ff the mouth from the windpipe, respiration in the horse can only
whi\PlaCe throuSh the nostrils. These orifices and the passages into
leh they foad are very capacious. Around the former are scattered
ewlong coarse hairs, the roots of which are connected with nerves of
fr Satl0u- Like the hairs of the lips, they play the part of " feelers ". It
0r "Uen% happens, however, in our better-bred horses, that these tactile
0pgD8 are removed as a part of the equine toilet. If the nostrils be
termd ^g' ^ by drawing aPart their edges, or, as they are technically
edj ala3, with the thumb and finger, there will be found, in addition
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THE EXTERIOR OE THE HORSE
10
to the respiratory passages, a short blind pouch or «d-de-MO .in
formed by an inflection or in-folding of the common integument,01 b
This is placed outwardly and somewhat above the mam channel, and
tmguished as the "false nostril". Its use is not well understood, but it wo
appear to be the remains 01
an organ once essential in the
economy of the primitive horse,
but now probably of little phy-
siological importance. At the
time this observation is being
made, an opening, about the
diameter of a hemp - seed
(c, fig. 7), may be noticed at
the point of junction oi tne
infolded skin and the mucous
membrane. This is the orifice
by which the tears or super-
fluous moisture escapes from
___________________________________
Fig. i.—Examination of the "Nostril
True Nostril. b, "False Nostril. c, Nasal Duct.
the eyes, from which it is
I carried by along narrow tube
termed the nasal duct. When
seen for the first time it has been regarded by some as an ulcer, an
have on two or three occasions been consulted as to its treatment.
LATERAL SURFACES OE THE HEAD
The lateral surfaces, or sides of the head, are distinguished as ng
and left. They are symmetrical, and the parts presented for consider
tion are the same in each. Commencing from the top, we have -1,
external ear; 2, the temple; 3, the supra-orbit; 4, the orbital-ridge,
5, the eye; 6, the cheek.
The External Ear.—The ear is situated on the lateral aspect ot
the poll, on the outer side of the forehead, and above the temple. It lS
formed by a plate of cartilage or gristle invested by a covering of skin,
and rests on a cushion of soft fat. It is acted upon by no fewer than
twenty muscles, so arranged as to enable it to move in any direction i
quest of sound. Internally it is covered with long soft hairs, which serve
to prevent the entrance of insects and other foreign matter.
The Temple (fig. 2).—The temple occupies a space on the side of the
head immediately beneath the ear and on the site of the articulation o
the lower jaw. In front it has the supra-orbit, or hollow of the eye,
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u
THE HEAD
ehind, the parotid gland; and below, the cheek This region Mi uap_^
lot n0t °nl^ because ^ embraces within its area the joint by w
air JW .is llinSed ^ to the head, but also on account of the temj
ZV
Wlllch crosses it near to the surface.
                         ,.n,imled space
SUpra.orbit (fi                     SUpra-orbit is a somewhat round
J^ted above the eye and' between the forehead in front and the^ ,
^ It contains a mass of soft loose fat, which in the jo ng - ^
the f,!rndant' and 1tiite> or nea1^' fiUs "P th\f ^1 rn old animals a
de Jatty matter becomes less and less considerable, until
eP hollow appears, known as the " hollow of the eye .                ^^ tQ
j-o a certain extent this change in the fulness of the ca j            ^
Jtlnguish an old from a young animal, but it cannot be a
large
Sea" timeS reliable- In ™7 P°°r C°ltS the ^
ex ^Ure absorbed, in which case an                         ^*
par,e^si0n of advanced age is im-
djs to the face. This, however,
rec0 S again as soon as tlie ll0rse
° ^rs^his condition.
.(fig 2*;bital" arch or Eyebrow
mj ' >'~ The orbital-arch is the pro-
Spai6nt descent-shaped ridge which
the1^ the Upper SUI'face of the globe of
o
ms the anterior limit
baso ^ UUilow of the eye, and is the
aent of the upper eyelid.
The Eye.
—The eye occupies a
de
foreh           CaVity 0n the side °f th<3
areh ^ and beneath tlie orbital-
cUrt'- ^ Protected by two movable
aQ(j ^f8: tne upper and lower eyefock
Kff 8-Examination of («) the Haw
only          appended lashes, which not
place86rVe t0 protect from and to dis-
io' into it-
uPon t\f°reign matter tliat maJ faU ,               t of lio-ht passing
The           Ut also assist in regulating the amount oi ng ^__^ g dense
opan1^ visible in ordinary observation of this orf             tra] fcrans-
PaJT membrane, the sclerotic or "white of the eye , >,                front;
w lT ^rane, the « These form the - ^ ^brane. the
^^^ich may be noticed 3, a yellowish-browii ovcdj^ rf the
ital, nClrcling a clear dark space, 4, the 2^; ^
              d the meW-
ClC°rner of ^e eye reveals a flat fleshy-looking body term             ^
** mrtfeww, or, commonly, the third eyelid or haw ( g
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THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
ran is composed of a thin piece of cartilage covered with mucous mem-
■me. It is capable of being projected over the surface of the eye ana oy
i thin edge may be made to sweep away any foreign matter that may.
jcidentaUy fall upon it. Deep pressure applied to the upper lid with the
Qger, as shown in fig. 8, will cause the haw to protrude.
The Cheeks.—The cheeks form the greater portion of the side of
he face. They extend from the temples and throat above to the angles
>f the mouth below. In front they reach to a vertical line drawn down-
ward from the outer corner of the eye to the nostrils, and behind extend
alone the posterior edge of the lower jaw. The upper part of the cheek is
broad and fiat, and corresponds to the expanded portion of the lower jaw-
bone. The inferior portion is narrower, loose in its arrangement, and more
distensible. In the groove dividing the two parts are lodged the mam
blood-vessels of the face, as well as the duct of the parotid gland by which
saliva is carried to the mouth.
POSTERIOR SURFACE OE THE HEAD
The posterior surface of the head embraces the intermaxillary space,
the chin, and the chin groove.
Intermaxillary Space. — The intermaxillary space is enclosed
within the two branches of the lower jaw, which bound it laterally-
Above and below it is limited by the throat and chin respectively, ft
corresponds to the under surface of the tongue, and gives lodgment to the
submaxillary lymphatic glands. The latter, which lie on the inner side of
the broad portion of the jaw-bone immediately beneath the skin, are
specially interesting to the horseman on account of the enlargement they
undergo in glanders, strangles, nasal gleet, and other diseases affecting
the nostrils.
The Chin (fig. 2).—The chin is the prominence situated above and
behind the lower lip, and the chin groove appears as a transverse depression
above it.
2. UPPER ASPECT OE THE BODY—TOP-LINE
The Neck.—The neck comprises the cervical portion of the spine, and
the muscles attached thereto, as well as a broad elastic ligament running
through the centre of its entire length. In front it supports the head,
where it concurs to form the poll, and lower down is united to the throat.
Behind, the neck joins on to the shoulders, the withers, and the breast.
The superior arched border constitutes the cervical crest (fig. l), the curve
of which varies in different races of horses, and in different members of the
same race. In stallions it is specially marked in all breeds.
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13
UPPEE ASPECT OF THE BODY—TOP-LINE
The inferior border of the neck is rounded, and encloses the ami J> p
trachea (fig. 5). A little higher, on the side, may be noticed » W^^
groove (fig. 2) running from the throat downward. This is tlie
         ^
of the neck" or cervical groove, along which runs the jugulm
deeper still, the carotid artery.
                                          .           inl,fioll of
rt The Withers.-The withers comprise that prominent po ^^
the spine placed between the neck and the back, and supports
Three-quarter Back View
is Chin-
ii (lervioal
3i Knee.
4ii plank'
49 Hock.
M Pastern.
11 Lower LiP'
so Tail-
Fig. 9.—Exterior of the Horse ^^^^^^^^^^
7 Nose. Nostril. .""W^
''Poll.
'Ear.
Eye15' C
17 Back. 18ins-           Cl P 30 Chestnut
2<s Upper Arm.         " F
39 Abdomen
32
■" Shoulder.
36 Foot.
24 Shoulder Point.
38 Chest
48 Leg or Cask in-
54 Fetlock-joint.
43so
'Bu
, "3 Fetloek-joint. 3* Pastern. » Coronet.
k. 44 poinf. nf Hl,twt 45Thie'h. « Haunch.
' Stifle.
53 Canon.
^______________________________ 82 Chestnut.
56 Oor~.°*          S1 Tendo Achilles or Ham-string.
"ide V the upper extremity of the shoulders. -It is ^Ih^second to
Projecting spini of the dorsai Vertebra, numbering from
the sixth, or seventh, and the muscles in connection w ^ ^
later
this
it tho l^i^ „# fl,0 Wse is taken, and, as
point the height of the horse is
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14                    • THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
on, it is a part to which great importance is attached in the matter of
conformation.
The Back.—The back, as understood by horsemen, is an arbitrary
division of the part properly so called, and extends from the slope of
the withers in front to the last rib behind, where it is connected with
Fig. 10._Exterior of the Horse: Three-quarter Front View
1 Forehead. " Poll. 3 Ear. 7 Nose         s w it.,
"Cheek. "Neck. «Withers         17 Back *£??"*■ °NostriL lu Upper Lip. n Lower Lip.
23 Shoulder. »ShoulderPoint. M Breast *9 P                 \          Croup.         21 Throat. Cervical Groove.
joint. -Partem. 35 Coronet. 36^ J?T™- 30 Chestnut. - Knee. 32 Canon. 33 Fetlock.
« Haunch. - Leg or Gaskin. =» Point of Hock i"^ * Abdomen- 4° Flank- " Sheath' * ™^h-
so Coronet. » Foot.
                                                            Chestnut. =3 Canon. «Fetlock-joint. 55 Pastern.
the loins. It extends over and embraces about eleven of the eighteen
dorsal_ vertebne, as well as the arches of the corresponding ribs. The
back is largely made up of muscles of various forms and lengths, some
of which extend from the haunch behind to the neck in front
The Loms.--The loins, like the withers and the back, have their
anatomical base m the spine, and extend from the last dorsal vertebra
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*i
POSTERIOE EXTREMITY
J;efo^ to the croup and haunch, with which they unite behind^ J
°nes which enter into its formation are usually six m           ^^
^e7 differ in their skeletal relations from those of the bacK             ^
^ Wing no- ribs connected with them. On either side
e«w this region is the flank.                                             uarters situated
, A he Croup.—The croup is the uppermost part of tne q
Detween the loins and the tail. Below on either side it join
              ^
^d «PPer part of the buttocks. The haunch-bones ^^ are
.-,ClUm ln forming the basement structure of this veSlon>
         Qf t]lt,,t..
s^ated a number of large important muscles of locomotum-               rs
IT are eiW* * the movements of the hind ^*•"**         ^
dff"POn the **«■ The form, length, and widt ho ft he croup          ^
1 f^nt animals. In the mare, during the later stages of p e         >
W1? °f this part become depressed, or sink downward ep
£*?* the root of the tail. This is generally described as a
        ^
/^haunch-bones" or "falling of the hips". It resultho* ^ ^
some         n and ^ieldinS of the broad liSameDtS
of the muscles rest.                                                 miarter commonly
«Dnt Point °f the launch is a division of tne q                      the
<*?** of as tl^ ,. int of the hip". It is situated m to ^
°UP' behind and below the loins, and in proximity witbj ^ ^^
bone ?rmed by tlie Pr°Jecting outer afngle l^ally liable to injury
f • Owing to its prominence, this part is specie y
          ^ ^ ^
frem Cible contact with doorways, and m slipping t'             lace.
^ly suffers b contact with the ground. Future an ^ P ^
bio the bone a^e of fre(luent occurrence' and 8
Wn
as "down at the hip".
3. POSTERIOR EXTREMITY
c, ^e Tail.-The tail consists of from twelve to fiftfn^^'eI of
skin e m l0nS taPerinS muscleS' and theS%are Tn^s continuous with,
covered with long hairs. It emerges from, ana i
and "b md C°lumn- 0n either side itS baSe iS ^
elow with the anugj which it covers.                                    intestinal
canal ! Anus'-The anus is the terminal extremity <^ ^ ^ .^
*em»\ '0Ugb which the excrement leaves the body.
                        1);iir.
C? *' i* * -tuated beneath the tail, and below it a J            foy
aeSc8. le«gth of skin termed the Perineum. The anus »surr              rf
cont, ar muscIe termed the ^w^r ^»», whicn, ' Jd animals,
°ntractulg, prevents the involuntary escape of the faeces. In
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THE EXTEEIOR OP THE HOUSE
1G
and in those weakened by disease and poverty, the power of this muscle
is enfeebled, and the orifice becomes relaxed and loses its full power
of control. In paralysis of the anus the faeces are allowed to escape
from the bowel involuntarily. This condition is usually associated with
paralysis of the tail.
The Perineum.—The perineum is the hairless region which in the
male extends from the anus to the scrotum, or purse. In the female it
is short, and limited below by the vulva. It is bounded on either side
by the thighs and buttocks.
4. ANTERIOR EXTREMITY OF THE BODY
The Breast.—The breast is situated at the lower extremity of the
neck, and in front of the chest, supported on either side by the arms.
In some horses it is fleshy and rounded, in others sharp and prominent.
Its basement structure is formed by the sternum or breast-bone.
5. THE LATERAL AND INFERIOR REGION
The Brisket.—The brisket is a prolongation of the breast backward,
between the fore-limbs and along the inferior face of the trunk, where it
forms the floor of the chest. Behind the elbows it corresponds to the
'" girth-place ".
The Chest.—The chest is a spacious cavity occupying the anterior
third of the trunk, and containing within it the lungs, the heart, and the
great vessels proceeding to and from them, as well as the oesophagus,
a portion of the trachea, and some important nerves.
The withers and back form together its upper boundary. Outwardly
on either side it is limited by the ribs, to which in front are connected
the shoulder and the arm. The floor is formed by the sternum or breast-
bone, and parts in relation with it, while in front and behind it is
bounded by the neck and the abdomen respectively, and separated from
the latter by the diaphragm or midriff.
The Abdomen.—The abdomen embraces all that region comprising
the inferior and lateral parts of the trunk between the chest in front and
the sheath and groin behind, or, in the female, the groin and the mammary
gland. It encloses the organs of digestion, urination, and generation, and
other accessory parts. Its outer and inferior walls are made up of super-
imposed layers of broad expanded muscles and their tendons, which are
braced up by a sheet of elastic tissue that spreads over the under surface
of the belly immediately beneath the skin. Within is a more or less
thick layer of fat.
J                                                                                                                                                                           Vol. i.
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EXTERNAL GENITAL ORGANS                                  17
Behind, between the thighs, the abdomen presents two oval openings
(external abdominal rings) through which the testicles descend into the
scrotum, and remain suspended by means of the spermatic cords. In
^e fetus a third opening (umbilicus) is observed in advance of the
sheath. This is commonly termed the navel opening, and gives passage
to blood-vessels by which the foetus is brought into relation with the
da* through the medium of the foetal membranes. After birth the
navel-string sloughs away and the umbilical opening closes.
The Flank.-The flank is a portion of the wall of the abdomen
extending from tlle lumbar spine downward, between the last rib in
«°at, and the haunch, thigh, and stifle-joint behind. Below, it is con-
tmuo^ with the floor of the belly. Above, the flank presents a tn-
^ula* depression immediately beneath the loins. This is commonly
tCT7d the «llollow Qf the fl/nk».
n ^kness the flank frequently serves as a guide to the existence
°. disease. In certain conditlons of ^health it becomes "tucked up
brea^teUded' while in others it affords an indication of the rate of
T,m§ V its alternate rising and falling.
ihe Groin.^The groin is the space situated right and left ot the
tes c es in the male and of the mammary gland in the female. Outwardly
]t ls bounded by the inner and upper part of the thigh. The skin eover-
^ this part is comparatively thin and supple, and covered with tine
T* Xt ^ also abundantly furnished with small glands that throw out
;U1 Unctuous secretion for the lubrication of the parts. Enlargements some-
(,"m's aPPear in this region from swelling of the lymphatic glands, or as a
CriUenCe of rupture, and in geldings as the result of disease of the
lniatic cord—schirrus cord.
6. EXTERNAL GENITAL ORGANS
HALE
in t^6 Testides (fig. 1).—The testicles are two ovoid glands situated
the 8pace between tte tMglls_ They are enci0Sed in a pouch of skin,
10 scrotum, commonly spoken of as the "purse", and separated from
** other by a membranous partition. They appear in the purse at
J**' but soon disappear, to descend again about the tenth month.
* left one is generally somewhat lower than the right. In some
^tances the testicles fail from various causes to reach the scrotum, or
eh/ one of them may "come down"' in wllicl1 case they are f°v
is It1 m tlle cavity of the belly or in the inguinal canal. When this
he ease the animal is called a crypt orchid, or more commonly a
Vol. T                                                                                                                                     2
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THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
18
"rig" or ridgeling. In geldings the under surface of the scrotum is
marked by a depressed scar on either side of the middle line, resulting
from the operation of castration.
The Sheath (fig. 1).—The sheath is a loose portion of infolded
skin arranged in the form of a recess, into which the penis is retracted.
The infolded portion of integument is thin, supple, and devoid of hairs,
but largely supplied with sebaceous glands, which secrete an unctuous
matter for the lubrication of the penis.
FEMALE
The Vulva.—The vulva is the genito-urinary orifice of the female.
It is an elongated, vertical opening, placed below the anus. On either
side of it are two folds of skin and mucous membrane, termed ■ the
labia or lips. When these are separated, a small globular organ is seen
lodged in a fold of mucous membrane at the lower part of the orifice;
this is the clitoris.
During the period of heat, or sestrum, the labia, swollen and sensitive,
are repeatedly opened and closed, and the clitoris becomes momentarily
exposed and projected backward.
7. FORE EXTREMITY
The anterior limb or fore extremity extends from the withers above
to the foot below; it is united to the trunk by muscles extending along
the back, up the neck, and on to the walls of the chest and breast. It
presents for consideration a number of regions, as well as parts and
divisions of more or less importance.
The regions of the front member comprise the shoulder, the arm,
the forearm, the elbow, the knee, the canon,. the fetlock, the pastern,
the coronet, and the foot, to which must be added the ergot.
The Shoulder.—The shoulder is situated on the lateral aspect of
the chest, and forms the chief point of attachment of the fore-limb to the
trunk. In front it follows the line of the posterior extremity of the neck,
with which it unites. Behind, it is limited by a more or less prominent
muscular ridge extending down to the elbow. Above, it reaches as high
as the withers, and custom has fixed its lower limits at the elbow. It
must, however, be pointed out that what is commonly spoken of as the
shoulder embraces also the upper arm, and as these two parts are
intimately related and show no lines of demarcation, they may for con"
venience of description continue to be classed together.
Shoulder Point (fig. 1).—The shoulder point, as it is erroneously
termed, is the angular prominence corresponding to the shoulder-joint.
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19
FORE EXTREMITY
As a matter of fact it is not formed by the shoulder, but by the arm,
and would be more appropriately designated the point of the arm.
The Elbow.-Tke elbow marks the point of union of the arm above
with the forearm below. The point of the elbow is the summit ot tne
Ulna or smaller of the two arm bones. From the prominence of this par
it stands exposed to injury, especially when the feet are allowed to grow
long or the heels of the fore-shoes are made to project beyond them, ti
result being an inflammatory swell-
ing termed capped elbow.
The Forearm.—The forearm
extends from the elbow-joint to the
knee. It is invested by muscles,
which act upon the bones below,
some carrying them forward (exten-
sors), others bending them back-
wards (flexors). The forearm com-
prises two bones, the radius and the
ulna. The point of the elbow, as
already explained, is formed by the
superior extremity of the latter.
The Chestnuts or Castors.—
The chestnuts or castors are small
homy excrescences of an ovoid or
elliptical form, situated on the inner
,^e\\
surface of the arm a little
way
above the knee. They vary in size in
Fig 11.—Bones of Left Foreleg
A) Scapula or Shoulder B,ade.
             B, *»«-
Arm Bone.         0, Ulna.         B, Kadius.
Bones, forming the Knee.
different breeds, and to a less extent
ln Afferent animals of the same
breed. In coarsely-bred Cart-horses
they reach their greatest dimensions,
;,,1'1 sometimes grow outward like veritable horns, in which case they
are usually removed by the smith. The chestnuts are probably the re-
mains of a vanished hoof, which in the ancient horse invested a digit
corresponding to the thumb of man.
The Knee.—The knee of the horse corresponds to the wrist of man. It
ls formed by two rows of small bones, which rest upon the metacarpal bones
lu'low, and give support to the forearm above. The upper row comprises
four bones, and the lower one three. It is a joint of many parts, but al-
though complex in its structure its action is limited to the movements of
flexion and extension. Passing over it before and behind are some large
tendons, which are attached to the bones below and bring them into action.
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THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
2C
-The region between the knee and the fetlock-joint is
It comprises three bones, together with several import-
ant tendons and liga-
ments. The bones
consist of the large
metacarpal,
or canon
bone, and the two
small metacarpal, or
splint bones. The
canon bone occupies
the central position,
and imparts to the
front of the limb
its natural roundness.
The splint bones are
placed one on each
side, and somewhat
towards the back of
the limb. They are
united with the large
metacarpal bone by
short ligaments, which
in adult animals be-
come transformed into
bone, and then form
a permanent bond of
union between them.
The splint bones are
very important, from the
The Canon.-
cermed the canon.
Fig. 12. —Principal Te
2. Outer Side View.
1. Front View.
A,  Extensor Metacarpi Obliquus.
B,  Extensor Metacarpi Magnus.
C,  Annular Ligament.
D,  Extensor Pedis.
E,  Extensor Suffraginis.
G, Outer Branch of Suspensory
Ligament.
fact of their being the
seat of bony excrescences
termed " splints", which
often produce severe and
protracted lameness. Situ-
A,  Extensor Metacarpi Obliquus.
B,  Extensor Metacarpi Magnus,
c, Annular Ligament.
D, Extensor Pedis.
E,  Extensor Suffraginis.
F,  Outer Small Metacarpal or Splint
Bone.
G,  Outer Branch of the Suspensory
Ligament.
H, Flexor Pedis Perforates.
I, Subcarpal Ligament.
J, Flexor Pedis Perforans.
K, Suspensory Ligament.
ated in front of the large
canon bone are the great
extensor tendons of the
phalanges, and behind it,
in the order named, are:
the suspensory ligament; the subcarpal ligament; the tendon of the flexor
pedis perforans; and the tendon of the flexor pedis perforatus (fig. 12).
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21
FORE EXTREMITY
There are no active muscles in this region, but diminutive remains of
them are to be found, which, in the far-off ancestors of the horse with
their several toes, were muscles of considerable size and importance.
The Fetlock.—The fetlock is situated between the canon bone above
and the pastern below. Its bony base re-
sults from the union of the large metacarpal
bone with the first phalanx, or large pastern
hone, and the two sesamoid bones. The
latter are tacked on behind, and are sup-
ported m position by the suspensory liga-
ment. A. tuft of long hair hangs from the
angle of the fetlock. This is the footlock,
and
ln its midst may be noticed the ergot,
a
ny growth varying in size in different
als> °ut especially large in coarse-bred
art-horses. Like the chestnut, the ergot
Preseats the vestigial remains of what
'l* once a digit in the lost ancestors of
horse. In fts present condition it is
L leved by some to exercise a protective
influence when the fetlock is brought to the
found during the rapid locomotory move-
ments occurring in the forced gallop, and
specially in the final struggle of a race.
*he Pastern.—This region extends
U|ui the fetlock to the coronet, between
ch points it takes a more or less oblique
S
bo
downward and forward. Its
J base is formed by the first and second
Phalanges, or, as they are commonly
nned, the large and small pastern bones.
The Coronet.—The coronet is that
Front View of Horse
y Poll. 2 Forelock. 3 Ear.
Fig. 13.
1 Forehead.
P<u't of the limb situated immediately
4 Supra-orbit. 5 Eyebrow,
Eye. 7Nose.
8 Nasal Peak.         9 Nostril.          10 Upper Lip.
15 Neck. 25 Breast. 29 Forearm. 31 Knee.
32 Canon.
          33 Fctlock-joint.          34 Pastern.
35 Coronet. 36Foot. 38 Chest. 46 Haunch.
ove the hoof, and extending from front
back. It is, in fact, the lowermost
division of the pastern. The term is use-
ul omT as indicating proximity with the crown, or upper circumference
of the foot.
The Foot.—The foot, as understood by the comparative anatomist,
Horaces all those parts of the limb beneath the lower extremity of the fore-
arm in front and the inferior extremity of the leg or second thigh behind.
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THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE
In the horse, however, the term is restricted to the terminal portion of the
limb, or that section of it enclosed in the hoof. Two bones and part of
a third constitute its bony base. The former comprise the third phalanx
—the pedal or coffin bone, and the navicular bone; the latter, the second
phalanx, or coronet bone. Connected with
these are various tendons, ligaments, fibrous
tissue, and cartilages, the whole of which
are invested by a highly vascular and sen-
sitive covering of modified skin, and out-
wardly protected by a horny envelope, or
huge nail, to which the term hoof has been
applied.
8. THE POSTERIOR OR HIND LIMB
The Quarter.—In considering the re-
gions of the hind limb, it will be convenient,
if not anatomically exact, to refer to that
division of the horse commonly spoken of as
the "quarter". This region comprises all
those parts extending from the loin and
It
the
the
flank in front to the buttock behind,
embraces within its scope the croup,
haunch, the thigh, the buttock, and
stifle.
The Thigh.—This is the most massive
and muscular of the several regions of the
extremities. The thigh commences above,
at the lower border of the croup, and extends
downward as far as the stifle. In front it
Fig. 14.— Back View of Horse
" Croup.
          39 Abdomen.          4° Flank.
43 Buttock. *> Leg or Gaskin. 49 Hock.
50 Point of Hock.
           51 Tendo Achilles or
Ham-string.           53 Canon.           54 Fetlock-
joint. » Pastern. 56 Coronet. 57 Foot.
is limited by the flank, while behind it is
in relation with the buttock.
The ossific base of the thigh is the femur>
or thigh-bone.
The Buttock.—The buttock is the pos-
terior fleshy part of the quarter extending from the root of the tail down'
ward to a little distance below the stifle-joint. There is no anatomical
boundary by which its anterior limits can be fixed. In this connection
the division is an arbitrary one. It embraces portions of the croup, the
thigh, and the leg or gaskin. The point of the buttock (fig. l) is formed
by a bony projection (ischial tuberosity) below the root of the tail.
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*
23
THE POSTERIOR OR HIND LIMB
The Stifle (fig. I).—The stifle comprehends that angular prominence
situated in front of the limb immediately beneath the flank. At this
point the femur, or thigh-bone, articulates with the tibia, or leg-bone, and
the patella, or knee-cap, to form the stifle-joint. This is the largest and
most powerfully constructed joint in the body. It is remarkable, not only
for the complexity of its arrangement, but also for its considerable range ot
action.
The Leg.-The leg or gaskin is that part of the hind extremity
extending frorQ the thigh to the hock-joint. Behind, it is bordered
7 two Powerful tendons (tendo
Achilles) (fig. 1)s both of whicll
are firmly united to the point
ut the hock, and are commonly
spoken of as the ham-strings.
ihe ossificbase of this region is
formed by two bones—the tibia
and the fibula. The latter is
a small slender bone placed on
the outer side of the former,
which is of considerable dimen-
sions and power.
The Hock—Tarsus.—The
nock intervenes between the leg
au'1 the canon bone. It is
more or less flat on the outer
> ' convex on the inner sur-
la,,'> narrow behind, and broad
W'
;l'ld somewhat flat in front.
Fig. 15.—Bones of Left Hind Leg
8 region comprises six small
"Ones wlnr.L „            "j. 1 1, 1 x. A Hip Bone or Pelvis, b, Thigh Bone or Femur, c, Knee-
«8, Which are United by Short j£™$%^ r,Etal, 'E,TWa. G, Tarsal or Hock Bones.
swong ligaments, and supported
by the metacarpal bones. Above, they articulate with the tibia, or leg-bone,
illul with it form a hinge-joint of considerable extent by which the chief
movements of the hock are effected. Above and behind, the hock forms an
acute angle with the tendo Achilles, termed the point of the hock (fig. 1).
The regions below the hock are the canon, the fetlock, pastern, coronet,
toot, and corresponding parts already described in dealing with the fore
extremity.
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*s
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
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Section II
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
There are few Englishmen who possess, or have possessed, a horse, who
1
° Uot aspire to know something about conformation and its mechanical
*latl0*s to pace, action, and power, although few would claim to have
e nmst elementary acquaintance with those divisions of science on which
exa°t knowledge of the subject depends. Anatomy, physiology,.
BchanW», and physics form but a small part of the intellectual equip-
TT 0f tlui average judge, and yet it is doubtful if the proud possessor
? fse higher branches of learning would excel in precision of judgment
** Jess gifted confrere.
Dealers and Breeders, and those who adjudicate »t our horse exhibitions,.
iave Httle more than the empirical faculty to guide them, yet they are
among the most expert in the world—recognizing at a glance not only
the grosser faults and weaknesses of form and action, but refinements
" distinction and aptitude to service which only the practised eye can
lcern- Granting, however, the power to acquire this high standard of
fcwlence by purely empirical means, it will not be suggested that the
goal of perfection in horse judging has yet been attained, or that the
i,rll,ty of attainment will not be enhanced by a consideration of those
LePartments of science already referred to. If by external conformation
' are to appraise the value of a horse, it must be by estimating with
lore or less precision his physical capabilities and endurance as an
an"nal machine, and to this end routine observation and practical
Jlulgment might with advantage be supplemented by the teachings of
science.
                                        S
J-° all persons concerned with the breeding and employment of the
j°rSe as a means of locomotion, a knowledge of conformation and its
ects ls indispensable to success as a commercial enterprise, and notwith-
l^ng the purely empirical form which that qualification assumes
{ ay-) in those who possess it, the time is not far distant when the
^erior of the horse will come to be interpreted by the light of a more
97
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28                             CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
-exact knowledge of his anatomical and mechanical construction. It is
by a study of conformation that we assign to a horse the particular
place and purpose to which he is best adapted as a living machine and
■estimate his capacity for work, and the highest success in this connec-
tion will be best attained by the judicious blending of practice with
science.
CENTRE OF GRAVITY
One important step towards an appreciation of the effects of con-
formation on the progression and utility of the horse is a general under-
standing of the location of the centre of gravity, the disturbances which
^ .........._                                                it is liable to undergo aS
;- " ' -'-""""••/'' -■-^■■H a consequence of the various
movements of the body i11
locomotion, and the special in-
fluence of conformation in ac-
o iri&V'"- ...........         . .                  I celerating and determining the
No-2           extent of such disturbances.
In dealing with this branch of
Kg. 16                                the subject, our readers need
hardly be reminded that all
bodies whatsoever, whether living or dead, are influenced by the force
of gravity in such a way that they are drawn towards the earth. Every
body, whether large or small, is composed of a number of molecules
more or less regularly distributed throughout its mass, and upon each
of which the pull of gravity is exerted, hence results the exercise of a
number of small parallel forces acting in the same direction.
What is called the centre of gravity will be found in the centre of
these parallel forces, which may or may not be in the centre of the body-
If the molecules making up the mass be of the same kind and uniformly
distributed throughout it, the force of gravity will be exercised on ah
parts alike, in which case the centre of gravity will be in the centre
of the body. If, on the other hand, the molecules be more numerous
in one part than another, or in other words, if one part be more dense
than another, the force of gravity will attract that part more, in which
•case the centre of gravity, instead of being situated in the middle of the
body, is drawn nearer to the part which weighs the most.
To illustrate this point let us take the case of a rod made up of a
number of particles equal in weight and equally distributed throughout &
as shown in fig. 16, No. 1.
Here the several component particles being attracted towards the
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Plate i.
^|i
SYMMETRY
ARCHED CREST
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2!)
CENTRE OF GRAVITY
earth equally in parallel forces, it is evident that the centre of these
forces, which is the centre of gravity, will he at the middle point Quite
different will be the case where the rod is made of particles of the same
kind, unequally distributed, and causing one part to be denser or thicker
than the other (fig. 16, No. 2). In this case the centre of gravity is
found to fall at F, in the direction of the heavier part D, where tlie
parallel forces are for equal lengths the more numerous.
These conclusions may be roughly illustrated by taking a piece o
stick two or three feet in length, of uniform thickness, and placing it
Yig. l7._The Centre of Gravity
The centre of gravity is at or near the spot where the dotted lines cross
across the edge of a knife, where it may be made to balance or brought
to a state of equilibrium when resting on a point about the middle of
its length. If now a small quantity of lead be run into one end, and
the experiment be repeated, the point at which the stick can now be made
to balance will have shifted, and will be found somewhere towards its
loaded extremity.
According to the researches of Professor Colin, the centre of gravity
in the horse is situated somewhere about the point of intersection of
two lines, one passing vertically through the trunk behind the xiphoid
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.30                               CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
cartilage of the sternum or breast-bone, and the other horizontally between
the middle and lower third of the body. This conclusion has been con-
firmed by the experiments of Messrs. Goubaux and Barrier, and may be
accepted as approximately correct.
EQUILIBRIUM
" A body is said to be in equilibrium when the several forces acting
upon it balance one another." The part upon which it rests is termed
the base of support. It may be neces-
sary to point out that there are three
conditions of equilibrium, viz. stable, un-
stable, and neutral. Of these the two
former are more especially concerned witn
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ equine conformation and movement. J-11
A           B                               stable equilibrium a body, when
slightly
Fig.m-Eqmubrium                 displaced or pushed aside, will return to
A, Stable. B, Unstable, c, Neutral             . ^ . . -, L .^.             T, ',              4. ,-,rV
its original position. 11, on the contiai^>
it tends to move farther away from its original position or to topple over,
its equilibrium is unstable.
The conditions which conduce to render equilibrium stable are:
1. A broad base of support.
2    That the centre of gravity should be situated low down.
3    That the line of gravitation should fall at or near the centre °
the base.                                                                                                         . .
From these considerations it would appear, as Goubaux and Barn
have pointed out, that " a horse having a heavy body mounted upoij
long slender limbs, drawn close to the median plane, will be endowe
with an equilibrium relatively unstable". While, conversely, a horse
.standing on short legs, set well apart so as to supply a large base ;
support! will possess an equilibrium relatively stable.
The horse in progression is constantly displacing the centre of gravi j
in one direction or another, and the disturbance of equilibrium whicj,
is thereby effected is as constantly being restored by the formation
a new base of support, which will vary both in form and extent Wi
the various movements incidental to the several paces respectively.
In a standing position the base oi support of the horse may be describ^
as an area enclosed within four lines placed nearly at right angles to ea<
other, and extending from foot to foot, as shown in fig. 19.
In this attitude equilibrium presents its highest degree of stabiH r
It is during the fast paces, when the trunk is impelled forward by
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PLATE II.
Fig. 2.
Fig. i.
EQUILIBRIUM IN THE WALK AND IN THH GALLOP
Copy
rtgh'.-887.byEadl
eard, Muybridge
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1
MUSCLES IN Rftatt™ m
impulses from behind that +1
the feet leave the ground to^T^ f ^% » ™st displaced, and
- disturbed equilibrium. JT w l7 T" °1 "^ md -establish
Jhe various phases of movemen ^1
         ^ °bvi°US hJ ^mining
*» the walk, which, as We ^* * °™ or ^her of the several paces
-e the base of -Wi. ^Tfe ***** ^ iS °ne °f fo»
ruh*> it. In Plate n r1; ° uf^go a succession of changes
H axxs of the body,         ' ^ 1d 6' rt r™« Parallel with the
fcj« formed by the Jo                    "
6tt and right limbs re-
Xflt- In%2itis
altered both in shape and
Chiy the ^ h-d-
|^nd, thereby enlarging
f^wHleatthesL!
^ * ^ade to assume
tnangular form. ^
tion i -6 hne of de-
left fl g°nal fr°m the
Tt^^.^thind.
base of 'atl0ns in ^e
forth b SUpP°rt are called
^tio^'f !hforard in-
placing tl the tr^k dis-
vitv. %"ecentreof gra-
Placement18 f°rward
dis-
own, con,:
,'" ve,7 mnch
p.M „; ^able „ ft,
Fig. 19.-Base of Support
S»PPW tf°0t' M lading suppor and „ ^ TOuM M » fron
T,e":r: in reT° pwer - ™
Place to t)ia0            of locomotion by which tha i. i •
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32                                CONFOKMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
These fleshy masses which clothe the bones are each and all endowed
with the property of contractility. When this power is called into action
by nervous stimulation it has the effect of bringing the two extremities oi
the muscle towards each other, by which the length is diminished, while at
the same time its thickness increases.
These changes are well seen in the biceps or muscle of the upper arm, 'A.
the elbow be bent and the closed hand be brought up to the shoulder.
When a stimulus is applied to a nerve entering a muscle, the latter i&
made to contract throughout its entire length at nearly the same moment;
as a consequence, it is found that the period occupied by the contraction °*
a short muscle is nearly equal to that required for a long one. It will be
obvious from this, that as a muscle will contract to the extent of one-third
of its length, the speed and propulsive power of a horse with long lim^&
and long muscles will be much greater than that which can be produced by
another having short ones, assuming, of course, that all other things al'e
equal.
Of two muscles of the same length whose activity of contraction is at
its maximum, the greatest power will be given out by that which has the
greatest volume; in other words, the strength of a muscle is in proportion
to its thickness; and it is equally true to say that the longer the muscle the
greater will be the range of its contraction, and the more considerable the
displacement it will effect in the movement of the bones to which it may D&
attached. Hence it is that while muscles of strength are short and thic*'
those of speed are long and slender.
From the foregoing facts the conclusion may be drawn, that masro.uC
as short legs imply short muscles, animals so constructed must be compal*a'
tively slow in their movements however great may be their strength; a11
conversely, horses whose legs are relatively long, and whose range of actioIJ
is necessarily more considerable, will be capable of developing a muC*
higher rate of speed. The draught-horse and the race-horse afford typica
examples of the truth of the proposition that " the volume of the muScWi
gives the measure of force, their length that of speed ". In choosing ^
one, therefore, the highest muscular development consistent with reasonaD
activity in the slower paces should be sought for, while in the other t"
first and most important requirement is ample length of the leg muscles *
particular, combined with just so much thickness as will yield the n
power by which to support the weight and endure the strain that m^y
imposed upon them. Any surplus muscle over and above these requl
ments will augment the weight, and tend rather to retard than to increa"
the velocity of the gait.
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S3
THE BONES AS LEVERS
THE BONES AS LEVERS
„\, with few exceptions,
The muscles concerned in locomotion are each, wiw
               tendons.
attached to two bones, either directly, or through the medium         ^.^
The hones connected by their extremities form a series 01
joints, and being thus enabled to move
one upon the other, constitute so many
bony Levers by which the movements
of the body are effected.
A. lever is a rigid and inextensible
bat used for the purpose of moving
bodies by means of a power or weight
eitl
>;'r greater or less than that of the
themselves. ^^^^^^^^H
When a bone is operating as a
lCTf> one end is more or less fixed
luul m:ul1' to move upon the corre-
*l>ondmg snrfiU,e of the bone with ^^
Fig. 20.-Lever of the First Order
^
T^ it is articulated, and thus per-                        .                                 in
forms the office of fulcrum, while the other portion is left free to>™>
obedience to the power and the weight. A lever presents for-canside
tion three elements, viz. the Fulcrum, the Power, and the Weight,
respective positions of which
determine the class to which it
belongs.
flu' action of a lever in the
development of force and speed
will depend upon the relation of
the power to the weight.
Levers are divided into three
classes. In levers of the first
class the fulcrum is placed be-
tween the power and the weight,
;,s illustrated in the beam of an
■ ordinary pair of scales (fig. 20).
FULCRUM
I h'vers 0f the second class
Fig. 21.—Lever of the Second Order
tlu' Eulcr«m situated at one                                   H^H
eml- and the weight occupies a position between it and the power, this
™ is illustrated in the loaded wheel-barrow, when the man supporting
1lu' stafts represents the power, the barrow and its contents the weight,
;uul &e wheel the fulcrum (fig. 21).
Vol. i.
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
34
In levers of the third kind the fulcrum is again at one end, but to
power now occupies a position between it and the weight. A comn10'
example of this kind is seen in a pair of fire-tongs when holding a lump °
coal. The coal here repre'
sents the weight, the haO01:
holding the tongs the po^e1'
and the joint the fulcru^
(fig. 22).
Fig. 22.—Lever of the Third Order
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^           The two arms of a leve
are distinguished respectively as the power-arm and the weight-arm. I'1
former is represented by the distance between the point at which the po\ve
acts and the fulcrum, and the latter by the distance between the fulcrU1!
and the line through which the weight acts.
In the case of the biceps muscle acting upon the radius (fig. 25), &
power-arm is the distance between the centre of the elbow-joint, which j
the fulcrum, and the point of insertion of the muscle. The weight-arm x
the distance from the fulcrum to the knee.
Of the three varieties of levers referred to above, those of the first clas
are levers of speed, and for the most part are engaged in movements °
extension. Those of the third order are also levers of velocity, but &
more especially concerned in movements of flexion.
-e
Levers of the second class are much less frequently met with than th°
of the first and third, and are essentially levers of force.
In the animal machine an example of a lever of the first order will D
I
found in the extension of the cannon on the hock when the foot
w
the ground. Here the muscle representing the power (fig. 23) acts up
the point of the hock, the fulcrum is the hock-joint, and the parts bel°
the weight. The same parts of the limb also afford an illustration °i J
lever of the second class when the foot is on the ground (fig. 24). In * j
instance the point of the hock is the part on which the power acts,
ground is the fulcrum, and the weight is at the hock-joint.
The third order of lever is represented in the fore-arm (fig. 25), where
fulcrum is at the elbow-joint, the power is the biceps muscle, which is inser
just below the elbow in front, and the weight is the parts of the limb bel° ^
It will be seen by an examination of these illustrations, that in levels
the first and third class, or levers of speed, the power-arm is shorter t J ^
the weio-ht-arm, while in those of the second order the length of the forI°
exceeds that of the latter.
                                                                          _ Jj
Bones which act as levers of the first class when the foot is oft ,
sround, become levers of the second kind when the foot is on the gi'°u
the fulcrum and the weight having now become displaced.
^
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THE BONES AS LEVEBS
a
s
w
o
!zi
ted
XJi
>
f
<1
fed
m
Fig. 23.—Lever of the First Order                                           Fig. 24.—Lever of the Second Order                       Fig. 25.—Lever of the Third Order
In these diagrams F is the fulcrum, P the point where the power acts, W the weight, and M the muscle which is the source of power
OS
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
36
HEAD AND NECK
If there is any part of the horse which can be regarded as of exception31
importance it is the head, for besides being the centre of intelligence
it is also the seat of vice. Moreover, it is the dial-plate on which we
find the outward expression of the inward temperament in all its varied
moods. It forms, besides, the boundary walls of the most important
cavities in the body, notably, the cranium or brain-case, the orbits
containing the eyes, the nostrils, and the mouth. From these considera-
tions it becomes obvious that if the several organs with which the head
is connected are to perform their respective functions efficiently, ample
space must be provided by the bony framework for their accommodation
and unrestrained action. Moreover, the head is not altogether uncon-
nected with locomotion, inasmuch as important muscles extending &oxa
the arm upward along the neck are ultimately connected with it, and
are the chief agents in raising and advancing the fore-limbs during p1'0'
gression. Further, an extensive bony surface is required for the attach-
ment of the muscles of masti-
cation and expression.
Quite apart from size, the
aspect of the head varies very
materially in different animal'
not only among those of di
ferent varieties, but in a leS
degree also among differen
animals of the same variety-
While in some it presents
clean-cut, finely-chiselled on
line, in others the angles ai
lines of the bony framewor
are rounded off and more °
less obscured, and the hea
Fig. 26.—Loan Head, well set <
as a whole displays a heav'
plain appearance. The form6 '
distinguished as the lean head (fig. 26), is more especially pronounced 1
the thoroughbred, and is always an evidence of good breeding. Here t
skin will be noticed to be thin, and closely adherent to unclerly11^
parts. The bony outline is sharply defined. The muscles, vessels, a
nerves are seen standing out in bold relief, giving the head altogetn
a clean, sharp expression and airy carriage. Quite the reverse is the ca
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<5
37
VOLUME AND GENERAL ASPECT OF THE HEAD
to tbe latter, winch is known as tbe plain or fleshy bead (fig. 27).
tbe skin is thick, coarse, and united with tbe parts beneath *^*^
amount of connective tissue which hides the bony lines and F01*1*
beneath, rounds off the face, and gives to the head as a whole afce y
and fieshy appearance. This type of head is associated with animals
a dull, lymphatic temperament and low cast.
VOLUME AND GENEBAL ASPECT OF THE HEAD
In this, as in other respects, harmony of proportion is the_ point.of
excellence to be desired, whether it be in tbe heavy or the ^.^
of horSe8. Deviations in this respect, however, are not equally objectm
*** to the two classes. A large bead in the hunter or ^ ^e of
*<* only render an animal unsightly, but by displacing the centr
gravity forward, predispose to stumbling, and impose upon the *»*-
» ^due amount of weight and wear. These objections do not apply
to the slow-moving draught-horse, whose powers of traction depend
«Pon the amount of force he can bring to bear upon the collar. Here
l**ge bead, if not so agreeable to look at, would be rather an advantage
than otherwise, not only because of
its extra weight, but because of the
larger surface of attachment it would
afford those muscles that assist in
hxni^ the front part of the body
to the act of pulling.
the size of the head may deviate
m Proportion either in the direction
of excess or deficiency. When the
dimensions of length, width, and
depth are all in excess the bead is
■ ■ ■ Hge or coarse. This ^^^^^
Fig. 27.—Fleshy Head
^^^^^^
condition results more especially from                                                             ,
uu a^ue development of the bony framework. It may not, however, be
^together thus caused, but may, in some measure, be due to an exceptional
thickness of tbe skin and superabundance of connective tissue intervening
lv,NV,'"» it and the underlying bones. In the latter case the head has
' luav>- look, rounded and fleshy in appearance, and the bony lines and
Prominences, as well as tbe nerves and blood-vessels, so conspicuous m
NN''UW horses, are altogether obscured. Animals of this class are
^ally low-bred, soft, and wanting in endurance. In point of size the
head should accurately fit the body, or if it departs at all from the
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CONFOKMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
38
standard of proportion in its osseous parts, better a trifle too large than
too small. A small head in relation to other parts means not only a
sacrifice of symmetry, but maybe also of power and intelligence.
FORM OF THE HEAD
The head of the horse presents great variety of form. In order t°
indicate the defects of conformation of this part it will be necessary lD
the first place to convey some idea as t°
those characters which combine to develop
the highest standard of beauty and phy»l0'
logical excellence in the whole. In speaking
of the "Points of the Horse" we ha^J
already referred to the various regions int°
which the head is divided, and we now p1'0'
pose to examine them as to their magnitude?
formation, and reciprocal relations.
The aspects from which the head wn*
require to be examined are: (1) the anten°|
or front view; (2) the lateral or side view*
(3) the posterior or back view; and (**
the view of the upper and lower extreniitieS
respectively.
Viewed from the front (fig. 28) the firs
and most striking feature is the forehead'
whose anatomical relations with the bra-111'
the eye, the breathing organs, and the orga11^
of mastication impart to it such exception3,
importance. This division of the head l
limited below by a line drawn across tn
                                           to
Fig. 28. —Front View of Skull and
Temporal Muscles
oc, Occipital crest. P, Parietal bone,
x, Parietal suture. F, Frontal bone. Na,
Nasal bone. Mx, Superior maxillary bone.
Pr.mx., Pre-maxillary bone. L, Lachrymal
bone. M, Malar bone. T, Temporal muscle.
face from the inner corner of one eye
that of the other, from which it rises t0
the poll or occipital crest.
The forehead should be deep aD
broad, inasmuch as the bones which f°r"
its basement structure not only encio^
the brain cavity but two other cavities (frontal sinuses) below
which are part of the respiratory system of organs. A large forehea
therefore, may be taken to denote a large brain and a large breathing
capacity.
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mmmmmmmmmm
HACKNEY STALLION, DANEGELT 174
By Denmark 177; dam, Young Nelly. Purchased by Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart., for 5000 guineas.
Winner of Numerous Prizes.
-ocr page 63-
FORM OF THE HEAD
39
Tl f
*»t -ithor^ns^r^nrucir' aCCept°db^ aU Wlte- on this subject;
to draw as that a lar d ^^ **' ^ Se6mS aS reasonable an inference
lungs- There is no rl^Tf °^ CheSt betokens voluminous and capacious
te*P<*al muscles, ^l^T °* ^ G°UbaUX a*d Bm'that the
ears
and take such
                                    °VG the ejes to the roots of tlie
s°mewhat to the t™ *          t **"* tlle functi°n of mastication, add
il-^date the ^urrr/T^ °f the f°rehead; but thls does not
aiul
consequent^ Ur Z & ^ &aAle^ is an exP^ssion of a broad,
fcW na,,;.i: !U T1Gatl°n lar§e bones; and since the bones to which
°f thecrantm If !* ""J • ^ ^ & COnsiderable P«t of the vault
?"** to si!' .J g-Cal frnCe 1S that the «** of the latter, in
h^e in thThote             tth6m- AS t0 Whetller the intel-
relatio* to the vnT P;°?ral t0 the Width 0f the fo^ead, or in
Pr°P°^ to enter bT/ the brain> are questions into which we do not
meDt with Gavor tW T          °reg°ing consideratio^ we are in agree-
^jot that the more voluminous the brain the larger is the
r~ -
                              spinal cord and the
nerves that proceed from
it, and that "a large
forehead denotes a high
degree of intelligence
and a good nervous sys-
tem ".
From the forehead
downward the face
should still maintain
ample width, to give
room to the nasal pas-
sages which form its
front and lower aspect.
From the eyes, the la-
aco, lop ears
teral boundary lines in
a well-formed face will
Fig. 30.—Narrow Face
•-
U°VP^ the skin.. r.            1U
                                                                 
pnoi^r ,i                                "c UJJCU auu capacious.
SE^T ^f !« be thin and pliable, and
«P8 fine and m
b°Uld be clearly d^fild \n ! \ 7 ^ and Promi»ences of the face
"^ hidde/by „n1;!nd ."!* aS Se- in the low-bred and phlegmatic
CUtaneous tissue. 7 Undue thickness and fleshiness of the skin and sub-
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40
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
Viewed in profile, the face from the forehead downward will be found
to vary very considerably. In the thoroughbred and the Arab it is
usually straight or inclining to hollowness beneath the eyes (fig. 31,
and Plate V); while in the
coarser breeds the disposition
to convexity is more and more
noticeable as we approach the
heavy draught-horse. As both
these formations are quite con-
sistent with the most perfect
physiological activity - of the
cranial and respiratory organs,
any preference that may be
given to one over the other
can only be regarded as a mat-
ter of taste, and not as having
any intrinsic value; for our own
part we prefer that the line of
Fig. 31.—Straight Face (Arab Stallion)
the face, when viewed in profile,
should be neither uniformly straight nor convex, but commencing above
in a bold forehead, should gently recede in its course downward and
again rise to slight convexity over the lower region of the
nose, giving t°
this aspect of the head a gentle and
graceful undulation (fig. 32).
While making observation i11
profile it is requisite to note that the
branches of the lower jaw should
be broad and deep, since they gH
attachment both within and without
to the most powerful of the muscles
of mastication. Moreover, viewed
from behind they should be set well
apart and clear of the neck, so tba*
Fig. 32.—Undulating Face
the larynx or upper portion of th6
windpipe, which is situated between
them, as well as the pharynx or throat, may have ample space in which
to move while the head is being bent, or turned sharply from side to
side.
Undue narrowness of this region, when occurring in horses with short,
fleshy necks, tends to embarrass breathing, especially when the animal is
tightly reined up. In some high-couraged and nervous animals of this
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41
FORM OF THE HEAD
•conformation, respiration becomes loud under exertion, and may even emi
a distinctly roaring noise.
                                                                    .           ,
Although not defects in the sense of interfering with function ana
utility, there are to be noticed certain extremes and irregularities m tie
lines of conformation of the head
which seriously detract from its
beauty both of symmetry and ex-
pression.
In this connection the face may
be immoderately and uniformly
■convex from the forehead above to
the nostrils below, when it is said
to be arched (fig. 33)—a type of
conformation at one time common in
the English draught-horse, but now
fast disappearing under the segis of
the show-yard and the stud-book.
Fig. 33.—Arched Face
Undue prominence commencing be-
tween the eyes and extending to the same point constitutes the Koman
frose (fig. 34), to which the same observations apply. The reverse con
dition, in which the face is hollowed, is sometimes spoken oi as disliea
(Plate V, fig. 1).                                       .
latter formation, function is more or less
interfered with under severe exertion, and
the powers of endurance are in some
degree curtailed. Moreover, such animals
are often said to be roarers in consequence
of the narrowed nostrils rendering the
breathing loud and coarse. They are not
however, roarers in the proper sense of
the term.
The face may be rendered irregular
and even unsightly by an undue promi-
nence of the lower forehead, which it
Fig. 34.—Roman Nc
may be noted is usually associated with
narrowness of the part and gives the face a heavy, ill-natured exPres"
sion. Especially is this so where the eyes are small and laid back m
the orbit. A rise in the face between the eyes (fig. 35), when consider-
able, not only affects the contour of the face and detracts from its beauty,
but is regarded by some as significant of temper if not of vice, the truth
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
42
of which, says Captain Hayes in his excellent work on TJie Points of the
Horse, "I have seen verified in many instances".
Ears.—Besides the special function for which they are designed,
the ears are not only an element of
beauty, but by their movements
serve to indicate the emotions and
temperament of the animal. Their
effectiveness as a mark of beauty
will be influenced very much by the
transverse diameter of the poll, and
the manner in which they are set
on, as well as by their form, dimen-
sions, and carriage.
When well set apart on a fairly
broad crest and carried with a gentle
Fig. 35.—Forehead prominent between the Eyes
inclination forward without being ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
either upright and staring, or too dependent and heavy, they set oft' a
well-formed head to the greatest advantage. As to length, connoisseurs
U
are not exactly in agreement, some
extolling the excellence of short
ears, and others of long ones. There
can be no doubt, however, that
with this, as with all other organs,
they must be in harmony with
related parts. A long head with
short ears is as unsightly as when
the proportions are reversed, and
$
the disfigurement is materially
added to in either case where they
present a broad, thick, fleshv char-
acter and an investment of coarse
hair. Ears of medium length and
width, thin, flexible, neither too
pointed nor too rounded at the
__________________________________
Fig. 36.—Long Ears
tip, well set up on a good base,
active and alert, are not only
marks of good breeding, but impart to the face an expression of lightness,
brightness, and intelligence.
In most horses the temperament finds expression in the movement
and disposition of these organs. In the nervous and excitable they »re
ever erect and respond to every sound, moving vigorously from one
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LENGTH OF THE HEAD
position to another with rapid succession; while m the du               0.eneral
their movements are slow and not easily awakened, and
carriage is heavy and drooping.                                                          n, forms
The backward set of the ears is frequently indicative ot v we,
a feature in the kicker and the rogue, but is also seen habitual!}
of the best-tempered and most tractable of animals.
                    .,. , feature
The general activity in the movement of the ears is a stiiK g            ^
in the case of blind horses, whose sense of hearing would seem
more and more acute as the loss of sight becomes more ^^ ^ kept
sound engages the attention where vision is lost, and
in a state" of constant activity, moving fast in one direction and the
another, the head at the same time being inclined in th* dKectx
- that, to bring the ears more immediately m line with the our<*
-und. Moreover, in these cases the head is carried high, andt
^hs, wHch are raised well from the ground, appear to dwel^
Ward movement, or in other words, the horse --eysjhe ^
°* feeling his way, and lacks the free, bold forward action ot
Perfect vision.
LENGTH OF THE HEAD
A head otherwise proportionate to the body may exhibit excess or
deficiency of development in the direction of its length, ,e ri *-7
too long or too short. All Continental observers have ae eptedJt
conclusion of the distinguished Frenchman Bourgelat, ^ t* o ^
half times the length of the head should be equal to the d tance^ Iron
the withers to th! ground and from the point of the ^^™
point of the buttock If the head fails to equal these *™°T^
is said to be too short, and if it exceeds them it is too long. _Captam
fiayes avers that a more practical rule is to compare tfo.length t*
head with the depth of the body at the lowest point ot the bacK.
a well-shaped horse", he observes, "which is not in gross condition these
two measurements are very nearly equal.
There can be little doubt that any great excess of length irl this part
situated as it is at the extremity of the neck, would not only disturb the
harmony of conformation, but by adding to its weight expose the toie
limbs to additional wear. It is also conceivable that by displacing the
centre of gravity forward it would in some degree restrict their liberty o
action and adversely influence the pace. Moreover, horses with this tauit
are liable to carry themselves indifferently and to bear unduly on the
bridle. While this disproportion is specially objectionable in the saddle-
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44                                CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
horse and the harness-horse, it is not so in the draught-horse, where any
extra weight at the end of the cervical lever may be turned to good account
by being thrown into the collar as a means of traction.
The disadvantage of excessive length will be somewhat modified when
the head is set on a short neck, and aggravated when it is attached to a
long, lean one. A head too short, although a fault of proportion, presents
some compensating advantages in its lightness and greater mobility.
COUPLING OF THE HEAD
Given a well-formed head, the next point of importance is the manner
of its adjustment or attachment to the neck. However good it may be W
proportion and outline of form, if it is badly hung the general appearance
of the animal will be seriously impaired.
A head should be attached on to the neck and not into it: the angle of
the jaw should stand clear away from the throat, which should meet the
head at a nice curve and not at an
acute angle. When the former rela-
tions exist, the line of demarcation
between the one and the other is
marked by a well-defined groove
extending from below the ear down-
ward to the throat, and the carriage
and movements of the head in every
direction are executed with freedom
and enjoy ample range of action-
The two principal departures °r
defects of conformation which occur
Fig. 37.—Head loosely Coupled
here consist in (1) too loose and
{2) too close coupling. In the former the head is too disconnected from
the neck or loosely hung (fig. 37), the groove referred to above is deep
and wide, and commonly the neck is long and wanting in strength and
muscularity. This defect of conformation is frequently seen in horses
light in the middle, long in the leg, of irritable temperament, and wanting
in general muscular development and vigour of constitution. Many of such
are roarers. In the latter the attachment of the head to the neck is close
and deep from poll to throat, the intervening groove is superficial, narrow*
and ill-defined, and the union of the two parts is close and compact (fig- 38/'
Such a conformation not only detracts from the beauty of the fore end,
but seriously curtails the range and liberty of movement of the head &
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45
COUPLING OF THE HEAD
t               oc+W heavy xn haxxd,
every direction. Moreover, horses so made are mosuiy m> j
besides being stiff and ungainly in their side movements                  0 le8B
The direction of the head in relation to beauty and usefulness xs ^
important than its mode of attachment, and it will be correct tos^ ^
tbe one is in some degree influenced by the other. It may be 1
8tate precisely what is the most classical disposition of the neaa ^
f sPect, but we agree in the suggestion of Goubaux and Barrier **»*
he^ has a good as well as a natural direction when it extends oblxquely
Mom above to below, from before to
)eWd, and forms with the ground
surface an angle of about 45 degrees"
\H 26).
*his position, besides being fa-
curable to an extensive range of
Nlsl()lh gives the animal a good view
01 the ground before him over which
Le is travelling, and at the same time
coiifidence and safety in movement.
The disposition of the head is
v,ry considerably influenced by the
1 '"''formation of the neck. In that con-'
Fig. 38.—Head close-coupled
?&«* known as " ewe-neck" (fig. 42)                                                           
U gently assumes a horizontal direction, or, to use a stable phrase, x.
"ncd with the nose more or less " poked out".             /
,. Xt results from this attitude that bridle control xs very matexially
^W or may be altogether lost, on account of the too backwaudx^
1' m,,,»1^t of the bit which is made to act either directly on the angles ot
6 ^h, or, what is worse, on the first molar teeth.
. ^"tempered horses of this type are apt to seize the bit xn
Moreover,
?
■ *" wnicn case an uhcuijjuo ^ *.~~~------ -                                           ,.orm
, ,. -«*Um of the line of vision being set high, obstacles and irregu-
rtles on the ground surface immediately before them are lxable to
°Ve^oked, in which case stumbling becomes habitual and dangerous
iVlM,,Po
— unectxon ot tne neaci appruuoueo mc y^^—- —          .,
rfion to the decree of curvature of the neck (fig. 39), and xn some
cases. wh
ere the latter is unduly arched, the former may even take an
,h,iwe direction from before, downward and backward, so that the cnm
18 ^le to approximate the breast. This conformation not only hinders
Pr°gression by displacing the centre of gravity backward, but the animal
becomes unsafe both on account of his liability to stumble and the difficulty
whxch, in extreme cases, is experienced in causing him to turn to the right
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
16
or to the left. For the purpose of draught the vertical disposition of the
head does not constitute a serious defect, but in animals used for riding
and driving purposes it is most objectionable. Among other reasons, the
range of vision in these cases
is restricted, and although the
ground immediately in front of
the animal is well in view, dis-
tant objects in the line of vision
are not so well observed. Horses
of the kind in question usually
bend their knees fairly well, but
the action is short and choppy>
and lacks liberty and range 01
shoulder movement.
CARRIAGE OF THE HEAD
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H The carriage of the head will
Fig. 39.-Head carried vertically
                   be determined for the most part
by the form of the neck and the
way in which it is connected with it. The most finished appearance IS
given to the animal when the head is carried well up, with a gentle slope
from above downward and forward, forming with the ground surface an
angle of about 45 degrees. In this position the field of vision is not
...                                                               j
restricted as when the head is directed straight out, or brought towards
a vertical position, or where, as sometimes occurs, the chin is directed
towards the breast. At such an angle, too, the head enjoys an amount
of freedom and mobility which would be impossible in certain extreme
. departures towards the vertical and horizontal as depicted in figs. 39 and
42. It will also be obvious that with the angle of the throat well open*
the larynx will have plenty of play and the breathing be correspondingly
facilitated. The head thus favourably placed confers the further advan-
tage on the rider and driver, of more complete restraint and guidance o)r
allowing the bit to fall upon the bars instead of being drawn into the
cheeks, where it may be seized by the " grinders " and removed beyond
their control.
When the head is carried well up in a natural manner, the elevation
of the shoulder and the forward swing of the fore-limb as a whole ar6
greatly increased. Moreover, as we have elsewhere pointed out, by raising
the head the muscle attached to it (mastoido humeralis), which is mainly
concerned in lifting the shoulder, is made to contract through a greatei
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47
NECK
distance, and therefore to raise the limb correspondingly high and bring
it into position for the execution of a great forward stroke. Carried
f :l low Spending position, the head displaces the centre of gravity
forwards, encumbers the fore-limbs, diminishes both speed and action, ana
robs the horse of the most elegant feature of his fore end.
NECK
^part from any consideration of mechanical advantage which it m:
confe* on a horse as a living motor, a good neck is an attractive feature
eve*7 variety, from the
                                                                       jJ
fattest pony to the
heaviest" shire". It is
unv^'er, in the drivina.
*0rse and the saddle-
h;,1'Se ** the special
r^1- ^d beauty
Whch * » capable of
•^Parting are more es-
pemlly demanded; but
Xt must ^ observed that
1U associating these two
^Pea it is not intended
to convey the idea that
;h,ic°nfigUratioriofneck
*f suited to the one
r1,1 ^ -dually ap-
!;:;;,,n;itc to the Ul,
, that either would
;, ^apted to the horse
^^^H On
,....., irary, in each                                pjo- 40 —Swan Neck
^.^ neck must be
swucted to meet the special purposes for which the animal is intended.
diff f°rm of tlie neck, as everyone knows, varies very considerably in
he eten* animals, and also in the same animal at different periods of life;
d°Ce,lt is designated arched (Plate I, fig. 2) when the upper border
s °nbes a convexity along its whole length from the poll to the withers;
n-"<-ck (fig. 40) when the curve is confined, as in the neck of the
,**?' to the superior part; straight (fig. 41) when the superior and inferior
is
orders are rectilinear; and ewe-neck (fig. 42) when the upper border i
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
48
concave. The form of the neck not only influences the carriage of the head?
but may in some measure conduce to speed and modify action. The lasti
two varieties are especially favourable to rapid movement since
they
allow of a more considerable extension of the head beyond the base ol
support than the others.
When the neck is arched the head is disposed towards the vertical
position, sometimes so much so as to materially limit the range of vision, s0
that objects at a distance are not observed. Moreover, " the arched and
the swan neck, by their ten-
dency to curve the vertebrae n1
the shape of an S, diminish
the length of the neck, move
the centre of gravity backward;
and are more favourable to it&
elevation and depression a&
well as to the lateral displace-
ment of the trunk. They als°
offer advantages in the saddle-
horse, in which grace,
bril-
liancy, and extent of move-
ment are preferred" (Gouban*
and Barrier). Arching of t^e
neck, although for the nrost
part a natural conformation >
Fig. 4i.-straight Neck
                         may also be imparted by aP'
propriate schooling, or increase
where it already exists. The training resorted to for this purpose has tn
further advantage that the various manoeuvres of which it consists imp.ar
to the neck a suppleness and mobility which greatly enhance the rapid1*/'
elegance, and precision of the animal's movements altogether.
CARRIAGE
Whatever may be the form of the neck, the appearance as well as tne
special fitness of an animal for any particular purpose will be greatly lD'
fluenced by the manner in which it is carried.
In this connection it will be found to vary towards the high or veX'
tical position on the one hand, or the low or horizontal position on tn
other. In either direction extreme examples are objectionable, although
estimating the extent of depreciation from either cause, compensating c° -
ditions, if any exist, must be fully taken into account. A neck well earn
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Plate III.
SHORT NECK
LONG NECK
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49
CARRIAGE
not only lightens and brightens the outlook of a horse, but it gives him an
expression of energy and courage. Moreover, in this attitude the head
ives ample natural support, is light on the rein, and relieves the hands
of the rider or driver of an objectionable and tedious burden so common m
animals otherwise formed. There is the further advantage in an elevated
triage of the neck, that the muscle chiefly concerned in raising the arm
{wastoido humeralis, fig. 43), and which is connected above with the head,
enjoys a greater range
of contraction by vir-
tue of its increased
length, and by bring-
ing the shoulder well
up increases in a cor-
responding measure
the upward and for-
ward movement of
the limb as a whole.
It conduces, indeed,
to that free shoulder-
play and fine knee
action which all
lovers of horses so
much admire and
enjoy.
The "nagsman"
with his sharp bit,
the "runner" with his
raised hand propping
up the horse's chin,
and the coachman
Fig. 42.—Ewe Neck
with his overdraw
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^J check-rein, all recog-
' tlle influence of an uplifted neck on the action of the fore-limbs; but
Bauat be 110teci tliat whjie these artificial devices conduce to a more
0 fcy action they at the same time shorten its range, and, by imposing
*straint on the head and neck, deprive the gait of the liberty and elegance
m°venient displayed in a natural carriage.
. , "ith the neck directed forward and carried in a more depending position
18 otlierwi.se. Here the head hangs heavily on the neck, the shoulder
,u'll<»n is restricted, there is a lack of mobility, and the animal is heavy in
llllul = and may be hard in the mouth and difficult to guide. Beyond this
Vol. i.         j                                                                                                                              4
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50
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
to its
to the neck in
some consideration will require to be gi1
regard
length and volume.
A neck too long or too short not only disturbs the harmony of propor-
tion, but impairs to a greater or less extent the mechanical properties of
the machine. TJn-
due length is
not
infrequently asso-
ciated with a slight
muscular develop-
ment, giving to
this region a gaunt,
slender appear-
ance. Moreover,
it possesses the
further fault of
imposing on the
fore extremities an excess
of weight, thereby imped-
ing action and increasing
the wear and* tear of the
limbs. More especially is
this the case wThere the
neck is carried in a for-
ward direction. To some
extent the disadvantage of
a long neck is compensated
by an erect carriage, which;
by displacing the centre oi
gravity backward, lightens
the burden in front, and
at the same time gives a
light and easy hold to
the rein. While recog-
nizing the objectionable
Fig. 43.—The Mastoido-humeralis Muscle
A, Attachment to head. B, Body of the muscle, c, Attachment to
the humerus or upper arm bone
le
features of excess, amp
length is
nevertheless iB'
dispensable to speed, action, and brilliant carriage.
In the race-horse a long neck is especially requisite, for, as we have seeH>
the range of action of wdiich the shoulder is capable, and the forward move-
ment of the fore-limbs, will be mainly determined by the length of the
muscle (mastoido humeralis), which, starting above from the back of the
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CARRIAGE                                                  51
is l,,'thVwtef J>y,theulenStl1 of the neck. The neck in some respects
maintaimnenTK
         balaneing-pole is to the gymnast, viz. a means of
ments- Tltis iU "Um °f the bod7 in the performance of its varied move-
'Sicl1' "1 the walk + i 8l7 iUustrated in the swing of the neck from side to
Posture, it8 ran-'l i Vatl0n when the body "» raised from the recumbent
rigl't or to the left nati°n fr°m °ne side to the other in turning to the
lt U) respond n^tl Ample lenSth gives pliability to the neck, and enables
passes from one1m regulating the centre of gravity while the body
eils.v of control anftltude to an°ther. Moreover, it renders the animal
qualities which tl lmparts to the movements steadiness, ease, and grace—
1)e Avorth anytV nding"horse and the driving-horse should both possess
A short neck flng
men
t, i10r to tl' 0r reasons stated above, is not conducive to rapid move-
l,r,!Portions. ^ mobility of the body which is seen in more extended
^uscular develop016^61*' kck of length is usually identified with great
Phability, jt . Pment, by which the part is rendered heavy and wanting in
SJtllei' inconsiste^ ^ ^ understood tbat shortness in this region is alto-
01 action in the f ,Wlth a fast Pace' but since in this condition the range
^erefore be o-re ^'l11*138 is considerably diminished, its repetition must
^Vear and +
         lncreased to make up the difference, thus adding to
In the drauT °f b°th b°dy and legS'
attribute is th"8lt"norse' whose movements are slow, and whose highest
Sulting from a 8hnergy and P°Wer he Can put forth' any disadvantage re-
massiVe and stro ^ ^^ ^ comPensated wbere the muscles clothing it are
I>e,side8 th l g"
f0l'Ul *3l not^os"8-11 and Carriage of the neck> the exPert Judge of horse
°rU8cular 11Cck 0Se sight of the importance of its mass. A strong, heavy,
6eD' UQ attrib 6 °aSe °f tke sl°w-moving draught-horse is, as we have
P^ose f0r ^* of strength, and therefore a condition suited to the
0 hunter, and th £ &nimal is required; but to the race-horse, the chaser,
|Vl11 Qot only int ,? k any surPlus weight attached to the cervical lever
J6ai; °f the fore-p1 v,re ^^ Progression> but materially add to the wear and
lr*fhcated should11}! ^ these and °tlier reasons tbe neck in the cases
k '^ tlle same t ^^ Hgllt without being weak> and carried well up.
°sfc e°nditi0ns lme ** is su™iounted by a well-proportioned head the
appertaining to this region will be secured.
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52                                CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
THE WITHERS
As we have elsewhere indicated, the withers comprise that more or less
elevated portion of the spine situ-
ated between the back and the neck,
and supported on either side by the
upper extremity of the shoulders.
In form, extent, and character they
are liable to considerable variation,
according to the age, sex, and type
of the animal. In early life this
region is but slightly marked, but
it becomes more and more con-
spicuous as the animal advances
towards maturity, and the bony
framework is developed. It is more
prominent in the male than in the
female, and more sharply outlined
in the gelding than the stallion.
The character of the withers,
although somewhat variable in the
members of each class, is very
much influenced by breed. In the
thoroughbred they are marked by
considerable elevation and refine-
ment, while in the commoner breeds
they are more or less low, fleshy, and
thick. Between the two extremes
there are numerous intermediate
forms. When the withers are
high, and thin from side to side,
they are spoken of as being "fine"
or sharp. When they are low
and thick, they are described as
coarse.
Height of the Withers.—The
height of this region is determined
for the most part by the length ot
the dorsal spines, and their pr°"
minence above the level of the
Fig. 4
A, Vr»ndior upknee.or lon
pedis or foot bone. L, Rib.
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Plate iv.
HIGH WITHERS
LOW WITHERS
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THE WITHERS
53
scapular cartilages will be in proportion as the fore part of the body is
suspended higher or lower between the fore extremities.
Keference to fig. 44 will explain how the trunk, suspended by muscles
etween the two front legs, may vary in height in different animals, and
1 > m consequence, the withers are rendered more or less prominent.
Fig. 45.—Ligamentnm Nuchse
A, Cordiform portion. B, Lamellar or flat portion, c, Attachments to dorsal spines.
Nos. 1 to 7, Cervical Vertebrae.
e elevation of a increases the height of the withers in proportion
e trunk is set higher or lower between the supports bb.
e importance of the withers as an element of conformation will be
K Understood when considered in respect to their anatomical relations,
y reference to fig. 45 it will be seen that the great elastic ligament
gives passive support to the head and neck is implanted into the
its of the bones forming this region.
|\/r        It.                                  o                    o
scles which raise the head and neck, and move it from side to side,
as well a «<->+!.
         i •
i                others which elevate the shoulder and extend the spine, are
t nected with it. The freedom and energy with which these parts
the K 6 acting is greatly increased when the withers are high, since
Y lever upon which they act is lengthened, and their contraction
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
54
is rendered more effective in its results. In addition to being high, the
withers should also be ample in length from before to behind, and sloped
so as to fall well into the back.
Ample depth and backward inclination of the shoulder are usually
found where the withers are high and sloping. Under these conditions it
results that the head is well carried,
the fore end heightened, the play of the
shoulder increased, and greater liberty
is given to the entire body. It must,
however, be noted that the advantages
of height in this region will be more or
less discounted in riding-horses if the
withers are unduly thin, owing to the
difficulty in protecting them against
injury by the saddle.
Coarse Withers are characterized
by undue thickness, besides which they
are usually low and wanting in length
and backward slope.
In animals so constructed the head
and neck are badly carried, the shoulders
lack liberty and range of movement, and
the action of the fore-limbs is restricted.
Moreover, withers when low (Plate IV,
fig. 2) and coarse are exposed to in-
jury from forward displacement of the
saddle, and the imposition of undue
weight on the fore-limbs not only impairs
the action, but adds materially to the
Fig. 46.—Section through the Withers
A, Rhomboideus. B, Cervical trapezius, c, Lon-
gissimus dorsi. D, Scapula. B, Infra spinatus.
F, Panniculus. G, Latissimus dorsi. H, Serratus
magnus. I, Interspinals dorsi. 3. Levatores cos-
tarum. K, Transversalis costarum. L, Serratus
anticus. M, Skin.
wear and tear of the legs. It must not,
however, be concluded that the indiffer-
ent qualities referred to are necessarily
identified with coarseness. We fi'e~
quently see horses with thick, coarse
withers but still possessing ample height, length, and obliquity, and maybe
a well-disposed shoulder, which, however, it should be observed, has the
defect of being always more or less loaded. In these examples the necK
also tends to coarseness, and although the action of both shoulders and
knees may be ample, it is usually of the heavy-dwelling order, and badly
sustained. Coarseness of this region is often identified with animals o
a low type, which, while being deficient in energy, display a marked ten-
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Plate V.
SHORT BACK, DISHED FACE
LONG BACK
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55
THE BACK
dency to fatten, and a " soft", or, as it is sometimes expressed, a " washy"
constitution. Horses of this cast are difficult to "condition", and lack
power of endurance.
In the cart-horse, whose movements are slow and whose value centres
in the power he is capable of developing in draught, coarseness of the
withers, indicating as it does great muscular development, is a point of
excellence rather than a defect; and when, in addition, this region is
of good height and length, the mechanical advantage is still further
enhanced.
A glance at fig. 46 will assist in explaining the conditions which
determine the coarseness or fineness of the withers.
From the above it will be seen that in the anatomical composition
of this region there are a variety of structures. Centrally placed appear
the spines of the vertebrae; outside these, right and left, a quantity of
muscular tissue, being parts of several muscles here belonging; then
come the scapular cartilages, followed by another layer of muscle, and
finally the skin which encloses the whole. It is to these parts, and to
the fibrous tissue which binds them together, that the withers owe their
thickness or thinness, and in proportion as they are more or less bulky
will the one or the other condition prevail.
THE BACK
The back is essentially the weight-bearing region, and as such is of
the first importance to the utility and beauty of the horse. Moreover,
it is through the spinal column that the body is propelled by the hind
extremities in its forward movements, and by the muscles which clothe
it that the trunk is raised from end to end, and the weight imposed
upon it supported in executing the different paces.
The extent of the back is limited in front by the withers, behind by
the loins, while its width is determined by the arches of the ribs.
Length.—It is generally conceded by the best judges of horses that
the back should be short,- but what degree of shortness is desirable is a
question upon which writers at any rate are not in agreement. " In
all cases", says Captain Hayes, " the horse's back and loins should have
the appearance of being as short as possible", and most authors who have
writ!en on this subject pretend that shortness of the back constitutes
its beauty. H. Bouley has very judiciously asserted that this pro-
position is too absolute. " A very short back is not desirable except
in animals destined to carry heavy weights, as the shaft-horse, the
pack-horse, and the saddle-horse."
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
56
In this we quite concur, recognizing that a back too short not only
brings the anterior and posterior limbs too much in proximity with each
other and reduces the base of support, but by diminishing the length
of the muscles which act upon the limbs from the trunk and the great
propelling muscles of the back, materially reduces the capacity for
Beyond this, the back, when unduly short, although possessing great
stability and power, lacks the suppleness and elasticity which more
extended proportions afford. It should also be pointed out that the
length of the chest being in conformity with the length of the back,
which forms its roof, any deficiency in the latter will materially diminish
the capacity of the former. In this connection, however, some compen-
sation may be assured if the chest be deep and the ribs well arched.
A back of too great length is an evidence of weakness, and is
frequently associated ° with legginess, lightness of muscle, and want of
stamina. It lacks solidity and resistance to the weight imposed upon
it, and under stress of work tends to become depressed and hollow. The
disadvantages of a long back are minimized when it is wide and muscular,
and supported by short, strong loins. Ample width is at all times
essential to a good back. Any shortcoming m this respect is identified
with corresponding deficiency of power in the back muscles, and narrow-
ness of the chest. When this region is very narrow the spinal ridge is
prominent and sharp, and liable to injury from the saddle, which is
always badly carried; moreover, the sides are flat and the chest conse-
quently deficient in capacity.
Loins.—The loins comprise that portion of the spine interposed
between the back in front and the croup and haunches behind. Below,
it is in relation with the flanks.
« Whatever may be the work the animal is destined to perform, the
loins should be as short as possible, a condition of solidity important
to recoo-nize, because the lumbar vertebra have no support laterally from
the ribs as in the case of the backbones, being simply articulated one
with the other. Its shortness also favours the impetus transmitted by
' the posterior limbs to the spine, because it lessens the elasticity and
mobility of the structures through which the force of impulsion must
pass As to the relation of the entire length of the dorso-lumbar region
the back should be long and the loins short, especially in saddle- and
pack-horses."—Goubaux and Barrier.
When the loins are short and the ribs approximate to the hauncn,
the animal is said to be "well ribbed up". A long, weak loin, by
separating these parts, increases the width of the flanks and gives the
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Plate VI.
BACK HOLLOW FROM AGE
BACK NATURALLY HOLLOW
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57
DIRECTION OF THE BACK AND LOINS
appearance of slackness, hence the common expression, " slack in the
loin". Horses so constructed are said to "want a rib".
DIRECTION OF THE BACK AND LOINS
The line described by these regions will be found to vary to a con-
siderable extent in different individuals. In some it is straight, in others
more or less curved in an upward or downward direction.
A straight back is the one universally recognized by judges as com-
bining the greatest measure of power with the most perfect freedom and
scope of action.
An upward curve of the back is described as a roach back (Plate VIII).
Most writers appear to agree that this condition is specially adapted
to the purpose of bearing weight, but it presents several important
disadvantages. In animals so constructed the back is shortened by the
upward curvature, and the great spinal muscles are said to be wanting in
development—two conditions distinctly opposed to great range and rapidity
of movement. Captain Hayes points out that as a rule in these cases the
" chest is flat-sided", but Goubaux and Barrier aflirm that it is " incorrect
to associate this condition with flat ribs and a narrow chest". Between
the two statements there is a medium which best accords with the experi-
ence of the waiter, and it may be expressed by saying that sometimes
roach-backed horses are flat-sided.
In both light and heavy draught-horses this defect is sometimes
acquired by beino- forced into heavy and prolonged work at an early
period of life, while the bones and ligaments of the spine are imperfectly
developed. Horses thus deformed are said to be " pulled out of shape".
Whether congenital or acquired, however, this arching of the back is
seldom found to interfere with the services of the shaft-horse whose
work does not call for rapid locomotion. It is an eyesore, and as such
materially depreciates the value of the animal in which it occurs.
The back is hollow or saddle-backed when it describes a downward
curve (Plate VI). Here the bones of the spine are depressed, either as the
consequence of some disturbance in the course of development, or from
relaxation of the ligaments by which they are united and supported. In
this type of horse the vertebrge lack firmness of union, the back as a whole
is wanting in rigidity and power of resistance, with the result that the
weight,
instead of being borne by the bones, is in too great part supported
V   the connecting ligaments, which, when overburdened, yield, and
V  so doing add to the existing defect. Not only is the superimposed
Weight badly sustained, but, owing to want of solidity in the spine, the
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58                                CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
force of the impulses transmitted to it in progression by the hind
extremities is greatly diminished. It is for these reasons that sway-backed
animals lack the power and pace of others more perfectly constructed.
This condition, like the roach-back, may result when horses are sub-
jected to hard work and heavy burdens during their colthood. It is also
developed in very old animals, whose back muscles, becoming wasted and
weak, fail in their support of the spine and the weight imposed upon it.
In considering this defect it must not be overlooked that hollowness of
the back is in many cases more apparent than real. Horses with lofty
carriage, prominent withers, and high croup often give the appearance of
hollowness, although the back may be anatomically and physiologically
perfect, and a similar false appearance will result if the spines surmounting
the vertebrae in this region are exceptionally short and the muscles slightly
developed.
In any case hollowness of the back, whether real or only apparent, is
an eyesore. In the former case it is a serious defect as well, insomuch as
it diminishes the capacity to race, or jump, or carry weight. Horses thus,
formed are more especially adapted for harness purposes.
THE CROUP
The croup comprises that part of the body situated between the loins.
and the setting on of the tail. It extends on each side as far as the upper
part of the thighs and buttocks. The pelvis, which together with the sacrum
forms the bony base of this region, although entering into the formation of
the trunk, must nevertheless be regarded as parts of the hind extremities.
corresponding with the scapulas or shoulder-blades of the fore-limbs.
The coxse or uppermost bones of the posterior limbs are united
together below, and joined to the sacrum or terminal portion of the spine
above. By this arrangement a firm and compact union is effected between
the leg and the trunk, so that the impulses from behind may be imparted
to the entire body, through the articulation of the femur or thigh-bone
with the pelvis.
To the horse as a living motor the construction and development ot
this region is of supreme importance.
In galloping, jumping, rearing, as well as in draught, those vigorous
efforts which enter into the highest expression of speed and power are
mainly produced by the action of the muscles of the croup on the upper
and lower thigh. How far that action may be effective in the one case or
the other will depend upon the mechanical arrangement of the parts.
Length and width are qualities to which the croup owes its chief beauty
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PLATE VII.
:;,*** *'f-: |=
E»X -~. ■'.. *.*e£m
STRAIGHT CROUP
SLOPING CROUP
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59
THE GROUP
and power. All horses, whatever their type and purpose, should possess
these attributes in a high degree, and of course in proportions best adapted
to the particular services required of them. In the race-horse an extended
croup is of the first importance to the development of a high rate of speed.
"The muscles are then long, and their range of contraction and power over
the bony levers on which they act is correspondingly great. In the heavy
draught-horse great length is not an essential quality, but, other things
being equal, an extended croup is a feature much to be desired, since it not
only adds to the beauty of the animal as a whole, but materially increases
the liberty and scope of action of the hind-limbs.
Just as length is identified with speed, so is width related to power;
hence it becomes of the first importance that in horses designed for heavy
work the pelvis should be broad, thus affording ample space for the attach-
ment of large, powerful muscles.
Here it should be pointed out that the full width of the coxae or pelvis
is not always accurately expressed in the transverse diameter of the croup,
inasmuch as any marked downward slope or lateral inclination of the
former will tend to reduce the width of the latter; but since m these
circumstances the width of the bones remains the same and the muscles are
undiminished in volume, it is not of material importance to the horse as a
living motor.
As we have already observed, ample width is essential in all classes ov
horses, but in the lighter breeds excess in this direction becomes a fault,
more or less serious in proportion as it is great. A croup too wide imparts
to the action behind a heavy, rolling character; the movements of the limbs
are thus made to dwell, and progression is impaired.
In the slow-moving draught-horse this is of no importance, but m those
employed for riding and driving purposes it is a serious defect. A narrow
croup, although less objectionable in the latter than the former, is in both a
sign of weakness.
Besides length and width, the direction of the croup also exercises con-
siderable influence in determining the aptitude of the horse for particular
service.
The highest point of this region occurs immediately behind the loins
where the internal angles of the ilia or haunch-bones are firmly united
with the sacrum or terminal portion of the spine. Thence it proceeds
more or less obliquely in a backward and downward course. Everyone
recognizes the great variation existing in the degree of inclination of
this region, but few appreciate the nature of its influence on the peculiar
mechanical endowments of the animal.
The slope of the croup is in one way or another governed by the slope
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
GO
of the pelvis, which forms its bony base; and although it is impossible to
define the precise measure of power or speed which may be evolved under
different degrees of inclination, it is fully recognized that while the former
of these two forces is favoured by great obliquity, the latter is best de-
veloped by a direction approaching the horizontal.
When the conformation of this region is marked by great obliquity the
horse is designed to " employ great force at a slow pace, while with the
croup disposed horizontally he is capable of developing great speed, but
fails when called upon to carry weight or cover a long course. For light
carriage work such a conformation may suffice, but it is not adapted for
heavy draught.
" Between these two extremes there are numerous intermediary types
which may with sufficient ease be grouped into three categories as follows:—
"1. Saddle-horses which are obliged to move a more or less heavy weight
carried on their back, at a sufficiently great velocity, whether at the trot
or the gallop. Those which are destined for the turf should have a croup
approaching the horizontal ideal of 25 degrees, but with a more oblique
ilium (30 degrees) for the purpose of giving solidity to the structures
anterior to it. Trotters are benefited by a somewhat more oblique
direction of the ilium (35 degrees). As to hunters and cavalry horses, used
exclusively under the saddle, and from which great strength of the loins
and posterior quarters but less speed are demanded, their croup should
have an intermediary position between the oblique croup of the draught-
horse and the horizontal one of the thoroughbred. . . .
"2. Driving-horses employed on the track or as animals of luxury, whose
exclusive gait is the trot without any weight on the back, can without
disadvantage have a horizontal croup.
" This is appreciated as a quality of beauty and fashion as well as for
its mechanical advantages in rapid locomotion.
" 3. In draught-horses for fast, heavy work or mixed motors, combining
at the same time force from their bulk and their muscular power and a
certain speed from their relative muscular activity ... a croup slightly
more inclined than that of the cavalry horse or the trotting horse will
fulfil the required conditions". (Goubaux and Barrier).
Excessive inclination or backward slope of the croup constitutes the
unsightly condition known as " goose-rump". Such a conformation, al-
though not inconsistent with ordinary work, is incapable of great speed.
In the heavy horse it is the least objectionable, for although by such
construction the force of impulsion is transmitted too much in the vertical
direction to yield its fullest effects, the powers of draught may still be very
considerable.
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PLATE VIII.
ROACH BACK
GOOD QUARTERS
SPLIT-UP
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61
THE BREAST
THE BREAST
The dimensions of this region are more especially interesting on account
°f its width, which by many is regarded as an indication of the size and
capacity of the chest. This, however, both observation and dissection have
proved not to be the case. The distance between the two first ribs varies
out little in animals of the same variety and size, although the actual width
Fig. 47.—Narrow Breast                                                   Kg- 48.—Broad Breast
of the breast may present very considerable differences in the same speci-
mens. The cause of this discrepancy will be found in the varying size of
the muscles, especially those which unite the fore extremity to the sternum
or breast-bone. When these are largely developed the pectoral region is
full, deep, and broad, and still more so if associated with general obesity.
W hen from any cause such an animal is made to waste as a consequence
°f disease or indifferent food, a difference in the transverse diameter soon
becomes apparent. It is not, however, to be understood that the size of
these muscles, and therefore the width of the breast, bears no relation to
the respiratory capacity, for " dense and vigorous muscles require a spacious
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62                                CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
thorax, whence it follows that the width of the pectoral region owing to
the volume of its muscles, should coincide with a certain degree of respua
tory power If therefore this region is narrow it becomes desirable to
dete- ne to what cause this narrowness is due whether to that of the
thorax directly or to the animal's condition." (Goubaux and Barrie.)
The same eminent authorities observe that horses endowed with speed
should be well open in front. A very narrow breast is always to be r-
warded as a defect of conformation. It indicates, they say, a feeble
rvX-nt of the muscular system and very often respiratory organs o
small amplitude » Captain Hayes, however, is of opinion tha a ra e-horse
cannot be too narrow in front, but he insists that his ^%^*
properly shaped and properly put on, and that the action m fiont shal
be true "f which may be taken to mean that he shall possess a fair amount
^Tgreattenefit could result to the function of respiration by the front
ribs being placed wide apart; too great width at this point, whether
from the°size of the muscles or from the space between the ribs, would be
a distinct mechanical disadvantage to horses of speed, for by separating the
fore-limbs it would unduly enlarge the base of support, and by disp acmg
the centre of gravity from side to side the forward impulses would be
weakened and the velocity diminished.
In heavy horses a deep, wide, muscular breast is a point of superior
excellence because it adds to the bulk and increases the power of draught,
in which slow but energetic movements are most essential.
CHEST AND ABDOMEN
Although having comparatively little concern directly with the
mechanism of locomotion, the chest and abdomen require the fullest
.consideration, not only in relation with the extremities by which they
are supported, but also in regard to the organs they enclose. In the
chest are contained the central organs of circulation and respiration,
heart and lungs; while the abdomen gives lodgment to the more volu-
minous apparatus devoted to the digestion and assimilation of the foot
It may be said, therefore, that these two regions which mamly compose
the trunk are specially related with those organs to whose physiological
activity the body owes its energy, whether expressed m the terms ol
"speed" or "force". It will be manifest from this that whatever may
be the type of horse, whether constructed for pace or power, the.high*
development attainable in these parts should be sought for As Goubau*
and Barrier observe, "The body containing the organs which are ^
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63
THE CHEST
essential to life . . . cannot be defective from ^^ ^J^°^
If disproportion seems to exist in the trunk compared to the limo , ^
tin- latter are not properly constructed to support the toimer,
generally, although excess may not be objectionable, the same cannot
said of deficiency of development.
                                                      u^+hnnt
« Our machine, having a weak chest and small abdomen, wil be wr^out
energy, without wind, and capable of very little exertion. Such an anrm
will be a poor feeder and will not last long."
                                                 ,
With reference to the general dimensions of the trunk, it need on y
be said here that ample depth and width throughout are of tt*ft
importance to continued soundness and endurance. Undue lengtn
• defect in so far as it can only be acquired by such an ^e* eJ
to length of the back as to place the muscles of the latter at a distinct
uu'lh— disadvantage in raising the forehand. Moreover, as po nte
-t by Captain Hayes, "The longer it is, the ^« «T^J^
^e- and hmd-limbs be from each other, and the less able will the annual
*» to carry Weight»5 or to move it. It is a point of conformation equally
objectionable in the heavier and in the lighter types of horses since the
solidity and strength o^ the back, so necessary in draught, is dmmishea
by undue length; and the action of the hind-limbs is transmitted with
less force along the spine.
THE CHEST
The cavity termed the thorax or chest has for its bony base the
dorsal vertebra above, the sternum or breast-bone below, and the nDS
«* either side. The spaces between the latter are tilled w by the
intercostal muscles. In front it is limited by the neck, and behind by
the diaphragm—a broad, flat muscle which intervenes between it and the
abdominal cavity.
The size and mobility of the chest walls, and consequently the volume
and breathing capacity of the lungs, are mainly due to the length and
disposition of the ribs, especially those situated behind the shoulder, where,
unlike those in front, the lower extremities have no fixed attachment
to the sternum below, and are greatly increased in length by the addition
of tapering rods of elastic cartilage (fig. 49). The movements of the
ribs in ordinary breathing tend to increase the size of the chest during
inspiration and to diminish it during expiration, but the manner in which
these changes are effected is not, as commonly supposed by some people,
Y tbe rising and falling of the ribs at right angles with the long axis
the body. It is foundj on tlie contrary, that when the chest expands
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
64
it does so by the ribs being drawn forward and outward, while at the
same time the intercostal spaces are enlarged by the separation of the
ribs one from the other. In contraction of the chest during expiration
these movements are reversed, the intercostal spaces becoming narrower
and the ribs being brought nearer together.
The extent to which the chest is capable of enlarging is much greater
behind, where the ribs are long and loosely connected below, than in
front, where they are shorter and more closely though
movably united to the breast-bone as well as to the
spine above. From these considerations it will be
seen that the power of expansion possessed by the
thorax is for the most part due to the length and
curvature of the posterior ribs, and it is for this
reason that ample scope is so much desired in this
region.
The points of special interest as affecting the
conformation of the chest are its dimensions in
respect to height, width, and length.
Height.—The vertical diameter of the chest is
spoken of by hippotomists as its height. This
dimension, although regulated by the length of the
ribs, is not necessarily in exact conformity with it,
"Fig. 49.—Two Ribs, showing at
a a the Costal Cartilages
but will be greater or less for ribs of given length
according to their degree of curvature. The greater
the curve described by the ribs the less will be
the distance between their two extremities, and consequently the less
will be the vertical diameter of the chest; but it should be noted that
any diminution in the vertical distance resulting from their convexity
will be added to the transverse diameter, and thus what is lost in height
is gained in width. Ribs of moderate length, but wanting in curvature,
may give a fairly deep chest, but the sides will be flat and the capacity
of the thorax small in consequence. As Cline has observed, the more
the chest departs from a cylindrical form the less becomes its capacity.
Ample depth in this region is commonly denoted by the position of the
sternum, which should come well down below the point of the elbow.
This, however, is not always a reliable indication, as the position of the
chest between the fore extremities may be set higher or lower by the
muscles which suspend it, just as the height of the withers, as we have
seen elsewhere, may be influenced by the same cause.
From what has been said it will be seen that it is of the first
importance to the beauty and utility of our subject that the ribs should
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65
THE CHEST
still i5' n0t °n^ t^lat ^e c^-est may he deep, but, more important
ba k- lat ** may wel1 arcned- Besides this they must be well inclined
sho ]?rd towards the haunch, to which the posterior or "back" ribs
be i near^ approximate. It is equally important that they should
strn t*. W^6 aPart an^ united by broad intercostal muscles. So con-
ttiove
A:
, the ribs will have plenty of play in their outward and forward
u ' ano- the capacity of the chest will be correspondingly large,
of i- , lortcoming in these respects imparts to the body an appearance
parla fS' legginess, and instability. The animal will be, in stable
and j' s^ach hi the loin ", badly " ribbed up ", and wanting in power
endurance.
With          yot observes that the distance between the summit of the
that 1 a ^e sternum in a well-formed chest should be greater than
Ca,)t, • Ween the sternum and the ground. Eeferring to this point,
ille;l, ■tiayes, in his work on The Points of the Horse, contrasts the
0ni J ents of the race-horse with those of the draught-horse, selecting
^h 11 e ano St. Simon as examples of the one, and the shire horse
re$ult f U1UD° and shire mare Chance as examples of the other. The
his measurements are given in the following table:—
Cheadle Jumbo.
Chance.
St. Simon.
Ormonde.
34 ins.
33 ins.
27-1 ins-
35 ins.
314 ins.
29 ins.
36J ins.
35^ ins.
W
a four-Vp
Was a / ar"°ld, and those of St. Simon in September, 1884, when
c°nditiOTl
It
e~year-old, and presumably both horses would be in racing
shiie 1, XiJ 1S no^' however, stated at what age or in what condition
Would
ttiate]
.Ses Were when their measurements were taken, and as this
la% affect the comparison, it is impossible, in the absence
of
to estimate the value and accuracy of the conclusions at
s||,,w a^-. ain Hayes has arrived. Both Cheadle Jumbo and Chance were
l0w
Conuit10n
ano if the measurements wTere taken while in the usual
'uteris} * 1UQ' no reliable conclusion could be drawn as to the relative
f°ttQ. j S °f the chest and limbs by comparison with horses in racing
referri
^engtb 0fVeieriln^ generally to the depth of chest as compared with
that << jf
            ln different types of horses, Captain Hayes points out
v0I,. T < take Ormonde as the highest type of the race-horse we
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
6ti
shall find that the distance from the top of his withers to his brisket,
if applied down his fore-leg, will reach from his brisket only to the
bottom of his fetlock. In the high-class Leicestershire hunter it will
come down to the middle of the pastern, in the heavy-weight hunter
to the coronet; in the artillery 'wheeler', or light cart-horse, to the
ground; and in a Cheadle Jumbo it will be four inches more in
length."
Width.—In the exercise of our judgment on this point it is necessary
to view the chest first from the front, whence the extent to which the
ribs project beyond the line of the shoulder will be noticed, and then by
standing first to the right and then to the left, before and behind respec-
tively, a more complete inspection may be made of its general contour.
The greatest width of this region will be found at a point corresponding to
about the eleventh rib. It is, however, to be understood that in estimating
the transverse diameter of the chest some consideration must be given
to the condition of the horse as to his state of obesity and muscular
development.
Very fat animals may display ample width and roundness for the
time being, only, however, to subside to the meanest proportions after
a brief period of ordinary work, or a change from sloppy food to hard
corn. Conversely, the standard of measurement presented by horses,
and especially young ones, when ill-done and emaciated, may lead to an
under-estimate of what the transverse measurement of the thorax may
be when they are in fair condition. To be able to appreciate these
discrepancies and to form a sound judgment of the actual dimensions
of this region is a qualification only to be acquired by long practice
and close observation.
LEGS
The legs are supports situated right and left of the anterior and
posterior extremity of the body respectively, hence they are distinguished
as front- and hind-limbs. They each comprise a column of bones
articulated together at irregular intervals, forming large, free-moving
joints, and besides supporting the trunk serve for the attachment of
muscles through whose agency the body is moved from place to place.
The muscular apparatus by which this is effected is confined to the upper
portion of the limbs, and by means of long tendons (fig. 12, p. 20) acts
upon and directs the movements of the bony segments below. By this
disposition of parts the lower portion of the leg is rendered light, and
enjoys as the result a freedom and liberty which could not otherwise have
been the case. The weight of muscles attached to the lower extremity oi
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Plate IX.
GOOD FORE-LEGS
WEAK FORE-LEGS
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67
LEGS
a long lever, such as the leg represents, would not only render the steps
heavy and the movements awkward, but it would also lower the centre of
gravity and seriously interfere with progression. Moreover, the grace and
elegance of form and action which the horse now possesses could not in
such circumstances exist.
Function of the Limbs.—Although the action of the fore and
bind extremities have much in common, their functions are in some
Aspects widely different. This might be inferred from the manner of
their attachment zo the trunk, the fore part of which is supported, as
n a sling, by muscles which con-
^eet it to the fore extremities.
% reference to fig. 44, p. 50, it
"^nl be seen that there is no joint
r solid union between the fore-
hmbs and the chest such as is
°und between the hind extre-
E-"
mities and the pelvis. In the
°rmer ease the scapula or blade-
ne moves freely over the sur-
aee of the ribs with which it is in
°0se contact, while in the latter
Ue head of the thigh-bone (fig. 50)
confined by strong ligaments
Un the cup-like cavity of the
Fig. 50.—Articulation of the Hip Joint
A A, Capsular or enclosing ligament. B, Round ligament.
0, Pubio-femoral ligament. D, Cotyloid ligament. E, Head
of femur.
j. *s> with which it forms the
an 1 U^' through which the hind-limbs transmit their propulsive efforts
Sect the forward movement of the body.
Wil] be noticed later that the weight borne by the front limbs
hav
is
^at sustained by the hind ones, and in addition to this they
a^so to receive and disperse the forcible impact from behind which
posed upon them in racing and jumping, and in a less degree
t,i -6 -, Wer paces. Their ability to meet these requirements is
r ed by the peculiar manner of their attachment to the trunk.
', as we have seen, is effected by muscles only, which permit the
& and propulsive force to fall upon the passive organs of locomotion
Th
1 . s' tendons, and ligaments—without exciting that violent reaction
would necessarily result had the scapula a fixed articulation with
unk, such as exists between the pelvis and the thigh-bone.
iU be seen, therefore, that besides being organs of support, the fore-
re specially designed to break and disperse the concussion to which
j re exposed in the more energetic movements of the body.
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CONFOKMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
68
As organs of propulsion they exercise but slight influence as compared
with the hind-limbs. Their greatest efforts in this connection are
developed in heavy draught (fig. 51), when "the body strongly in-
clined forward gives the fore-legs an oblique direction backward, which
permits them to push
against the collar to
which the shoulders
are energetically ap-
plied. It is by the
extension or opening
out of all the articu-
lar angles previously
semi-flexed that the
fore-limbs are able to
accomplish this result.
When they are di-
rected obliquely and
in an inverse direc-
Copyright 1887 by Eadweard Muybridge.              From "Animals in Motion" (Chapman & Hall)
Fig. 51.-Oblique Position of the Limbs in drawing a Load
tion, as is seen some-
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^              ^^^^^^^^^^^^ times at the begin-
ning of the effort of traction, the force which they exercise upon the trunk,
and therefore against the collar, is at its minimum. Traction forward can
be favourably executed only when the foot directed backward is fixed
against the roughness of the ground. This is observed in the draught-
horse as he moves his load; when the soil, the point of support, gives
way, the feet suddenly glide backward." (Goubaux and Barrier.)
THE SHOULDER
Of all the parts of a horse none perhaps come in for so much criticism
as the shoulder, and having regard to the influence it is capable of
exercising over the various phases of locomotion, and in safeguarding
the integrity of the limbs with which it is connected, no wonder can
be entertained that it should be made so much a matter of concern to
the breeder, the dealer, and the user of horses.
In this, as in most other regions, no single design can be made to
meet all purposes, and between the two extremes of conformation which
lend themselves respectively to speed and power some variation will neces-
sarily be found to exist. The measure of mechanical perfection either in
regard to the one requirement or the other being incapable of accomplish-
ment it must suffice to indicate the more salient features identified with each.
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69
THE SHOULDEK
. In estimating the form and character of this region due consideration
Wl11 require to be given to the general condition of the animal, which
^y very materially modify, if it does not altogether obliterate, the finer
Matures of the part. This is very much the case in young highly-fed
^0rses, and especially stallions and brood mares, in what is termed " show
Edition", whose tissues, loaded with fat, almost completely efface the
JUtllne and bony landmarks of the shoulder. To the real judge of horse
°^Q this is not of serious importance, for, recognizing the difficulty, he
?l11 endeavour to determine the extent of its boundaries by close obser-
vation of its movements and their relation to neighbouring parts, as the
Withers, the neck, the back, and the chest. In the reverse condition,
j^ether the spareness be the result of poverty or work, every part of
}e ^gbn becomes clearly defined, so that its general form, extent, and
lection may be fully made out.
°ne of the first essentials in the make-up of a horse is ample length
^e shoulder, in which a long blade-bone provides accommodation
and attachment for muscles of proportionate size. The greater the
ength of the latter the more they will be able to shorten during con-
.Action, and the greater will be the range of movement they will effect
jn the act of progression. A long shoulder is much to be desired in
^0l'ses of speed, and most of all in the thoroughbred. Without it the
jj do not develop that sweeping stride which distinguishes the race-
wTt" and the trotter- 0n the contraiT> *e action is short' cramPed'
'ln Ulg in elastic reaction, and conducive to concussion and wear of
*be limbs.
sn>piecessary as len§tn is t0 tlie velocifcy of the §ait'{t is only when
profitTented b7 obliquity (Plate X, fig. 2) that the shoulder can fully
horse t?
f" In a11 horses of whatever variety, from the heavv draugnt"
import° the boys' pony, ample inclination of the blade-bone is of primary
a lonwanCe" HlSh> sloping withers and a deep chest usually coexist with
In tv€ll~iuclined snoulder-
the f0         Condition the shoulder muscles are enabled to enhance greatly
extend9,1*1 m°Vement of the arm-bone, and to favour the elevation and
But 1 ^e entire l™!3-
sl0pino. ^ere are otlier advantages of equal importance arising out of
tlle ti| S-, Ulders—they impart liberty and elasticity to the gait, lighten
and w and save the limbs from the injurious effects of concussion
devel0 ,len§tri and o1:)liquity the shoulder should combine a well-
to th° ^metrical set of muscles, in volume and strength adapted
fecial services of the animal. In the race-horse, whose purpose
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?0                                CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
is speed any undue thickness in this situation will seriously detract from
LTgh ness of the forehand and prove an obstacle to both velocity and
endurance, besides adding materially to the wear and tear o the limbs
In a ess degree the same remarks will apply to the hack and the
light harness-horte, in whom thick, fleshy shoulders are not only an eye
sore, but greatly detract from the liberty and harmony of the gait by
<wp,•burdening the forehand.
TUsZl™ is often aggravated by the coexistence of coarse withers
and a neck surcharged with muscle.                                               ylinillflpr.
In the hunter and chaser, Captain Hayes observes, the shoulde
blades should be long and oblique, so as to enable him in the best possible
n atei to esist the shock of landing over a fence. On account of having
ST^^Sna of work to do, his shoulders should be more muscular
this special kina
                         The ^ of Mg shoulders bemg sloping
lm\tbt him to tat off' more cleverly at any obstacle than he
^ItJZ^-^t*^ range and rapidity of movement is
Intne ^aug                  1 th and obliquity of the shoulders are not
subordinate to.POW«, ff^M n                   \^                      at n0 timc
°f ^Tl^^oUoln^. AmpirienV, besides affording
cons titute aBenaaBd
                        ^              ^ ^^ ^ &
SitwS- well inclined increase the length, elasticity, and
all his weight into the collar. Since, however, "horses cannot be made
to fi the tvarness it would surely require but little ingenuity to make
tot^JTS horse; if at the same time due regard was paid to the
the harness n
                                      ^ ^ j wnatever ground of
aPPT!r"i„„U be observed that in some of the finest specimens of the
.■Shi' and "'C yd lie" a sloping shoulder is one of the leadmg
fenne ana _ v, y                                         ^d hmpness, and elastic
^flhehXt^ht—U- » sftihing contrast to the
«Wr stiltv wobble of those otherwise constructed.
ft niTtemains to notice that as mass is related to power, as length
is to speea the shoulder muscles of the heavy draught-horse should b
Ts tla possible, so that energy and weight together may operate
in the collar.
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PLATE X.
LONG SLOPING SHOULDER
STRAIGHT SHOULDER
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71
THE ABM
THE ARM
The arm is intimately connected with the lateral aspect of the chest,
and, like the shoulder-blade with which it articulates above, is completely
invested by muscles. The two regions being outwardly undistinguish-
able one from the other, some hippotomists have treated them together
as jointly forming the shoulder, and large numbers of practical horse-
men do not differentiate between them.
The bony base of the upper arm is supplied by the humerus, a some-
what massive bone whose superior extremity articulates with the scapula
to form the shoulder-joint, from which it proceeds obliquely backward,
and with the radius and ulna combines to form the elbow-joint.
The range of movement of the upper arm and the forward swing
01 the entire limb will very much depend upon its length, which should
be as great as possible so long as it is not out of proportion with the
Moulder.
Any discrepancy in this respect gives rise to relatively short shoulder
Muscles, whose limited contraction would restrict the movements of the
arm both in extent and freedom.
When the arm is unduly long the shoulder muscles are overtaxed,
and the forward movement of the limb is diminished.
There is besides this a lack of liberty in the action of animals so
constructed, and a disposition to stumble and to fall. When too short
the forearm is not sufficiently advanced, as a result of which the step
ls shortened and speed is diminished.
" On general principles the shoulder and the arm. should be long
absolutely, in order to be favourable to velocity; but with the same total
length of these two segments, it is necessary that the former should
be long and the latter short."—Goubaux and Barrier.
The force exercised by the fore-limb in the forward movement of
the body being directed through the arm, some importance must attach
to the degree of inclination which this region presents.
In this connection it is found that while great obliquity of the
humerus detracts from a high rate of speed, in the heavy draught-horse
such a condition becomes an advantage, since it gives to the muscles
connected with it a more perpendicular insertion, whereby their power
is increased.
It is hardly necessary to say that to a proper length and direction
ot the arm should be added a set of well-developed muscles.
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
72
ELBOW
The elbow is by no means the least important item in the make-up
of the fore-limb, since it affords attachment to the largest and most
powerful muscles of the fore extremity. Acting as a lever, the power
of the muscles connected with it is augmented or diminished according
as the lever arm is long or short. Besides being long the elbow
should stand clear of the body, and be directed backward, or with the
slightest outward inclination. When inclined too much in the latter
direction the toes are made to turn inward, and the animal is said to
be " pigeon-toed". When the elbow is directed towards the chest the
feet are disposed outward.
In addition to being unsightly both these conditions predispose to
accident and injury. Speedy cutting, interfering, and stumbling are
common consequences of these defects of conformation, besides which they
disorder and retard the action and produce a rolling and irregular gait.
FOBEABM
Two bones (fig. II, p. 19) enter into the formation of the forearm. The
radius, the longer and larger of the two, is situated in front, and extends
from the arm to the knee; the ulna, whose upper extremity forms the
projecting point of the elbow, is situated behind, and unites with the
radius by ossific union for about two-thirds of its length.
For the purpose of speed, the length of the step in progression, and
consequently the velocity attainable, will be greatly influenced by the
length of the forearm. From the point of view of speed, therefore,
this region should be as long as possible.
Although favourable to great range of forward movement and a high
rate of progression, a long radius does not admit of that sharp, high knee
action so much admired in the park hack. This kind of movement is more
likely to be developed when the forearm is short.
The muscles of this region both before and behind should be large and
well set out, so that when viewed in profile the forearm presents ample
width throughout its entire length; any undue and abrupt narrowing
towards the knee not only disturbs the harmony of proportion, but is a
sign of weakness, which will be still further emphasized in the tendons
and parts below forming the region of the canon.
Viewed from before, the forearm should be thick in conformity with
its width.
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73
KNEE
It is also important, in order that the body may be truly balanced, tha^
it should be well directed. Any deviation from the vertical line m on
way or another must be regarded as a serious defect of conformation,
inasmuch as it alters the distribution of the body-weight, and m doing s
not only tends to impair the natural action, but to relieve certain parts
the limb to the detriment of others.
                                                         ,,,
Considered in relation to parts below the knee, the forearm should
long and the canon short in all fast motors such as racers and chasers.
The muscles of the former region, being coextensive with the bones wi
in these circumstances enjoy a large range of contraction, and be aD
move the shorter canon through a greater space and with greater rapicu y,
and thereby develop a higher speed.
KNEE
The knee as a factor in locomotion is of much importance in relation to
conformation. It is a iarge and complex joint, made up of a number o
bones united by many connecting ligaments, and so arranged as to alio
a free and extensive rancre of hinge-like action between it and the aim.
Although the degree of movement which it permits is very considerable,
it can only take place in the directions of flexion and extension i.e.
bending the canon upon the forearm and projecting it forward, lmportan
tendons, by whose agency these movements are effected, cross the anteno
and posterior face of the joint respectively on their way to the bones be ow.
From every point of view the knee should present ample space, its
surface should be regular, and its parts clean and well-defined. An aspect
of roundness is objectionable, since it denotes a thick skin and a super-
abundance of connective tissue beneath it, as well as a low cast of breeding
and a S()ft> lymphatic temperament.
Viewed in profile the joint should be wide from front to back, and the
Projecting angle seen at the outer and back part above should be large
and Prominent, so as to give room for the play of the tendons which it
partly encloses, and to furnish ample space for the attachment of others
to it which assist in flexing the knee.
Regarded from the front the joint should present a broad, flattened
surface for the accommodation of the extensor tendons which pass over it.
The further advantages of a large knee will be to provide large articular
surfaces and generally to increase the capacity for movement, and to break
and disperse the effects of concussion. The direction of the knee should
-coincide with the vertical direction of the forearm and canon.
Deviations from this course of one kind or another are frequently
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
74
observed, and present some of the worst and most objectionable defects of
conformation.
When the knee is displaced forward in advance of the vertical line
it is said to be "bowed", or the horse "stands over", "knee sprung", &c.
(fig. 52).
This deformity may exist at birth and con-
tinue through the life of the animal, when it is
said to be "congenital", or, as more frequently
occurs, it arises out "of hard work, injury, and
contraction of the weight-bearing structures of
the limb, especially the back tendons and liga-
ments. Other examples result from an enfeebled
state of the flexor and extensor muscles, whose
tendons being relaxed fail to give support to the
joint.
When of congenital origin "bowed knees" are
not a serious defect except in bad cases, but when
otherwise induced they impair the working powers
of the animal and
render him dangerous
both in the shafts and
Fig. 52.—Bowed Knees
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ under saddle.
When the knees incline backward (fig. 53)
the horse is said to have " calf knees ". This
is a condition most frequently met with among
heavy horses, but we are not aware of any
serious defect arising out of it. It may, how-
ever, conduce to sprain of the back tendons and
ligaments in horses of speed, as some writers
have affirmed, by displacing the weight unduly
backward.
Lateral deviation of the knees may also
occur in an inward or outward direction. In
the former the joints approach each other
more or less closely and the feet are turned
Fig. 53. —Calf Knees
outward (fig. 55). In the latter they are
set wide apart while the feet are directed inward (fig. 56). These
disturbances in the conformation of the limbs are not only un-
sightly but serious. Besides rendering the animal unsafe to ride
or" drive and awkward of gait they give rise to an unequal distribu-
tion of the body-weight on the supporting columns and conduce to
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75
THE CANON
*• Toes turned
Fig. 56.—Toes turned in
Fig. 55.—In-kneed
limb*1 °f the connectmg and supporting ligaments of the joints and
THE CANON
This
behind re^lon ^8 limited above by the knee in front and by the hock
eitlbrac'          helow by the fore and hind fetlock joints respectively. It
whieh Vlthiri its circumference the three metacarpal bones, in front of
are |i                                                                  *-
°f the f ti         extensor tendons, while behind, the suspensory ligament
*n the orrl C ^e carPal or check-ligament, and the flexor tendons follow
^ °CeUni named. The canon bone proper is the longer of the three.
aild the f fi Central position and assists in forming the knee-joint above
Im^0ck-Joint below.
^w° sraa]i y behind the large canon, lodged in a groove formed by the
8trono- J3 Pllnt-bones, is the suspensory ligament of the fetlock-joint, a
attaehe(j l ene band of dense, tough, though elastic structure firmly
es (s Ve. ^° ^e uPPer extremity of the canon and below to the small
°Ppositi0
               bones) behind the fetlock-joint, which it supports in
SPHn -t0 tlle weight imposed upon them by the body.
(%> 12 ^ ^ trom behind the knee and hock, where it is firmly attached
powerful b 2°^' iS
a thick, short, tendinous cord, the check-ligament, a
^th the fl which, after passing a short distance down the leg, unites
By t, . exor tendon on its way to the foot.
rangernent the weight imposed upon the flexor muscle may
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76                             CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
be transferred to the canon, thus enabling the former to rest and re-
cuperate after exertion and fatigue. The posterior part of this region is
formed by two tendons, the flexor pedis perforans and the flexor pedis
perforatus. These two long, dense cords, after traversing the posterior
part of the canon, are continued downward over the fetlock-joint, to which
they give support, and finally become attached to the pedal or foot bone
and the short pastern respectively.
The length of this region is greater behind than in front in all varieties
of the horse, and, as might be expected, all things being equal, it is also
slightly longer in the race-horse, the hunter, and other fast-moving types
than in the heavy, slow-moving draught-horse.
Considered in relation to the arm in front and the second thigh or
leg bone behind, the canon in the thoroughbred should be short, for as
Goubaux and Barrier observe: "When it is thus the muscles experience
less fatigue and contract to better advantage. A short canon is less
heavy, oscillates more freely . . . and does not necessitate the same
elevation of the limb above the ground to reach the limits of its move-
ments."
Viewed in profile the canon should be straight and form a line per-
pendicular to the ground. Any marked deviation in this respect is pre-
judicial to the integrity and consequently to the work-bearing capacity of
the legs. It tends to bring about an unequal distribution of weight on the
underlying joints, and to impose undue strain on some of the connecting
ligaments, which, sooner or later, results in active disease.
As the region of the canon is made up of weight-bearing structures,
size and strength in its several parts are of the first importance to the
resistance of wear and tear and prolonged endurance.
In every variety of the horse this part should present great width
from front to back, with little or no variation from beneath the knee
downward (fig. 57, and Plate IX, fig. 1) until approaching the fetlock-
joint, where it will gradually widen out in conformity with a relatively
large articulation.
This quality of amplitude is not only an evidence of power in itself, but
also of a high state of development of those parts related to it—the knee-
joint above, the fetlock below, the muscles of flexion and extension, and
the tendons which proceed from them and concur in the formation of the
canon.
Most horsemen know how important it is, and insist on substantial
measurement below the knee. This is no doubt a good working rule, but
it must be observed that lightness of the parts under consideration is
not always to be regarded as an absolute defect of conformation, but
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7T
THE CANON
must be considered in relation to the services they have to pe ^ ^
From this view-point it will be obvious that such a condition w^ _^
serious in proportion as the body is large and the weight to
excessive.
                                                                                             , train
A massive frame supported by small canons would impose un ue
on tendons and ligaments
alike, and impart ruinous
concussion to the joints.
Congenital deficiency of
development is sometimes
observed in the flexor ten-
dons and parts immedi-
ately below the knee (fig.
58), which, instead of
being well set back from
the bone, are here con-
stricted and narrow. This
"tying-in", as it is termed,
of the tendons is a grave
fault of conformation not
only in itself, but also
because it is invariably
associated with a small
knee. Captain Hayes is of
opinion that this defect is
"in almost all cases due
to an admixture of more or
Pig, 58.—Weak Fore-arm
and Canon
ig. 57.—Good Pore-:
and Canon
less cart blood". Whether ^
^
this be so or not wre are
not prepared to say, but we agree with him in the statement that animals
30 constructed are "unfit for fast work or for jumping".
Width from side to side, always greater in the fore- than in the hind-
limb, is no less important than that from front to back. As this
dimension is entirely made up of the bones, it affords a clear index not
only of the strength of the bones themselves, but also of the width
and the general scope of the knee- and fetlock-joint which they concur m
forming.
Moreover, the greater the transverse diameter of the canon the larger
and stronger will be the tendons and ligaments in relation to it.
Narrowness in this region is a mark of weakness, and mostly accom-
panies a slight development of the entire limb.
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78                             CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
We have already pointed out that in horses of speed the canon should be
absolutely long to give length and range to the stride. It should, however,
be short in proportion to the forearm.
When weight is thrown upon the
limbs the flexor tendons and the
suspensory ligament should stand out
in bold relief, the one behind the
other, with a well-marked groove
between them (fig. 57). A similar
depression ought also to be seen im-
mediately behind the canon-bone,
between it and the suspensory liga-
ment. To the touch these tendinous
structures require to be hard, tense,
•and well developed.
In common-bred horses the out-
Fig. 60.—Attachment of the Sesamoid Bones
to the Skeleton of the Leg
aa, Suspensory ligament. B, B, Outer and
inner branches of the same, c, c, Outer and
inner sesamoid bones. D, Superficial sesa-
moid ligament. K, Deep sesamoid ligament.
P, F, Lateral phalangeal ligaments. G, Crucial
sesamoid ligament. H, Intersesamoid liga"
ment. I, I, Posterior phalangeal ligaments.
Fig. 59. —Bones of the Fetlock and Pastern
A, Splint-bone. B, Canon-bone, c, Suffraginis or
first phalanx. D, Second phalanx. E, Pedal bone.
f, Navicular bone. G, Sesamoid bone. H, Ergot.
line of the parts composing this region is obscured by a thick skin and
a superabundance of subcutaneous connective tissue. The legs are then
said to be coarse and fleshy, and present a rounded, unshapely appearance.
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THE PASTERN                                               79
THE FETLOCK
. The fetlock-ioint -+-L •
lng and import         W lts anatomical relations, constitutes an interest-
composition ar Plece °f animal mechanism. The bones entering into its
the canon, arti 1 •WU ln ^g° ^' and consis^ 0I" the inferior extremity of
two sesamoid b ^ ow w*tn tneng pastern and behind with the
movements, altl '
         Ur together combining to form a joint whose
directions of m j. c°nfined to flexion and extension, are in these
Ti,„          to at range
ihe sesamoid bonP
means of the su
            aie connected with the back part of the knee by
which the bones &PenSOry hgament (fig. 60), a powerful elastic band by
ward pressure m ' suPP°rted in opposition to the downward and back-
resistance to th l
         t0 tnem ^ tne canon- While offering considerable
S01'y ligament still 6SCent of tllQ fetlock-joint, the elasticity of the suspen-
weight imposed Perrnits it to yield more or less in accordance with the
ls still further an vl ^ ^ie spring-like action thus imparted to the joint
play over the se
               ^ ^le ^exor tendons, which, in descending the leg,
^miting the
descent-01 f n6S behmci as does a rope over a pulley, and by
the elasticity 0f ti ° ^ ^e^oc^ thereby prevent any undue strain on
Jt will be            suspensory ligament,
struction of th' " •' re^ore' that besides supporting weight, the con-
important purr, J°mt 1S ^ lts elastic mechanism specially adapted to the
To be in otI0"6 WardinS off concussion.
S
UVJ SICle an "1 -P                         ------- iu) uiJ^ J-cuj.uok.-j(JillU &11UUJ.U. UC UlUtlu. umu
ai'ticulation Q rom front to back, thus providing for a large surface of
Ward projeetion f T^ °f ^ b°n6S and Sreater leverage from the back-
of Movement h «, * sesamoid bones, which unite to render the range
J °tn free and extensive.
rp,                                     THE PASTERN
J. lie pas,
situated betweenWthlCh' M W6 haVe Seen' assists to form the fetlock-joint, is
8 to this reg^1 • ^ COronet- Tlie Points of special interest attach-
encieney Will Con^e ltS length and its obliquity, in both of which excess or
w "I lon§er th l Uteadefectofconformation Proportionate to its extent.
t 6lf * of the bod PaStem the m°re the reaction of the soil against the
^ a*d lio.amyfaUgments and fatigues the muscles and taxes the
Tl JJeficienCy *f i 1whlch are connected with the sesamoid bones.
* , 0rt-Jointed t          0i the paStern eviden% has inverse drawbacks.
Pplenessin.COnSeQ0rSe SUrcharges his bones beyond measure. He lacks
Fence of the insufficiency of the fetlock as an apparatus
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CONFOKMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
80
of dispersion, and has, from this fact, hard reactions; besides, he is more
predisposed to osseous blemishes of the bones of the limbs, as ring-bones, &c.
The direction of the pastern is intimately allied to its length; that 1$
to say, a long pastern (fig. 62) is in most cases too horizontal, while it
becomes more vertical when it is too short. An exception is illustrated
in fig. 63, where the pasterns are both short and sloping.
The close relationship which associates long-jointedness with low-
jointedness is easy of comprehension, the pastern becoming less and less
...
IKSll
Fig. 62—Long sloping Pasterns             Fig. 63.—Short sloping Pasterns
Fig. 61.—Good Pasterns
a column of support in the one, and more and more an elastic spring lD
the other in proportion as its length increases.
A spring gives all the more as it is more elastic and as the pressure whicn
it supports is greater. This is precisely what takes place in a long-jointed
pastern; which is at the same time nearly always low-jointed, because it lS
relatively weak and flexible under the weight and the reactions of the body-
The long and oblique pastern renders the horse more supple and moi*e
pleasant to ride; it enables him to disperse more easily the violent reaction
of locomotion at great speed, and it would be very desirable in the saddle-
horse, the driving-horse, and the race-horse were it not a source of dang6
to the integrity of the tendons.
" The short and straight pastern is strong; it has no very prejudici
influence against heavy-draught services, but it renders the reactions har >
and jeopardizes thereby the integrity of the osseous apparatus, hence
unfits a horse for fast riding."—Goubaux and Barrier.
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PLATE XI.
UPRIGHT PASTERNS
GOOD QUARTERS AND GASKINS
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THE FOOT
81
Ue hardly be said that to appropriate length and direction must be
ample width from front to back and from side to side, affording
; tor broad articulations and coextensive ligaments and tendons.
THE FOOT
trength, beauty of proportion, energy and endurance, however well con-
ed in the equine frame, are of little avail in the absence of a good foot.
° realize the highest services which these qualities are capable of
°Plrig requires the coexistence in this region of a high standard of
a ence both in conformation and strength. It must be recognized that
. . Power of the motor becomes greater, so much more perfect and
ca ' -^ oul°- he the parts specially exposed to wear. It is too often the
att
                  uninitiated to lose sight of the foundation in presence of an
c ' Ve superstructure, a course which in the experience of the writer has
iud an^ PanSs °f disappointment and regret to many self-constituted
c*
ao
         ' ant* Proportion.—This region is liable to considerable variation
a result f +i               
arm 1 •               e operation of shoeing and other causes, so feet naturally
rend ri         unie> and well conformed, may by unskilled treatment be
alwav aDnorttially small and unshapely. This is a question which must
ceive consideration in estimating the true character of this organ.
in fchig ative size of the feet will first demand attention. Discrepancies
ail(i aw •k" are for the most part indicative of chronic disease, but now
This irr 0rses come into the world with one foot smaller than another.
^Veuknes-.te arity °f development is objectionable in so far that it indicates
disease. 1IQlnishes the base of support, and renders the foot liable to
0 diffp
e feet o n"ate between congenital and acquired disparity in the size of
attuvteur etlmes requires an amount of technical knowledge which the
seldom 0c              e expected to possess; as, however, the former is of
at all tijv, ^ence> any departure from the standard of uniformity should
Althou h reSarded witl1 the greatest suspicion.
a^ horses b amPto size is a quality much to be desired in the feet of
0 well-be" CU6 ^evefopment m this direction is distinctly prejudicial to
'''s are ^ t^le ammal. Large feet call for large shoes, hence the
at'gued- m m°ered with superfluous weight and the muscles are early
01 Wer br' V6r' ^e actwn becomes heavy and unsteady, which sooner
e§s ailc[ £ bS about brushing, stumbling, and premature decay of both
-3et
^jectionable, but still to be condemned, are feet wantin
b in
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82                                CONFOEMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
volume. When unduly small they neither supply a good base of support
nor take a sufficient grip of the ground. Many are structurally weak,
and all fail to conserve the limbs for want of that breadth and substance
necessary to diffuse and disperse the ruinous effects of concussion. The
objection to small feet will be more serious in proportion as the action
is high and the hoof is wanting in stoutness and strength.
Objectionable as are these conditions of excess and deficiency of de-
velopment, there are defects of conformation still more inimical to work and
wear which require to be noticed in dealing with this region.
Flat feet are among the worst of this group, for the reason that flat-
ness is nearly always associated with weakness of the general structure of
the organ. Besides being flat, the feet are usually on the
large side. The heels are low, the frog
full and fleshy, and the crust thin, loose
in texture, and brittle. Feet of this
character are commonly found in animals
bred and reared on soft fen or marsh-
land. They are liable to laminitis, bruis-
ing of the sole and frog, and especially
predisposed to corns. The pasterns
Fig. 65
Upright Foot
in horses of this class are wanting in
Fig-. 64.—Flat Foot
substance and usually much inclined.
Upright Feet.—Feet so termed are deep in the crust, from the
coronet to the ground surface, from heel to toe, and at the same time
wanting in forward slope or obliquity. The direction of the pasterns
in this formation follows more or less closely that of the feet, as a result
of which the weight is directed towards the front of the foot, causing it
to fall more immediately on the bony columns, and much of the elastic
reaction of the tendinous and ligamentous structures behind is lost to
the limb.
THE HIND LIMB
In dealing with this division of the body, it would have been more in
accord with anatomical teaching to have commenced with a consideration of
the pelvis as forming the upper extremity of the hind-limb, but as we have
already dealt with it when speaking of the croup, it only remains to say
that although the pelvis is the counterpart of the shoulders, its intimate
connection with the spine, and the share it takes in enclosing the viscera,
render it permissible to regard it for our present purpose as the posterior
part of the trunk.
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Copyright 1887 by Eadweard Muybridyej
[From Animals in Motion, published by Chapman & Hall
PHASES OF THE GALLOP
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THE HIND LIMB                                                 83
V °/iaVe already Pointed out that while the fore-limbs are united to the
Ta t?7 mUSdeS alone the llind ones have the additional connection pro-
vided by the hip-joint, where the head of the femur (fig. 66) fits into the
acetabulum or cup-like cavity formed by the bones of the pelvis. By
Jus arrangement the hind extremities are brought to act directly on the
launch, and through it on the spine, so that as the feet grip the ground
and the limbs straighten out by effacement of the articular angles, the body
forced forward in a succession of propulsive efforts which the muscles of
en impart to it. The various regions composing the hind ex-
tremity have their analogues in the fore one, but it is noticeable that the
direction in the one is reversed in the other—at least so far as the
upper segments are concerned. Thus, that portion of the pelvis which
s opes downward and backward is the analogue of the shoulder, which
PThe WnWai'd-and f0I'Ward-
hum > -
             which passes downward and forward, is the counterpart of the
Th    fv  ^er arm> which slopes downward and backward.
war(j •
    f1      °r sec°nd thigh, whose inclination is downward and back-
parts' b r
     e(luivah5nt of the radius or forearm, which is straight. The
j.     .,,            se are more or less uniform in direction in the two members.
og -p              Us De seen that in both the fore and the hind extremities the
0 i        &           are so disposed as to form a series of angles which are more
j _      J nsi0-erable in proportion to the length and slope of the bony
, . e. act °f progression these angles are alternately closed and opened,
s m the consecutive shortening and lengthening of the limbs. On
to which these movements are capable of being effected will
hbTdr lhe len8th of the stride and the force of the imPulse wllich the
ini.- imbs are capable of imparting to the body. In this connection it is
o served that in speedy animals the angles below that of the shoulder
iont and the pelvis behind are remarkable for their open condition,
lence the peculiar straightness of the legs of the race-horse.
ne greater obliquity of the shoulder and the more horizontal position
the croup in horses of speed tend to diminish the scapulo-humural and
coxo-femoral angles, and, as Goubaux and Barrier observe, " facilitate the
or ward and backward movement of the inferior regions, and give them the
reedom of extending themselves effectively to pass over the ground or
communicate the impulsion". In horses of draught, where the steps are
s ort, extreme lengthening of the locomotory column, so necessary to
animals of Speed, is not required. The shoulder therefore is less sloping,
he croup more inclined, and the upper angles consequently more open.'
Ihe lower angles of the limbs, which, as we have seen, are open in horses of
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
84
speed, are less so in horses of power. The greater obliquity of the mov-
able segments of the limbs in the
latter enable the muscles to act at
much greater mechanical advan-
tage than they otherwise would do.
The hind - limbs, although
w assisting in supporting the body,
are pre-eminently organs of pro-
pulsion. United by solid union
to the pelvis above, and possessed
of muscles larger and more power-
ful than those of the fore-limbs,
they are in these and in other
respects admirably constructed to
exercise their power in the for-
ward movement of the trunk. The
manner in which this is effected
will be best understood by refer-
ence to Plate XII, where it is
seen that in commencing the fast
gallop the first act of the horse
is to bring the hind-limbs under
the body and raise the forehand.
The former at this time are short-
ened by the closing of the articu-
lar angles. Gradually these are
again opened, and one after the
other the legs are forcibly ex-
tended; and as they become more
and more backwardly inclined,
the body is forced forward to a
point when the ground ceases to
—Posterior View of Pelvis and
Hind Limbs of Horse
Fig.
offer further resistance, and they
leave it to take a fresh and more
A, Pelvis. B, Femur or thigh-bone. 0, Tibia or lower
thigh-bone. D, Fibula. E, Astragalus. F, Calcaneus,
forming point of hock, o, Cuboides. H, Large metatarsal
or canon-bone. I, I, Small metatarsal or splint-bones.
J, Sesamoid bones. K, 0s suffraginis or large pastern.
L, Os coronae or small pastern. M, Navicular bone. N, 0s
pedis or Foot bone.
forward position in order that the
movement may be repeated. It
will be seen, therefore, that the
greater impulsive force which the
hind-leg is capable of transmit-
ting to the trunk is due to the column of bones of which it is made up
being directly and firmly connected with the trunk through the medium
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LEG (SECOND THIGH)                                        85
in the f *!? ' a concbtion, as we have seen, which has no parallel
of the hi V~         thigh is the uppermost of the free-moving segments
of the qxx extremity- Viewed from without, it embraces that portion
tll(i flank T 6f enclosed within the limits of the croup and haunch above,
has for ^, ront> tne buttock behind, and the stifle and leg below. It
with the n 1 °^ 6 tbe ^emur or thigh-bone, one end of which unites'
tibia and J? t0 form tlle hip-joint, and the other articulates with the
The imP          to form the stifie-
% the mas f166 °f tlie tlligh in tlie functn 0I> locomotion is indicated
region of th i tlle muscles wllich enter into its formation. In no other
power, j* ioeo^otory columns do these organs reach such volume and
driven for i m°St part ^e forcible impulses by which the body is
of the th' V, m vai'i°us modes of progression originate in the muscles
k^y des b ' an aS aU element in equine conformation this division of the
Not tTVeS tte fullest recognition.
Sa°uld b 6, aSt lmPortant consideration affecting this region is that it
AVhen ti^ f ^ected, neither inclined unduly forward nor backward.
ttUich und ,°!mer inchnation prevails the leg as a whole is brought too
a"d its n r -6 ^' thereby its range of forward movement is curtailed,
of its pr ^i-18 "* S°me degree expended in raising the trunk at the expense
carried to f ^ ce' With a too backward inclination the limbs are
behind hi "* t0 ^ r6ar' in wbich case the horse is said to " leave his legs
^le inferi
              1S- a^S° ^mPortant i*1 race-horses, hunters, and chasers that
CW the t ^ ef_tremity 0I> the thigh should be outwardly inclined, so as to
ViewJ .When moved forward in the act of galloping and jumping,
cilar devel ^ Pr°file' the ^igh should be broad and exhibit ample mus-
d°Wn "• g°Pment from toP t0 bottom, or, as it is expressed, be " well let
"' tllis dimeen-fr°ml3ellind' [t should be thick in proportion; any lightness
alvvays a s|enS10n giV6S t0 the part a lean> "spht-up" appearance, which is
§n of weakness. [Plate VIII.]
LEG (SECOND THIGH)
is .proPeriy aTnt °f tHe hind"limb situated between the thigh and the hock
tlligh. Tw06bgnated the leg' m°re commonly xt is spoken of as the second
fibula. The f
           Cnter int° itS basement structure, the tibia and the
SuPplies well 0^er 1S mudl tlie larger and more important of the two, and
region.
           'mgh a11 the conditions pertaining to the mechanism of the
equirement of all fast motors that the leg should be long, thus
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
8G
providing for a large range of action, and also for the accommodation of
muscles proportionate in extent. Any shortcoming in these respects
diminishes the horse's stride, in which case the speed can only be kept up
by multiplying his movements, which, of course, tends to physical exhaus-
tion. With a long leg velocity of the gait is best served by a short canon.
As in the case of the thigh, the direction of the leg should neither be
too straight nor too much inclined. A leg that is too straight brings the
limb unduly forward, and shortens the step by limiting the power of exten-
sion, while one that is too much inclined throws the leg too far back and
limits the power of flexion.
It is important that the superior part of this region should be well
furnished with muscle brought down from a well-developed thigh and
buttock. The lower part or "gaskin" should be wide, the hamstring
thick and bold, and well set away from the bone (tibia) by connection with
a long calcaneum or point of the hock. The longer this point is, the greater
will be the length of the lever arm, and the more power will the muscles
exercise in propelling the body forward by straightening the hock.
HOCK
This is the most complex, as it is also the most important, joint
concerned in the mechanism of locomotion. It is here that the strain
in the efforts of propulsion chiefly falls, and the joint at which the con-
cussion thereby developed is for the most part broken and dispersed.
We may venture the statement that no joint in the body of the
horse presents such a variety of natural conformation in different indi-
viduals as the one under consideration, and none calls for such careful
scrutiny and analysis of detail both as to conformation and soundness.
Two sets of bones enter into the construction of the hock-joint, each
having a purpose of its own. One group of four small bones (1, 2, 3, 4
in Fio- 67) arranged in two rows and resting on the head of the canon,
are united 'together and to adjacent bones by short, powerful ligaments,
and so close is the union that the movement of one bone upon the other
is reduced to a simple gliding action of the most limited extent. This
movement, slight though it be, is of the first importance in breaking the
jar communicated to the joint in the act of progression.
The second division comprises two large bones — the astragalus and
the calcaneus. The former presents in front two smooth, prominent
ridges and a deep, intervening furrow, after the fashion of a pulley,
which, when articulated with a corresponding formation on the lower
extremity of the tibia or leg bone, form a joint whose action in the
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Fig. i.-GOOD HOCKS
Fig. 2.-WEAK FLESHY HOCKS
Fig. 3.-CURBY HOCKS
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HOCK
87
by
direction of flexion and extension is marked
and
great
range
The calcaneus serves an entirely different purpose. Forming the
point of the hock, to which are attached strong tendons (fig. 23), it
represents a lever more or less powerful in proportion as it is long or
short.
The examination of this joint should be made from various stand-
points, so that all its dimensions as well as its general outline may be
duly appreciated.
The first and most important requirement of
this region is size. The hock should be large,
shapely, and well directed. The calcaneus, or bone
forming its "point", should be long, so that the
lever of which it forms an important part is
^creased in length and power, while width and
strength are at the same time imparted to the
gaskins (Plate XIII, fig. 1).
Viewed in profile it should be wide from front
to back and rest on correspondingly broad canons;
an)r narrowing or " tying in " (Plate XIII, fig. 2)
at this part is a serious defect of conformation.
Seen from before, the bend of the hock should
°e full and clean, with ample width from side to
Sl(le well maintained and apportioned from top
to bottom.
Fig. 67
A, Astragalus. B, Calcaneus,
c, Tibia. D, Great Metatarsal
or canon-bone. E, Splint-bone.
1-4, Small tarsal bones.
Quality is an important adjunct to strength
atld proportion, and will be marked by an absence of any appearance of
r°undness, a thin, supple skin from beneath which the bones stand out in
sharp relief, imparting to the joint both leanness and neatness of outline.
Pull, round, fleshy hocks in which all the anatomical parts are
obscured, whatever may be their size and proportion, are objectionable
as they denote a common descent, a lymphatic temperament, and a lack
°t energy and endurance.
Given a large, well-directed hock, the power of the muscles which
act upon it and the segments of the limb below it will generally be
°und proportionate in size and strength.
. The direction no less than the form of the hock is materially
lnfluenced by the greater or less inclination of the tibia or second thigh
a°ove and the canon below.
When these bones approximate to a vertical position the hock and
le limb as a whole are rendered straight, and the angularity of the
-ocr page 123-
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
joint is least pronounced. It is this variety of conformation combined
with length of limb that gives the race-horse his immense stride, and
in turn enables him to extend the hind extremities to their farthest
limits, and to realize all the power of his propelling muscles.
It matters not how strong the quarters may be, if the tibia or second
thigh slopes too much backward, or the canon too much forward, the
hock is no longer straight, and the power of extending the limb is
more or less curtailed, and the speed proportionately diminished.
The importance of a straight hock and of a straight hind-limb generally,
so manifest in the race-horse, is not an essential point in the conformation
of the draught-horse.
The great power
which the latter puts
forth in the act of
draught is favoured by
a greater obliquity of
the bony segments, for
in this position the
muscles are able to act
in a direction more
at rig;ht angles to
their levers, and con-
sequently at consider-
able mechanical ad-
Copyright 1887 by Eadweard Muybridge. Redrawn from "Animals m Motion (Chapman and Hall)
Fig. 68.-The Hind-Limbs bent in drawing a Load                         Vantage. Ill shifting
a heavy load the cart-
horse takes advantage of this by bending the joints (fig. 68) so as to
increase still further the obliquity of the bones and give more effective
action to the muscles.
Acting in this attitude the limbs are less considerably extended,
whereby the steps become short and the movements slow, but the power
is greatly augmented.
In conformity with the anatomical disposition of the bones which
form the true hock-joint, the movements of the hock are restricted to
those of flexion and extension. In the former case the canon is carried
forward and upward, in the latter it is drawn downward and backward.
It is also noticeable that, viewed from behind, this joint is directed some-
what obliquely outward, so that its hinge-like formation is enabled to
give the entire limb an outward inclination in its forward stroke, by
which the stifle is prevented from being brought into contact with the
belly, a provision of the highest importance to race-horses, chasers, and
-ocr page 124-
89
BOW-LEGS
hunters, where the hind-limbs while being raised require at the same
time to be advanced well under the body.
COW-HOCKS
This term is applied to that defect of conformation in which the
Points of the hocks are turned in (fig. 69). Animals so constructed are
n°t unfrequently defective in other respects, often leggy, badly coupled,
'split up, and narrow behind, with the toes directed unduly outward.
Although in - turned
hocks in moderate de-
gree do not interfere
with a horse's useful-
ness, in the more pro-
1
nounced cases it is not
only an eyesore, but
when coexisting wTith
the other defects re-
ferred to, it is a mark of
■IB
PHl^-'-
MB
#Blfe
■"""""-=IWA"' ■ ■
ifjKl
% |l
Jr"I:_t
::
BX&
J— ■-;■■:.-.. -:r: .::...■":. j :n!fgE= j>3 SEgi
: - - --^
weakness, and materi-
ally impairs the action
of the limbs, which are
made to move too
much away from the
body instead of in a
—Cow-Hocks
Fig. 70.—Bow-Legs
^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 line parallel to it.
^vkwaivl i .                   As a result of this an
«aore or 1 1S imParte<l to the gait, and both power and speed are thereby
less impaired.
BOW-LEGS
In
this
Erected o fState of development (fig. 70) the points of the hocks are
inward. Tv •' t^le *e§s are set w^e aPart, and the toes are turned
referred to iT 1S not on^ a more unsightly defect than the one last
ail(l usefuln U ^ *mPairs to a still greater extent the locomotive powers
'formation i S ? ^e animal- A striking feature of this variety of con-
hock which ^ Peculiar rotary movement or outward twist of the
Moreover, v[ CUrs at the moment when the foot comes to the ground.
:aro short and ^°m ^hind, the gait is rolling and unsteady, the steps
banting in liberty and grace.
-ocr page 125-
90
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
SICKLE OR CURBY HOCK
In this variety of conformation (Plate XIII, fig. 3) the canon, instead of
occupying a vertical position, inclines more or less forward, so that the leg
is brought under the body, or, as it is said, the horse is " under himself
behind". The effect of this is to increase the angularity of the hock and
give it a bent or sickle-shaped appearance. In such a disposition of parts
it results that " the column of support below the tibia being situated too-
obliquely forward, the pressure of the weight of the body, instead of being
transmitted to the ground by the bones exclusively, as in the vertical
position of this segment, causes a strain proportionable to the degree of
obliquity on the ligaments which unite the hock to the canon, and imposes.
upon them an abnormal function" (Bouley). To this it might be added
that by bringing the hind extremities more immediately under the centre-
of gravity, the strain on the extensor muscles and their tendons is-
considerably augmented.
Horses with curby hocks are not generally desirable property, although
for harness-work, and especially in a level country, they may prove
serviceable and enduring. They are not, however, adapted to carry
heavy weights, or to put forth severe efforts of draught without injury.
BODY AND LIMBS
As we have already observed, the body and the limbs make up the sum
of the height. In considering the latter, only those portions separate from
the trunk are referred to, viz. parts below the elbow in front and the stifle
behind. The rest is accounted for by the depth of the chest and the abdo-
men. The proportion which these two parts bear to each other will vary
to some extent in animals of different types. All things being equal, the
limbs of the race-horse and other light breeds are always longer than those-
of the heavier varieties.
" The body containing the organs which are most essential to life, such
as the heart, the lungs, and the digestive apparatus, cannot be deficient
from excess of development, since these organs are precisely those from
which the animal machine draws its power and resistance. If dispro-
portion seems to exist in the upper part compared to the lower part, then
the latter is not properly constructed to support the former, but generally;
although excess may not be objectionable, the same cannot be said of defi-
ciency of development. Our machine having a weak chest, a small abdo-
men, will be without energy, without wind, and capable of very little-
-ocr page 126-
DISTRIBUTION OF THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY
exertion. Such an animal will be a poor feeder, and will not ^j^'
All these are great imperfections if he is called upon to peiloim
services. . . The xiphoid region (pit of the stomach) should desce^
several fingers' breadth below the elbow, the ribs should be loun ,         ^ ^
wide behind, and a head wide in its middle part. The abdoen          iddle
full, quite cylindrical, and a head thick from its inferior line to
of the back.                                                                                      V seems to
" .Vs to the limbs, they cannot be too strong. As soon as suc*
be the case, the reason of it is that the upper part is not m Pr0P° , ^^
"
If the supports of the motor are slender, weak, too long, a
           ^
justed-in a word, disproportionate in relation with the weig . ^-^
most irreproachable body will be powerless; the macnme wi
force, without solidity, without speed, and destined soon tc> we,i
         
" Our way of ascertaining their disproportion consists m measui g^ ^
distance between the passage of the girth and the pastern-joint,
known that, in a beautiful conformation, this distance is equal to
              ^
horses of ordinary size, a little longer in large horses, and a little
Email ones." (Goubaux and Barrier.)
DISTRIBUTION OF THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY
The weight of the body is borne by the fore and hind limbs but^its
distribution between these two pairs of supports is not, as mig 1
            ^
Posed, equally shared by them. The experiments of General mo 6
to show, that with the head elevated and occupying a natural posra,
the proportion of body-weight sustained by the fore extremities is a o
one-ninth, or, eleven per cent greater than that supported by tne
ones. This difference in the disposition of the weight before and bel i
is capable of considerable modification. It is found that when the neat
raised and drawn backward the weight imposed on the hmd extremit
is increased from 4 to 10 kilogrammes, from which the fore extremitie
,u'e at the same time relieved. If, on the other hand, tho head
lowered and drawn towards the chest, a like amount of weight is (
placed forward.
Horses with long necks add more to the weight of the fore extrenu y
than those whose necks are short and thick.
The following table, taken from Goubaux and Barrier's exhaustive
work, gives the results which General Morris obtained in a series o
experiments performed to establish the relative weight of the fore an
hind extremity of the body.
-ocr page 127-
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
92
Observations upon Hoeses.
Weight.
Head at forty-five
degrees.
Weight.
Head raised and drawn
backward.
Weight.
Head lowered and drawn
towards the chest.
Ill
HI
Total.
Fore
Extre-
mity.
Hind
Extre-
mity.
Total.
I|!
Hind
Extre-
mity.
Total.
Average of eleven horses,*!
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
lbs.
good combination, head j-
572
429
1001
550
451
1001
587f
413|
1001
Average of eleven horses,!
body well proportioned, j-
54l£
440
9811
528
453+;
9811-
550
4311
981|
neck short, head strong....J
Average of two horses, body^
well formed, neck short, r
Average of two horses, neck\
Average of two horses, neck\
One horse, neck strong, headi
528
429
957
517
440
597
539
418
957
539
550
440
429
979
979
517
528
462
451
979
979
561
572
418
407
979
979
strong, croup short and j-
One horse, neck and body \
well formed, head strong.../
528
462
990
519J
4704
990
536*
4531
990
572
440
1012
550
462
1012
594
418
1012
One horse, neck strong, head \
One horse, neck strong, head \
594
517
440
473
1034
990
583
506
451
484
1034
990
583
528
451
462
1034
990
In considering this difference in the weight of the fore and hind
extremity Goubaux and Barrier have succeeded in showing how materially
it is influenced by the height of the withers. In a series of experiments,
the particulars of which are given below, they demonstrate that in
horses low in front the fore-limbs are permanently surcharged with weight,
and in proportion as this condition exists so will be the liability to undue
wear and tear of the fore-legs, especially where the nature of the occupation
compels the imposition of weight on the back; and conversely, that a
low croup favours the imposition of undue weight on the hind-limbs.
From the accompanying tables it will be seen how the distribution of
weight on the fore and hind extremities may be increased or diminished
by certain attitudes which the animal may assume, as well as by the
fixed conditions of natural conformation.
These changes are but some of many more or less pronounced, which
must necessarily result from displacements of the centre of gravity
occurring in the various phases of locomotion.
The manner and the importance of these displacements will be best
understood when considered in relation to that condition which is known
as equilibrium.
-ocr page 128-
93
HEIGHT
ELEVATION OF THE HEIGHT AT THE WITHERS
Distribution of Weight. I
i Distribution of Weight. I •& .
'3 £
K5
§
Observations.
I!
,H<Of
I S<1S
lbs.
55
105|
105*
79;
105}
.:i
10H
140-|
132
143
220
248?
110
77
33
lbs.
484
704
418
305+
484
484
576?-
534}
297
418
583
3761
396
473
242
lbs.
lbs. 1 Hds. Ins.
77 I 1 0
132 | 1 0
04
lbs.
473
6904
Common mare.
Percheron gelding.
Common mare.
Barbary mare.
Thoroughbred horse.
Norman gelding-
Percheron gelding.
Norman mare.
Corsican gelding.
Irish cob.
Boulon gelding.
Percheron gelding.
Corsican gelding.
German gelding.
Female ass.
His.
550
8224-
539
404*
598§
6774
682'
682
440
572
814
633}
539
572
301:
I Hds. Ins. Hds. Ins.
lbs.
539
809|
523}
385
589}
6731
677*
675?
429
561
803
6244
506
550
275
14 2
16 2
14 1
14  1
15  2
Hi 0
16  1
16 1
9 I 13 1
10 | 14 2
16 1
12 I 15 1
13  14 3
14 I 15 3
11 1
15  0 1023
16  3 15131
402| I
14 2
14 1
94i.:
690*
286 1184 I 1
4751 12311 Aj
16    0    1073|
15  3    1157|
16  1    1254'
16
    0    1210
479?
572
528
286
407
572
198
110
154
154
165
242
20
20
■5T5
I*
13  3
14  3
15  3
726
979
1386
367?-1 266-1 l^j
363 176 U\>
451 121 |$s
2175 854r
15 0 1001
15 0
15 3
11 3
902
1023
517
ELEVATION OF THE HEIGHT AT THE CROUP
i Distribution of Weight.
Distribution of Weight. I sj
,3s, si
Observations.
lbs. 1 Vat.
455? 1124
677} 148?
387i 167;.
281} 127}
459-4 154
446* 264
567} 1184
517 176
279* 167
473' 33
567} 2504
lbs.
567}
836
554?
4091
6134
710}
686%
693
446}
506
818%
644}
574'
583
312
Hds. Ins.
Common mare.
Percheron gelding.
Common mare.
Barbary mare.
Thoroughbred horse.
Norman gelding.
Percheron gelding.
Norman mare.
Corsican gelding.
Irish cob.
Boulon gelding.
Percheron gelding.
Corsican gelding.
German gelding.
Pemale ass.
lbs. lbs.
473 77
6904 1 132
402:i 136|
286 1184 I 1
4754 1231
479? I 198
0
0
0*
0*
572° ! 110
ft
154
154
165
242
528
286
407
572
3671
363'
451
270}
I 244
143
374
330
440
2664 I &
176
121 1%
204} 1074
1217} 85$ &
HEIGHT
The height of a horse is the vertical distance from the highest point of
the withers to the surface on which he stands. It is made up of two parts
—the body and the legs, the relations of which we shall refer to presently.
-ocr page 129-
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
94
Although horses are divided into a number of classes or varieties, it is only
in one of these that a limit is set to the height. Everything equine not
exceeding 14 hands, of whatever character, is termed a pony, while under-
sized horses of a certain type are designated "cobs"; but to this latter
class there is no precise limit of vertical measurement as recognized in the
former. It is, however, to. the diminutive pony that we owe the more
portentous horse, for the latter is but an enlarged edition of the former,
evolved by a process of selection, judicious mating, high feeding, and skil-
ful management. Returned to their native element, outside the sphere of
civilization and land culture, and the present race of stock would soon
decline both in stature and symmetry, and ultimately return to the minia-
ture condition from which they sprang.
Between the smallest pony and the highest horse there is great dis-
parity of size, and it will be recognized that towards both extremes useful-
ness gradually declines, and beyond certain limits reaches an unremunera-
tive, if not a vanishing point.
Within the two extremes there are to be found all intermediate sizes
suitable to the many requirements of civilized man, but the tendency of
systematic breeding has been not only to fix the type of each distinct
variety, but at the same time to bring the height up to, and maintain it
within, the limits of the greatest practical usefulness; for there is un-
questionably a point in the upward growth of this, as of other species of
animals, beyond which the harmony of proportion becomes so far disturbed
as to curtail seriously both power and pace.
Height, although largely identified with power, cannot be regarded as
a precise measure of strength and endurance. Numerous examples will
occur to the mind of experienced horsemen, of small horses outpacing and
vanquishing their much larger confreres. That unspeakably game little
animal, The Lamb, which won the Grand National at Liverpool on two
occasions, was only 15.2 hands high, and yet he outstripped in speed and
endurance many brilliant chasers inches higher than himself, and when
nine years old carried 11 st. 5 lb. to victory. It is difficult to say
precisely what is the limit of stature within which the greatest usefulness
is to be found in our various breeds, and probably opinions would be
found to be very much divided on the subject.
The writer, however, believes that in the cart-horse it will be found at
17 hands, in the race-horse at 16.2, and in the riding-horse and carriage-
horse at 15.3.
" When the height at the withers is considered in relation to height a
the croup, observations show that these points are situated upon the sam
horizontal line or upon different levels. In the latter case the horse J
-ocr page 130-
95
LENGTH
said to be high or low in front, according to the corresponding height a
the croup. There results evidently from this an abnormal distribution
of the weight of the body upon the four extremities; this at least is the
result of our measurements and our weighings.
-A lowering of some centimetres at the withers usually causes a sur-
charge of the anterior members, and therefore modifies the conditions o
the equilibrium and the velocity of the gait. These drawbacks increase in
proportion to the burden carried on the back, which is often added to
subject's own bulk. Lastly, the region of the withers is more exposed, on
account of its prominence, to contusion and wounds caused by the harness.
" Inverse effects accompany the diminution of the height over the croup.
The hind-quarters, surcharged in their turn, are wanting in action and ar
obliged to use greater efforts; the hocks are soon ruined.
- But these different disadvantages, with their grievous consequences,
manifest themselves only when the inequality in the height of the two
parts is very marked. When it is slight, it is but little perceived m prac-
tice. Besides, it has not the same importance in all services. The cavalry-
horse, the pack-horse, and the dray-horse, always heavily loaded, will show
the effects of being htv in front much sooner than the race-horse, the
toucher, the trotter, or the light draught-horse. These latter, on the con-
trary, ni wHch Speed is the main quality, suffer much more from a detect m
the fond-quarters; an excess of height of the croup over that of the withers
13 a durable disposition in them, while an equality of the height iri front
and behind is the best conformation in the others. Many horses of good
breffrng and of great speed have the croup considerably higher than tlie
others; this conformation is even very much appreciated by horsemen,
especially m nunters &nd steeple.cliasers. It should not be forgotten, how-
evJ», that the overloading of the anterior members is compensated by the
relative lightness of the "fore-quarters and the power and great length of
the hind-qUarterg Here> ag with the hare; acCording to M. Richards
comparison, the posterior limbs are carried far under the trunk, their foot-
Pnata are much beyond those of the anterior, the hind-quarters are strongly
t, the crouP and loins are vigorous and well supported, the spines of the
dorsal Vertebrae are long, and the shoulder very oblique. There is then
y a compensation." (Goubaux and Barrier.)
LENGTH
The length of the body is the distance from the point of the shoulder in
front to a line falling from the point of the buttock behind. Although
varying in different animals, it will be found, as first pointed out by
-ocr page 131-
9G
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
Bourgelat, that in most well-formed horses it equals about two and a
half times the length of the head, and it would seem that any considerable
departure from this rule, either in regard to excess or deficiency, tends to
render the conformation more or less seriously defective.
In dealing with this part of the subject it will be important to consider
what are the elements by which the length of the body is determined, and
Fig. 71. —Excessive Length from two different Causes
After Goubaux and Barrier. (By permission of Messrs. Lippincott)
what are the relations in which they stand to each other. In answer to
the first question it may be stated that the parts which concur to make up
the sum of the body-length are the spine, the shoulder, and the
buttock.
The two latter furnish the anterior and posterior extremity respectively?
while the former intervenes to form the back and loins. As we haV
already observed, the length of the body in a well-formed horse is abou
-ocr page 132-
97
LENGTH
jual to two and a half times the length of his head, and whether it is
anTth"         WU1 depend uPon the lenSth tne sPine on the one hand'
other ieTeXtent' direction, and relations of the shoulder and croup on the
the61' ' ^ t0 "De ^aint"^ngel that we owe the figurative expression of
5 mterestm§ facts, as shown in the following illustrations.
Fig. 72.—Compensation for Excessive Length
ubaux and Barrier. (By permission of Messrs. Lippineott)
C
0l»pari8
a^°dy is °i°f diagrams 1 and 2 (fig. 71) will show how the length of
causes.
*«* the HU^Ced V each of these
t ' W both zx represented in the illustration are of equal length, a d,
resu °ther- The ^ Stipulated two heads
and a half from one extremity
iUit of un(jUe , e ex°ess of this dimension in diagram 1 is clearly the
Vo
                    § °* the back, or dorso-lumbar portion of the spine,
amt-Ange, Cours d'hippologie, t. i, p. 154; Saumur, 1850.
-ocr page 133-
CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
98
m n, while in the other it arises out of the more extended quarters, C D>
and greater obliquity and length of the shoulders, A B.
The too great length arising out of the first-named cause is a serious
defect of conformation, as the loins in such cases are weak and badly
supported by the quarters, and the great distance between the posterior
scapular angle and the haunch, mn (which in a well-formed horse should
not exceed the length of the head), robs the back of that solidity and
strength which it would otherwise possess.
Although undue length of body is a fault of conformation, it is capable
of being compensated within certain limits by the harmonious propor-
tions and disposition of the shoulder and croup. Indeed an animal so
constituted may surpass in symmetry and physical excellence one whose
length falls within the classical range of two heads and a half. A strik-
ing example of this is shown in the illustration fig. 72. Here the body
of diagram 2 exceeds in length that of diagram 1 by one-sixth of a head,
but this difference, which under other circumstances would constitute a
serious defect, is compensated by a short back and a high development
and favourable inclination of the shoulders and quarters, AB, CD.
WIDTH
Although dependent in a large measure on the amplitude of the osseous
framework, the width of the body is largely influenced by the development
of the muscles which envelop it. To appreciate the transverse diameter ot
the trunk it is necessary that our inspections should be made from different
points of view, especially from before and behind, while a glance from
above will materially aid in rendering our estimate of the proportions °'
this part more satisfactory and complete. In all varieties of the horse
ample width is essential to power and endurance; any shortcoming in tlus
respect not only betrays a lack of muscular development, but is usualv
associated with flat sides and want of chest-room. Narrowness is a seriou8
defect of conformation. Viewed from the front the breast should be wide'
the shoulders muscular, the ribs well sprung, and the hips broad and full o
muscle. The magnitude of the body in this respect will vary for animal
of different types, but in due proportion it should be insisted upon in ai'
In horses for speed width is especially desirable behind, where the propel*111"
power resides, while too much in front would tend to encumber moveme11
and impose undue weight and wear on the legs.
-ocr page 134-
SHIRE STALLION, HAROLD
The best Stud Horse of his time
Esq,
Sire, Lincolnshire Lad II 1365; dam, Flower by Champion 419.
The Property of A. C. Duncombe,
-ocr page 135-
99
THE HEAD AS A UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
PROPORTIONS OF HEIGHT TO LENGTH
What is the most desirable relation in the proportions of height to
kQgth is a matter upon which opinions may differ, but it is held by those
who have thoroughly studied the question that the most perfect conforma-
tion will be found where the dimensions of the one most nearly approximate
to those of the other. Here it should be pointed out that the so-called
"long low" horse so much admired by connoisseurs is not, as it seems to be,
So much greater in length than height, but owes the apparent discrepancy
of proportion in these dimensions to the fact that he stands on shorter legs,
an<l is consequently nearer the ground. In this way he is made to look
w, but the greater depth of body which such animals usually possess add
Materially to their height.
"Any considerable excess of height over length is always a serious
^efect of conformation. Animals so constructed are mostly narrow, defi-
ant in muscle, light of bone, and slow in their paces; they are liable to
vush and to forge, and soon become fatigued under exertion. Not less
^jectionable is the animal whose height falls appreciably short of his
etlgth, when that length is of the classic measure of two heads and a
^ In this case the disproportion will impart to the machine a heavy
CUl*vbrous aspect. Moreover, there will be a distinct lack of liberty, range,
an<A grace in the movements, and his shorter limbs will preclude the pos-
Slbility of any considerable pace." In further discussing this subject
°ubaux and Barrier observe: "Many persons imagine that fast horses,
^tters and others, are longe-r than they are high, and they assign to the
ength a quarter of a head, or even a third more, than to the height,
a Suggestion which is in direct opposition to the reality. ... Our
Measurements upon the handsomest running horses, steeple-chasers, Orloff
tr°tters, Ano-lo-Norman and Arabian, Barb, Andalusian, some Hungarian
and American horses enable us to affirm that the excess in length, scarcely
arQountino- to 1 2 4, or 5 centimetres, is the exception, the equality or
excess in height permitting variations of the same value being the rule."
Jn the heavier breeds of horses excess of length over height is both more
Sequent and considerable than in the lighter varieties, but in the most
aPproved specimens of the former the disparity is least and less frequently
111 evidence.
THE HEAD AS A UNIT OF MEASUREMENT
Ever since the days of Bourgelat the study of proportions in respect to
lle various regions of the horse has been more or less vigorously pursued,
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
100
especially by French hippotomists, and it is to the founder of veterinary
schools we owe the first serious attempt to '' establish the relation of the
dimension which should exist between the parts of the body ", or, in other
words, a law of proportion. As a result of numerous measurements, Bourgelat
selected the head as a basis of proportion for all other parts, and the more
Fig. 73.—Proportions of the Horse in Profile
From Goubaux and Barrier. (By permission of Messrs. Lippineott)
recent researches of the distinguished savant Colonel Duhousset led him
also to adopt this region as a unit of measure.
The results of his observations are recorded by Goubaux and Barrier,
from whose able work on the Exterior of the Horse we extract the follow-
ing list of proportions:—
The length of the head almost exactly equals the distance
1st. From the back to the abdomen, N 0, fig. 73 (thickness of the body).
2nd. From the top of the withers to the point of the arm, H E (shoulder).
3rd. From the superior fold of the stifle-joint to the point of the hock, J' J.
4th. From the point of the hock to the ground, J K.
5th. From the dorsal angle of the scapula to the point of the haunch, d' D.
6th. From the xiphoid region to the fetlock-joint M I; above this latter in large horses
and race-horses, below it in small horses, and in those of medium size.
7th. From the superior fold of the stifle-joint to the summit of the croup in subjects
whose coxo-femoral angle is large: this distance is always less in other cases (G. & B.).
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COMPENSATION OF DEFECTS OF CONFORMATION
Two and one-half times the head gives
1st. The height of the withers, h, above the ground.
2nd. The height of the top of the croup above the ground.                              that q{ the
3rd. Very often the length of the body from the point of tne ai
buttock, E f.
                                                                                                    , buttock, r> F, is
The length of the croup from the point of the haunch to that o          ^ ^ .^ ^.^
always less than that of the head: this varies from 5 to 10 centime er . ^ ^ ^ ^^
from one haunch to the other, it often exceeds only very little its leng V
to the latter) (G. & R).
                                                                                   horse
The croup, d F, exists quite accurately in length four times in the sam ^ ^ •
1st. From the point of the buttock to the inferior part of the stitte-j '
             int0 the
2nd. In the width of the neck at its inferior attachment, from
chest to the origin of the withers, S X.
                                          , , , lower jaW) x Q,
3rd. From the insertion of the neck into the chest to the angle o
when the head is held parallel to the shoulder.
                                        commissure of the
, 4th. Finally, from the nape of the neck to the nostril, to n, or to the com
lips.
                                                                                                                                      . i
The measure of one-half the head will also guide us very muchfa..the con^uetio:
the horse when we know that it is frequently applied to several of his parts
            y
1st From the most prominent point of the angle of the lower jaw to
profile of the forehead above the eye, R Q (thickness of ^e head).
                 (attachment
2nd prom the throat                   rior bQrder 0{ the neck behind the poll, Q (
of the head).
3rd. From the inferior part of the knee to the coronet, t' t.
4th. From the base of the hock to the fetlock, v u.                                        (approximate
5th. Finally, from the point of the arm to the articulation of the elbow (app
length of the arm).
COMPENSATION OF DEFECTS OF CONFORMATION
The perfect horse is an unknown and unknowable quantity, for h°*e™*
Perfect judgment of his physical conformation may be, it is impossiD
the most astute and experienced of horse experts to gauge with precis
the absolute and relative value of his many and various component part.
From a general view-point, it may be affirmed that all horses, howeve
beautiful they may be, are still but a combination of excellencies ana
,l"U'cts, and upon the preeminence of the one or the other will depend m
* «*ge measure his utility and value. It must not, however, be forgotten
tlmt faults of conformation, although at all times objectionable, are not
^Ways of that serious practical importance which the uninitiated assign to
theilb for, as Goubaux and Barrier observe, " it frequently happens that a
S00^ quality annuls a defect, or that one defect may be counterbalanced by
Mother whose influence is diametrically opposite".
The following long list of examples of this kind we reproduce from
neU" exhaustive treatise on the Exterior of the Horse.
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CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS
102
Defects.                                                          Corresponding Compensations.
Too voluminous head             ...... Neck rather short, well-muscled.
Head too common .........Ears well-placed, eyes expressive, physiognomy
bright.
Neck too short            .....- ... Head light, well - attached, withers prominent,
shoulder beautiful.
Withers thick and fleshy ... ... High in front, beautiful shoulder and good axes in
front.
Withers low ...         ...         ••■         ••• Hind-quarters powerful, fore-quarters light, good
equilibrium, members strong.
Back long and sway-backed...... Croup strong, body muscular, loins short, well-
attached; abdomen small.
Back short and narrow ■ ...... Chest high and long.
Loins long ...... ... ••• Body well-muscled, loins well-attached, ribs very pro-
jecting behind; croup oblique; shoulder beautiful,
fore-quarters light.
Chest narrow ... ... ••• ••■ ^^>s ng> very projecting backward; intercostal
spaces wide.
Chest scarcely low enough ...... Chest wide and long.
Abdomen very voluminous...... Body short and strong, well-supported; flanks short,
chest spacious, members strong.
Greyhound abdomen ... ... ■ • • Good condition, good appetite, firm, dense muscles,
but not too nervous a temperament.
Breast rather narrow ...         ...         • • ■ Chest spacious, muscles dense, energetic, good
anterior equilibrium.
Breast somewhat wide           ...... Body of rather small volume, gaits easy, not rock-
ing, strong members.
Shoulder short            ... • • • • • • High in front, withers prominent, neck long,
shoulder oblique and muscular, arm long.
Shoulder straight ... • ■ - • • ■ Body short, hind-quarters powerful, withers pro-
longed backward and high, neck long and straight.
Arm short and too straight ...         ... Shoulder long, oblique, muscular, beautiful neck
and withers, good equilibrium.
Forearm a little short            ... • • • Beautiful shoulder, arm long, humero-radial angle
large, forearm muscular.
Forearm slender         ... • ■ • • • • Shoulder and arm muscular, canon short, tendons
well-detached, good anterior axes.
Canon long and slender, tendons weak Forearm wide, thick, muscular; members solid,
muscular, good axes, neck well-carried, head light,
high in front.
Croup a little short ... ... •■• Thigh rather low down, muscular, rather straight;
loins short, supported, well-attached, fore-quarters
light, hocks good.
Croup a little oblique            ... ••• Ischium straightened, thigh inclined, hocks good,
axes regular, tail well-attached, croup long.
Croup a little narrow             ... ... Croup long, with sides inclined, muscular loins well-
attached.
Croup too horizontal ... ... ... Thigh long, little inclined, muscular; leg long, good
axes, body a little long to avoid forging.
Thigh too straight ... ... ••■ Croup horizontal, leg long, inclined; good equi-
librium.
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103
COMPENSATION OF DEFECTS OF CONFORMATION
OtlS.
Corresponding Compensation
. Oonp and leg long, P™f* ** *"* T*
„pported, '»»^™*™Xkoeta strong, good
.. Thigh long, straight, muscuuu,
axes-                           •! „„rl n*es body a little
Thigh oblique, hocks wide, good axes, D y
long to avoid forging.                         strong, well-
... Leg, thigh, and croup —£; *™f^f'but of
attached; fore-quarters light, a
good equilibrium.
                                , axeS; {ore-
... Heels high, tendons well-detachea*
quarters light, withers high, fetiocta^^
Heels low, axes regular, withers high, tor q
light.                                          ,         s0\e concave.
... Pastern straight, horn e^.^^ted, croup
Chest deep, flank short, body well-suppo
-
        anl shoulders long, oblique, -*
Members short, locomotory angles conveme , g
easy.                                 straight well - attached;
... Head light, neck ^XroWque, arm straight,
withers prominent, shoulder ODuq > d hed>
articulations wide, thick, tendons well
good axes, hind-quarters po-erhd.
                      _
... Tore-quarters light, croup, thigh and e P
hocks strong, ^™?^J^«M
Body light, chest developed tendon
muscular development good.                 . {ore.
quarters powerful, and eleyateO m              ten_
the hind-quarters; articulations thick, wi
dons well-detached.                                           tbe
... P„«ri,d «-*■-*?*J^ta?»*
forearm; neck straight, withers pi
well-supported.
                                     y v hind.
. ... Fore-quarters light, rather low than tag
quarters very muscular, loins powerful,
wide, thick, clean.
.....Energ^ vigour, rather nervous temperament.
Defects.
Thigh thin and short.......
Leg short and too oblique
Leg too straight
Hock weak
Pastern long.........
Pastern short.........
Heels too low.........
Body somewhat long......
B°dy rather short ......
A. little low in front......
Too low behind          ......
Members too long
Horse under himself in front
Horse knee-sprung
Horse under himself behind .
Shortened gaits
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VARIETIES OE THE HORSE
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Section III
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
ENGLISH BREEDS
ihe Thoroughbred. — A really good Thoroughbred is beyond all
0£ , !°n the most valuable horse in the world, as not only is an animal
on tV,S cr*Pti°n capable of winning a fortune for his or her possessor
are '          °P a^ ^e stud, but there are few other breeds of horses which
bio r\ °aP 0I> being more or less improved by a dash of Thoroughbred
a.m '                  same time, a difference of opinion unquestionably exists
tW to ' exPerienced horse-breeders as to whether the Thoroughbred of
ue present l ■
recor1
                   1S tne ecLual 0I" the illustrious heroes of the past, whose
achie r VQ arfectionately treasured up by racing men, and whose
of a
i             are indelibly impressed upon the memories of race-goers
^uesti ne §eneration. Upon one point, however, there can be no
prove V lssue, namely, that the modern race-horse is required to
which ex" Ue uP°u the turf under totally different conditions from those
races in i
         n the past. The ancient and barbarous custom of running
Present ao. ^ "eats has happily fallen into discredit, the tendency of the
°^ race-tn.e ' Un^ a very short time ago, being to devote the programmes
recent Xurf i ^S almost entirely to short scrambles of under a mile; but
that low elation has pronounced against this practice, with the result
enefit w raCes aPPear on every card. This unquestionably is for the
°f five and°n-y °f tlle British Thoroughbred but of the Turf, as the results
skill of th -1X *u:rlong races are very often more dependent upon the
whilst thee Jockey in settins
away than upon the speed of his mount,
a e(I to
          stlon of a horse's stamina can never be settled if he is not
It has b °rB           a mi^e during his racing career,
"lat the rjr y ar§uect too, an(I with a considerable amount of justice,
stock, and 1
             forcing yearlings for sale, and confining the young
^prove thei U tS !lkewise' m hot unhealthy stables, is not calculated to
unknown eve t ma &n^ constitution. Yearling races, however, are now
the sheltering '•
          ^ our two-year-olds have also been taken beneath
§ of the Jockey Club, so that it is illegal to run them
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
108
before a certain date. The institution of so many valuable stakes in
recent times has had the effect of encouraging owners to avoid meeting a
dangerous opponent, by saving their animals for other engagements in
which the dreaded horse, or horses, may not be entered, and this very
greatly increases the difficulty in comparing the merits of many public
performers. The time test is always unreliable, for, placing on one side
the extreme difficulty of starting the watch at the moment of starting
and finishing a race, there are no possible means for making allowances
for the little accidents which occur whilst running, but which may make
a good horse's time slow, or a moderate one's fast. As a consequence,
we find quite second-rate horses the possessors of records which cannot
be approached by those held by animals which would have beaten them
by many lengths had they met when the "fastest time" was accomplished;
and therefore, with all clue respect to our cousins across the Atlantic,
who place almost implicit confidence upon the clock, the opinion may be
repeated that, as a means of arriving at a conclusion concerning the merits
of different horses, the time test is not to be relied upon. In the old
days, before the advent of stop-watches and professional time-keepers,
the reported records were even more unreliable still, and in fact cannot
be accepted seriously by persons who set themselves the task of analysing
form, and who may be pardoned for expressing their disbelief in the
ability of even that great horse Eclipse to cover 4 miles at an average
speed of something like 80 feet a second.
At the same time, there are reasonable grounds for believing that there
were far more stayers running at the commencement of the nineteenth
century than can be found at the present time, but it is questionable
nevertheless whether this may not be in a great measure due to the fact
that it is an exceptional circumstance for a modern race-horse to be trained
for a long race. The shorter events are still so decidedly in the majority
that there is very little inducement for an owner to try and find out
whether his horse can stay over a long distance; and therefore, doubt-
less owing to there being no encouragement to test his merits, many
an animal possessed of stamina is regarded as being quite a second-rater,
though if he had been given a proper chance for distinguishing himseii
he might have won almost undying fame.
It certainly is to be hoped that this is the case, for, as the Thorough-
bred is largely utilized as a cross for other varieties of horse, and notably
in the production of the Hunter, it is evident that the services of a sire
that is not only bred to stay, but can stay, are more valuable than those
of animals which could not have got beyond six furlongs in their racin0
days. On the other hand, there are good and solid grounds for believing
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Photo, by W, A. Rouch
BROWN HORSE, ARD PATRICK
By St. Florian, out of Morganette by Springfield, out of Lady Morgan
Winner of the Derby; 1902, &c. &c. Sold to the German Government for 20,000 guineas
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ENGLISH BEEEDS                                           109>
that the by no means uncommon, but on the other hand very general
Practice of brzngmg up Thoroughbreds as though they were as delicate
f hothouse plants, cannot but have the effect of reducing the robustness.
of feir cons^on- whilst the insane craze that exists for the blood
fashionable srres" can only end in such close inbreeding that before
other century or even half a one, has elapsed, it is extremely likely
/*t breeders will find themselves at their wits' end for a cross This
Whtwi drg6r WhiCh WiU ^^ t0 be faC6d S°°ner or later, b^ it is one
teh the horse raisers of fifty years ago most probably never contemplated.
-tab1 ■ TJ ' " mUCh Str°nger riValrJ then existed between the
the ,? m IT*FT °f the C°Untry' and eSPrit de corP* rather forbade
ttcing public flocking in the direction of one or two favoured sires-
list m the second place, in the early days of railways, and before their
a n, .I" ' conveyance of mares from Place to place was not so easy
^ natter as it is now. The latter circumstance may possibly be utilized
an argument in support of the theory that inbreeding was a greater
ger in the past than in the present, as owners experienced greater
rem tj m gGttmg tbeir brood-mares away f™m home; but the fact
a ^ains that at no time in the history of the Turf were the services of
muted number of popular sires so greatly in request as now and
a sequently, when their offspring come to be bred from, there must in
^aUtn!rat1^ °r tW° ^ a 8Teat deal °f inbreedinS which cannot fail to.
as e trouble. Be this as it may, however, the modern Thoroughbred
e at present exists is undoubtedly a bigger animal than his ancestors
WterCTqUent1^ r?^^^0,^ diCtUm "' g°°d bi§ one is always
^isL ,T a
g°f lttle °ne '        ™Tf**z* of ^e latter-day horse have
a»hna]\ T Slde,whf tb6y C°ntenAd J*? be is a suP^or all-round
^LV               ' ^^ 6ra'                  \ baS b6en 6XPressed above,
the 0Pr6Sent race-]lorses are as sound as their predecessors and
in 8t . °n 1S Pertained by some of the most experienced trainers' that
tainl amma and constitution the old horses were the superior. It cer
to a/ apPears that even one generation ago the horses were called upon
HenT         m°re in PUbHC than tbeJ ^^ ^ Present> whi]st at the period
aetuall7at"raCmg WaS ^ V°gUe' if tbe nUmber °f PaCeS in which an animal
rnorg. mn W6re n0t S° manJ' tbe mdeS be galI°Ped ^re very often
PWes an ldustration being the case of Eclipse, who won thirteen Kind's
his back"1          n °f Whidl he CarriCd 12 St°ne aDd bl tW0 10 stone on
the XhVlng attemPted to direct attention to a brief comparison between
devote °r0Ughbreds of the past and present, the writer now purposes to
a portion of the space at his disposal to a reference to the sport
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
110
•of racing as it existed many years ago in this country, this being in his
opinion desirable as proving that, although the modern race-horse is doubt-
less descended from three great Eastern stallions, which will be named
in due course, the sport flourished in this country long^ before the sires
in question were foaled, and that, consequently, it is unfair to deny
"that the modern Thoroughbred may owe a portion of his excellence to
the mares which were crossed with the trio referred to. It is not, how-
ever, necessary to enter into a detailed history of the Turf, which in some
form or other flourished in England at an extremely remote period; but
it is desirable that some of the efforts made by English sovereigns to
improve the native breed should not be lost sight of. King John, for
instance, was a firm believer in the efficacy of Eastern blood, and devoted
•a great deal of attention to his stud at Eltham, a locality which up to
now has been intimately associated with the development of the race-
horse. The fortunes of this class of animal, however, appear to have
fluctuated somewhat until the time of King Henry VIII, who certainly
•did more for British horse-flesh than any monarch who had preceded him-
It was during his reign that the blood of the high-class English horses,
which had got into the hands of foreigners during the Wars of the Roses,
was reintroduced into this country, and he restored the glories of the
Eltham stud, besides founding similar establishments at Windsor and
Hampton Court. It is evident, moreover, that King Henry, like King
John, was a believer in Eastern blood, his master of the stud being called
the Keeper of the Barbary Horses, which he crossed with those he received
from the Marquis of Mantua, who had benefited by the wars alluded to
above to the extent of becoming the owner of some of the finest English
horses living, for one of which he is reputed to have declined an offer
of its weight in silver. Queen Elizabeth undoubtedly inherited her sires
regard for horse-flesh, as she had studs at Greenwich, Hampton Court,
Windsor, St. Albans, and Waltham; but it was not until the reign of
King James I that racing became recognized as a great sport in England,
though across the border in Scotland it was established as a national
institution earlier, and in fact Queen Elizabeth had presented the sport-
loving King James with some race-horses long before he succeeded to the
throne of England. King James does not appear to have been at all
disposed to rest contented with the quality of his race-horses, as he
purchased the so-called Markham Arabian at a price which is variously
estimated at £500 and £200, but the transaction apparently turned out
unprofitable, as the horse ran badly and there are no records of any good-
stock being left behind by him. A great acquisition was, however, secured
in the reign of King Charles I by the Duke of Buckingham, who purchased
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HEEMIT
A dark-chestnut horse by Newminster out of Seclusion.
He was bred by Mr. Blenkiron in 1864, and in the following
year was purchased by Mr. Chaplin at the Middle Park sale
for 1000 guineas. As a two-year-old he showed excellent
form, winning the Biennial at Bath, the Biennial at Ascot,
and the Biennial and Troy Stakes at Stockbridge. As a
three-year-old he won four races out of nine, including the
Derby Stakes at Epsom, beating Marksman, Vauban, and
twenty-seven others. In 1870 he was put to the stud at
Blankney, where he remained until April, 1890, when he
died, and his skeleton is now set up in the museum of the
Royal Veterinary College, London. His fee in 1870 was 20
guineas and 10s. 6<1 to the groom, but his great success at the
stud ultimately brought it up to 250. "After Stockwell,"
says Mr. Joseph Osborne, " he was the most successful sire of
modern times."
He got two Derby winners, viz. Shotover and St. Blaise,
beside many other good horses, among which may be men-
tioned St. Agatha, Trappist, Holy Friar, Lancaster, Industry,
Charon, Monachus, Ambergus, Devotee, L'Eclair, Eylestone,
Out of Bounds, Zealot, Peter, The Abbot, St. Hilda, St. Louis,
Angelina, Thebais, Tristan, Shotover, St. Blaise, Wandering
Min, Queen Adelaide, Lonely, Timothy, Friar's Balsam, and
others.
Before he died in 1890 his progeny had won over £340,000,
which has since been considerably added to.
As a race-horse and a sire, Mr. Chaplin declared Hermit to
be the " best friend he ever had ".
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Eclipse, 1704
Pot-8-os, 1773
Sportsmistress, 1765
Waxy, 1790
Maria,
1777
Trunipator, 1782
Prunella
1788
BuZzard
1787
6 til Dam
1790
Sir Peter
1784
Matron,
1782
Beningbrou
jh, 1791
Evelina,
1791
Stamford
1794
Sophia,
L79S
Eclipse,
1764
Grecian Princess, 1770
Amaran thus, 1786
Herod, 1758
JUsette, 1772
Whalebone, 1807
Conductor, 1767
Brunette, 1771
Penelope, 1798
Highflyer, 1774
Promise, 1768
Camel, 1822
Woodpecker, 1778
Misfortune, 1775
Selim, 1802
Alexander, 1782
7th Dam
4tli Dam, 1812
Highflyer, 1774
Papillon, 1769
Maiden, 1801
CO
00
Florizel, 1768
7 th Dam
King Fergus; 1775
7th Dam, 1780
o
Orvillo, 1799
Highflyer, 1774
Termagant, 1777
Master Henry, 1816
Sir Peter, 1784
Horatia, 1778
Miss Sophia, 1805
Buzzard, 1787
Huncanninca
Banter, 1826
.Marske, 1750
Spiletta, 1749
Alexander, 1782
Forester, 1750
7th Dam
Boatlicea, 1807
Old England, 1741
00
00
7th Dam
Brunette, 1771
Matchcu), 1748
Mayfly, 1771
33
a
m
is
I
I
[25
7th Dam
Matchem, 1748
Conductor, 1767
7th Dam, 1742
Trunipator, 1782
Squirrell, 1754
Brunette, 1771
Dove, 1764
Paynator, 1791
Spectator, 1740
Mark Anthony
Kachel, 1763
5th Dam
Snap, 1750
Miss Windsor, 1754
Dr. Syntax, 1811
Eclipse, 1764
King Fergus, 1775
Polly
Beningbrough, 179
Herod, 1758
6th Dam, 1780
Pyrrha, 1771
4th Dam
Babraham Blank
Jenny Mole
CO
00
Prince T'^Quassa
6th Dam
Bloody Buttocks, 1733
bJD
d
Herod, 1758
Fortitude
7th Dam
w
John Bull, 17S9
Eclipse, 1764
Xantippe
Grecian Princess, 1770
Ardrossan, 1809
Eclipse, 1764
7th Dam
Miss Whip, 1793
Evergreen
7th Dam
3rd Dam, 1817
Sir Peter, 1784
The Wren
Whitworth, 1805
Jupiter
Oth Dam
7th Dam
lady Eliza, 1813
Highflyer, 1774
Spadille
Flora
5th Dam, 1793
00
Y. Marske
Sylvia
Ferret
Sir Peter, 1784
Sir Paul, 1802
Pewet, 1786
Paulowitz, 1813
Highflyer, 1774
Evelina, 1791
Termagant, 1777
Coin, 1822
Trunipator, 1782
Paynator, 1791
7th Dam
5th Dam, 1810
Delpini, 1781
6th Dam
7th Dam
Ion,1835
Beningbrough, 1791
Evelina, 1791
Orville, 1799
Edmund, 1824
Waxy, 1790
Emmeline, 1817
Sorcery, 1808
Margaret, 1831
Buzzard, 1787
Selim, 1802
7th Dam, 1790
Medora, 1811
to
00
Sir Harry
6th Dam, 1803
o
I
Woodpecker, 1773
Misfortune, 1775
Buzzard, 1787
Selim, 18*2
Alexander, 1782
6th Dam, 1790
Sultan, 1816
Sir Peter, 1784
Williamson's Ditto, 1800
Arethusa, 1792
Bacchante, 1809
Mercury, 1778
7th Dam, 1776
6th Dam, 1791
Palmyra, 1838
Waxy, 1790
Whalebone, 1807
Penelope, 1798
Camel, 1822
Selim, 1802
Oth Dam, 1812
Maiden, 1801
Hester, 1832
Orville, 1799
Muley, 1810
Eleanor. 1798
Monimia, 1821
00
6 th Dam
Is
o
Buzzard, 1787
p
Selim, 1802
7 th Dam, 1700
Sultan, 1S16
(a
CO
Bacchante, 1809
w illiamson' s Ditto ,1800 \
7th Dam, 1791
Phantom, 1808
Walton, 1790
Julia, 1799
Filagree, 1815
Soothsayer
Web, 1808
Eniilius, 1820
Orville, 1799
Emily, 1S10
Priam, 1827
Cressida, 1807
Whiskey, 1789
Y. Giantess, 1790
Octavian, 1807
Stripling, 1795
7th Dam
Octaviana, 1815
6th Dam, 1807
Shuttle, 1793
Zara, 1801
Whitelock, 1803
Hanibletonian, 1772
^t
Rosalind, 1788
Blacklock, 1814
Oth Dam, 1799
Coriander, 1786
{
Wildgoose, 1799
Dick Andrews, 1797
Joe Andrews, 1778
7th Dam, 1790
Manuella, 1809
Mandane, 1800
Pot-8-os, 1773
Y. Camilla, 1787
Waxy Pope, 1806
Waxy, 1790
Prunella, 1788
Starch, 181C
Miss Staveley, 1805
Shuttle, 1793
7th Dam, 1793
Oiseau
j
I
Cuirass, 1823
Castanea
1
I
j
Bay Middleton, 1833
Cowl, 1842
Crucifix, 1S37
id
oo
J
CD
m
Belshazzar, 1830
Belle Dame, 1839
Ellen, 1831
-ocr page 150-
Sir Hercules, 1826
Birdcatcher, 1833
Guiccioli, 1823
The Baron, 1842
Economist, 1825
Echidna, 1838
Miss Pratt, 1825
Stockwell. 1849
Sultan, 1816
Glencoe, 1833
Trampoline, 1825
Pocahontas, 1857
Muley, 1810
Marpessa, 1830
Clare, 1824
Doncaster 1870
Touchstone, 1831
Orlando, 1841
Vulture, 1833
Tecldington, 1848
Rockingham, 1830
Miss Twickenham,
Electees*, 1819
Marigold, 1860
Buzzard, 1787
Eatan, 1841
5th Dam 1852
Melbourne, 1834
6th Dam. 1844
Lizbeth
o -
Castrel, 1801
Pantaloon, 1824
1'dalia, 1816
pq
Windhound, 1S47
Touchstone, 1831
Phryne, 1840
Decoy,1830
Thormanby,186r
Muley, 1810
Muley Muloch, 1830
Nancy, 1813
Alios Hawthorne,1838
Lottery, 1820
Rebecca, 1831
7th Dam, 1818
Rouge Rose, 1865
Catton, ]
Sandbeck, 1818
Orvillina
Redshank, 1833
Selim, 1802
Johanna, 181L
7th Dam
Ellen Horn, 1844
Emilias, 1820
Plenipotentiary, 1831
Harriet, 1819
Waxy, 1790
GO
Pawn Junior, 1817
Pawn
p
SB
O
«
O
Walton, 1799
Gladiator,
1833
Loilypop,
18S6
Pantaloon
1824
Partisan, 1811
Parasol, 1800
Moses, 1819
Pauline, 1826
Quadrille, 1815
Sweetmeat, 1842
Blacklock, 1814
Voltaire, 1820
7th Dam, 1816
Blacklock, 1814
Belinda, 1825
Wagtail, 1818
Macaroni, 1860
Buzzard, 1787
Castrel, 1801
7th Dam, 1790
Peruvian, 1806
Idalia, 1815
Musidora, 1804
Jocose, 1843
Orville, 1799
Master Henry, 1815
Miss Sophia, 1805
Banter, 1826
Alexander, 1782
Boadicea, 1807
Brunette, 1771
Blacklock, 1814
Brutandorf, 1821
Mandane, 1800
Physician, 1829
Prime Minister, 1810
Primette, 1820
Miss Paul, 1811
The Cure, 1841
Catton, 1809.
Mulatto, 1823
Desdemona, 1811
Morsel, 1836
Waterloo, 1814
Linda,1825
Cressida, 1807
Polly Agnes, 1865
Whalebone, 1807
Sir Hercules, 1826
Birdcatcher, 1833
Bob Booty, 1804
Guiccioli, 1823
Flight, 1800
Miss Agnes, 1850
Sultan, 1816
Clarion, 1836
Clara
Agnes, 1844
00
00
Priam, 1827
Annette, 1835
Emily, 1810
Whitelock, 1803
Blacklock, 1814
7th Dam, 1799
Voltaire, 1826
o
Phantom, 1808
6th Dim, 1816
7th Dam, 1802
Voltigeur, 1847
Catton, 1809
Mulatto, 1823
Desdemona, 1811
Martha Lynn, 1837
Filho-da-Puta, 1812
Leda,1824
Vedette. 1854
Whalebone, 1807
Sir Hercules, 1826
Peri, 1822
Birdcatcher, 1833
Bob Boot}', 1804
Guiccioli, 1823
Flight, 1809
Mrs. Ridgway, 1847
Lottery, 1822
Inheritor, 1831
Handmaiden, 1817
Nan Darrell, 1840
Blacklock, 1814
Nell, 1831
Madame Vestris
Selim, 1802
Sultan, 1816
Bacchante, 1809
Bay Middleton, 1833
Phantom, 1808
Cobweb, 1821
Filagree, 1815
The Flying Dutchman, 1846
Catton, 1809
Sandbeck, 1818
Orvillina
Barbelle, 1836
Amadis
Darioletta, 1822
Selima, 1733
Flying Duchess, 1853
Whitelock, 1803
Blacklock, 1814
7th Dam, 1799
Voltaire, 1826
Phantom, 1808
6tl) Dam, 1816
7th Dam, 1802
Merope, 1841
Whisky, 1789
Juniper, 1805
Jenny Spinner
5th Dam, 1817
Sorcerer, 1796
6th Dam. 1810
Virgin
<!
o
H
cS
Waxy, 1790
Whisker, 1812
Penelope, 1798
Economist, 1825
Octavian, 1807
Florauthe, 1818
Caprice, 1797
Harkaway, 1S34
Rugantino, 1S03
Nabocklisb, 1810
Butterfly
Fanny Dawson, 1823
Teddy the Grinder, 1798
Miss Tooley, 1808
Lady Jane, 1796
King Tom, 18*1
Selim, 1802
Sultan, 1816
Bacchante, 1809
Glencoe, 1833
Tramp, 1810
Trampoline, 1825
Web, 1808
Pocahontas, 1857
Orville, 1799
Muley, 1810
Eleanor, 179S
us
to
CO
Marpessa, 1830
Marmion, 1S06
Clave. 1824
Harpalice, 1814
Sir Paul, 1802
Panlowitz, 1813
Evelina, 1791
Cain, 1822
w.
Paynator, 1791
6th Dam, 1810
7th Dam
Ion, 1853
Orville, 1799
Edmund, 1824
Eimneline, 1817
Margaret, 1831
Selim, 1802
Medora, 1811
7th Dam,
1803
Blacklock
1814
7th Dam,
1817
Adeline, 1851
Velocipede, 1825
Sir Peter, 1784
Miss Cranfield
7th Dam
Little Fairy, 1832
St. George
Zodiac, 1801
Abigail
Lacerta, 1816
Gohanna, 1790
Jerboa, 1S03
Camilla
-ocr page 151-
c
ORME
Orme is a bay horse with a star on his forehead, but in
other respects free from white. He was bred in 1889 by
His Grace the late Duke of Westminster, in whose hands
he continued to remain, and is still located at Eaton. He is
by Ormonde, out of Angelica, by Galopin, and stands fully
16 hands high.
As a race-horse he stood far out and away from his com-
peers, and was decidedly one of the best of his time. He
commenced his racing career as a two-year-old by placing to
his credit the Richmond Stakes, followed by the Prince of
Wales' Stake, value £2800. At Newmarket first October
Meeting he won the Middle Park Plate, value £2505, when
he carried 9 sts. 3 lbs. At the Houghton Meeting he won the
Dewhurst Plate and the Home-Bred Post Foal Stakes.
In 1892 he was unable to compete.for the Two Thousand
Guineas and the Derby owing to an illness which it was
alleged had resulted from the effects of poison secretly admin-
istered to him by some unknown person. As a three-year-old
he won the Eclipse Stakes, value 9105 sovereigns, and the
Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. At Newmarket he won the
Great Foal Stakes, the Champagne Stakes, the Limekiln
Stakes, and the Subscription Stakes. As a four-year-old he
won the Rous Memorial Stakes at Ascot, and for a second
time the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown Park, value 9902 sove-
reigns. At Goodwood he won the Gordon Stakes, and wound
up a splendid racing career by running Childwick to three-
quarters of a length in the Limekiln Stakes, when giving him
2 sts. 5 lbs.
At the stud he got that brilliant race-horse Flying Fox, who,
after winning the Derby, St. Leger, Two Thousand Guineas,
Eclipse Stakes, and other races, was sold at the sale of the late
Duke of Westminster to M. Edmond Blanc for the record
price of 37,500 guineas.
Six yearlings by him disposed of at the Eaton Sale averaged
3878 guineas. He is also the sire of Duke of Westminster,
Orchid, Flying Lemur, Manchuria, Missel Thrush, and Ormenus.
-ocr page 152-
ENGLISH BREEDS                                               111
vttHnf1^SlenTUrk' Wllich Sired a number of ™lMe animals. The ad-
vent o the Commonwealth, and the wars which preceded it, played havoc
with the operations of horse-breeders in Qn r S
          tt                 ■ -> -,
Restoration, King Charles II devot 7 dlrectl0ns- However' Wlth the
of the pnniL ,
           T          de7oted some attention to the improvement
ot the equine race, and imported a number of mares (these mav be taken
to have possessed Eastern bloods whioV, ,
           fi, [               7
also a few stallions, all of which howl ^ ^ " *** Mar6S"' and
king died. His successor did nJt intT 7, '^ distributed when the
the reign of William and M
             *?"** himSelf in horse-flesh, but in
imported by the crown M a g **?* V&luable Eastern horses were
William and Queen Malv Moreo^ d™g the period in which King
of stallions, to which the I T™          thmn&' °ne °f the illustrious trio
speared upon the bopt,^™ ?h°r0Ughbred owes much of his excellence,
Captain Byerley dul^
               g ^ ^^ Turk' the larger of
subsequently becamp         , fmpugn in Ireland, and the horse which
Queen Anne Z r            ^^ °f the ^M*.
she ascended the thr JUt!% a racing monarch, and very soon after
became known Th^t
           &^J Arabian> the sire of Flying Childers,
served the Thorough ^°rSe' ^ SeC°nd °f the tllree great sires which
comb, York bv hi? W? S° WeU' WaS Presented to Mr- -Darley of Butter-
of the Leed'es Arl
         i' ^ Ws W at the stud surpassed even that
Childers are,T w S , ^ °f Eetty Leedes' the dam of the Flying
than twenCl ! ir°Ug ^ ^^
Ambian ^ Altogether no fewer
t^ reiTrft^ n
           °f EaStem bl°°d Came into ^is country during
Thoroughbred                             ' ""* fr°m her Period tbe breedin§ of ^e
P^iples than Wlv ° JTi I'TI ^^ Up°D m°re Scientific
reference has \ ^[y- ihe last of the great trio of stallions to which
Godolphin ArlT beennmade as being Pilars of the Stud-book, was tire
white. This
        V           bay h°rSe' 15 hands> with his off-hind heel
1728, and IT        7? f°Und ln a water-cart in Paris in the year
his death bl imp°rted mt° tbis ^untry, where he lived until 1753,
Writ ca^ ITH lyAment6d'
aDd * — — tban by his
his remLs ; tL
            ^ ^ t0 Ms graVe' sat disconsolately upon
then disZeaJ ^T-^T* ^ made f°r Wring him into it, and
story 70er Kh T
         ^ ^ t0 be Seen again At least - the
the developmen If theeOTS "f^ T^ diSpkyed n° interest in
Cumberland efftf. Thoroughbred; but the latter's son, the Duke of
* stud! C^trf rl' ^ f°Unded AsCOt races' -d g^ together
the great EcWw; ^ T^ * ^ **> °f Dogs' ^re some say
regafdng th^Zl f°alefd;^0Ugh d0ubte ■» expressed in other quarter's
of Cumber and the h7, ^ ^^ SmCe the time of *** Duke
-land, the history of the Thoroughbred horse is clearly traceable
-ocr page 153-
VAEIETIES OF THE HOESE
112
in the Stud-book, and consequently it is unnecessary to particularize
further on that portion of the subject. At the same time the varying
conditions which regulate the production of this class of horse are worthy
of comment, for the methods pursued by breeders have greatly altered,
and some persons think for the worse. In the old days people raised
their Thoroughbreds with the view of running them themselves, such
functions as public sales of yearlings being unknown and unheard of.
Consequently the unfortunate practice now so prevalent of stall-feeding*
young stock, and in fact treating them as though they were prize bullocks,
had no existence then. Each breeder acted independently according to
his own ideas of what was desirable for the benefit of his stock, and not
with the fear of adverse criticism upon the condition and precociousness.
of his yearlings. The value of their horses was consequently for the
most part estimated by the test of future events, or by their breeding
and the performances of their relatives, rather than by the amount of
blubber they carried upon their frames, or the height to which their
stature had been forced by a system of artificial rearing, which naturally
must affect their constitutions and hardiness to a greater or less extent
—probably to a greater.
It is, of course, but natural that certain families of Thoroughbreds
require different treatment from others, not only in their rearing, but
subsequently in the course of their preparation for the engagements they
are destined to fulfil, and possibly no greater illustration of this can be
produced than the case of the Newminsters, which usually run best after
a tender preparation, Hermit, the Derby winner of 1867, being perhaps
the most notable instance of this. At the same time, it cannot be-
reasonably doubted that the youngsters which enjoy a long freedom in
a roomy paddock are more likely to develop into sound-constitutioned
animals than those which have been pampered and artificially forced from
the earliest moment. It must, however, be always remembered that
allowances should be made for the conditions under which young horses-
have to be reared, as very much indeed will depend upon the nature of
climate and soil. Foals bred in damp places, and exposed to much rain
and cold wind, or running on clay soils, are sadly handicapped in their
growth and progress; whereas the more fortunate youngsters which are
favoured by a more genial climate, and possess the advantage of having:
a large undulating area to roam about in, have every advantage placed
in their way. The desirability of the paddocks being situated upon un-
dulating ground consists in the facilities it affords the colts and filheS
lor utilizing all their muscles from an early age; whereas if the land is
flat, each set of muscles will not be equally brought into play. Indeed
-ocr page 154-
Plate XV.
Photo, by W. A. Rouch
BAY FILLY, SCEPTRE
By Persimmon, out of Ornament by Bend Or, out of Lily Agnes. Winner of the St. Leger, 1902, &c. &c.
The Property of W. A. H. Bass, Esq.
BAY HORSE, FLYING FOX
By Orme; dam, Vampire by Galopin, out of Irony. Winner of the Derby and St. Leger, &c. &c.
and sold as a four-year-old at the Duke of Westminster's sale for 37,500 guineas to M. Edmond Blanc
-ocr page 155-
ENGLISH BEEEDS                                           IK
bredmfh- Kld be neglected that conduces to soundness in the Thorough-
thou 1
                    f°r °bvious reas°ns the great object of all breeders,
to be 1 T mUSt b<3 admitted tliat a larSe majority of them do not appear
°f taTh UP t0 thelr convictions wnen they are guilty of such an act
PlantsX
            aS t0 treat tneir younS stock as though they were hothouse
made b ,aCkney*~The remarkable advance in popularity that has been
to the 7Hackney horse during the past twenty years is due not only
interestr?*0118 °f th6 members of the society that exists to support his
chano-e \
          ° tbe natural attractions possessed by the breed, and the
horses for *** Undoubtedly come over the feelings of those who keep
thing el*1 P
         e" In fact> there is a fashion in horse-flesh as in every-
mfluenc 6' Z * ^ caprice °f owners is also regulated by extraneous
For iustan^e ?h materially affect the posit ion of many a variety of horse,
ment is not6' "* tlm6S °f ProsPerity and Plenty the head of the establish-
a period of much disposed to curtail his stable expenses as he is during
extravaganc
            turai or mercantile depression. When trade is bad no
necessity wv. &n allowed, and the all-round horse is regarded as a
and others
for lrlf^°re' °ne anima^~ or more could be kept for harness,
balance at th i             purposes, without materially affecting their owner's
^n order hrw
Hackney rea'ii . eTer' to arrive at a proper understanding as to what a
to which the if 1S' ^ Wl11 PernaPs De as weH to consider the original uses
horse, ~_an /eed Was put, and then to draw attention to the origin of the
transformin airangement which, though it may be regarded as somewhat
Various reason ^ COnventional lines, may be accepted as desirable for
*t was in tj'
most valuable 0f ante'railway days that the Hackney was regarded as the
East Anglian ° breeds' llis Particular mission in life being the carrying of
distant in ma
         Yorkshire farmers from their holdings to the markets,
commencement7 f^110?8 a Sood number of miles. Consequently at the
and a good nu b nineteenth century, and also for some years before
of the farmer's"1 Subse(luently, the Hackney was regarded in the light
(occasionally hi ^ ^^ C°uld be relied upon to convey his master
accompany her s DUStres.8 .aS wel1' for sometimes the farmer's wife would
him safely bach ^V?' "f™8 behind him 0n a Pillion) to market and bring
j°hs as are usu'all it ^ lnterYening days could be devoted to such light
Position of the HaV -d t0 the °dd horse °n a farnL This being the
th
at the variety
         eJ Jt can scarcely be a subject of surprise to anybody
be regarded as relTv f^7 esteemed in the old days- Neither can it
vol.!.               markable that when railways became established,
many
-ocr page 156-
114
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
agriculturalists who adopted them as means of locomotion became lukewarm
in their support of the breed that had served them faithfully for many
years. Their neglect of the Hackney perhaps was only natural, for the
horse was too light for farm-work, and the old-day farmer was not the
sort of man to continue breeding an animal for which he had reduced uses,
and for which he did not prophesy a large popular demand. The result
was the partial decadence of the breed, which might possibly have become
entirely extinct were it not for the loyalty and devotion to it evinced m
a most practical form by a few old admirers, who stood by it during the
period of its adversity, and who are now reaping a rich reward for their
constancy to the horse.
Unquestionably, however, the rescue of the Hackney from ultimate
extinction—for the old breeders and their descendants who had held on to
the blood were getting fewer and farther between—is due to the action
of the members of the Hackney Horse Society, who for the past fe^
years have laboured with the object before them of bringing the great
merits of this class of horse before the public, with results that must
have exceeded by far the most sanguine anticipations of the originators oi
the movement. At the same time it may be mentioned, as a further
proof of the value of their efforts, that the gentlemen who were spending
their time and their money in furthering a very patriotic movement had t°
encounter one or two unforeseen difficulties, the defeat of which has un-
doubtedly rendered the success that has attended their labours still more
remarkable. The chief obstacle which they had to overcome was the
erroneous statements that were made to the effect that the Hackney waS
not a distinct variety, and consequently could not be expected to breed
true; whilst even the institution of a Stud-book was received with expi*eS'
sions of hostile criticism in certain quarters.
There can, however, be no doubt whatever that many a Hackney pedi'
gree is as long and as clear as the most fastidious breeder could desire, x
most of the staunchest supporters of the variety were as careful as any
breeder of the Thoroughbred horse in preserving accurate records of then"
studs, and so far as the writer can see, there is no legitimate ground i°r
stigmatizing these men either as rogues or fools, one of which they mus
have been if they had manufactured pedigrees, or been deceived themselves
concerning the breeding of their horses. True it is, of course, that unti
a few years ago the Hackney had remained unhonoured by a stud-boo* >
but all such volumes are at first necessarily things of threads and patche >
being manufactured from information afforded their compilers by breeder >
and surely therefore statements, substantiated as they are by documentary
•evidence which has been handed down from father to son for generatio
-ocr page 157-
5-
STOCKWELL
Stockwell was a chestnut horse with two white hind-legs
and a white blaze down the face. He was bred in 1849 by
Mr. Theobald, and sold to Lord Exeter for £180, and 500
more if he won the Derby. He was one of the best race-
horses of his day, and subsequently became one of the first
sires of the century. He was by The Baron out of Pocahontas,
who was also the dam of Rataplan, King Tam, Knight of
St. Patrick, &c. &c. During his turf career he accounted for
a number of races. Besides the Two Thousand and St. Leger,
he also won the Newmarket Stakes at Goodwood, a sweep-
stake of £400, and the racing stakes £600; at York, the Great
Yorkshire Stakes of 1590 sovereigns; at Newmarket he won
the Grand Duke Michael Stakes, the Newmarket St. Leger,
and the Whip; after which he went to the stud, where he
begot a peerless family. Among his sons were Belladrum,
Blair Athol, Lord Lyon, Uncas, Doncaster, St. Albans, The
Marquis, and numerous other good ones; while his daughters
included Isola Bella, the dam of Isonomy; Stockings, the dam
of Mowerina; Sandal, the grandam of Sainfoin; Woodbine,
the grandam of St. Serf; Caller Ou, Achievement, and many
others of the highest distinction. He died at Hooton Hall,
Cheshire, on the 5th of May, 1870, when 21. years old.
-ocr page 158-
«^o
Eclipse, 1764
Pot-8-os, 1773
Sportsmistress, 1763
Waxy, 1790
Herod, 1758
Maria, 1777
Lisette, 1772
Whalebone, 1807
Conductor, 1767
Trumpator, 1782
Brunette, 1771.
Penelope, 1798
Highflyer, 1774
Prunella, 1788
Promise, 1768
Sir Hercules, 1826
Mercury, 1778
Gohanna, 1790
7th Dam, 1779
Wanderer, 1790
Woodpecker, 1773
Catherine, 179S
Camilla
Peri, 1822
Eclipse, 1764
Alexander, 1782
Grecian Princess, 1770
Xhalestis, 1809
CO
00
Sir Peter, 1784
Rival, 1800
Hornet
Herod, 1758
Woodpecker, 1773
Miss Hamsden
Chanticleer, 1787
ffl
Eclipse, 1764
6th Dam, 177S
Rosebud, 1766
Bob Booty, 1804
Herod, 1758
Bagot, 1780
Marotte, 1766
Ierne, 1790
G-amahoe
Patty
Guiecioli, 1823
Tom Tug, 1777
Commodore, 1793
Smallhopes
Escape, 1802
Highilyer, 1774
6th Dam, 1791
Flight, 1809
Herod, 1758
Marotte, 1766
Y. Heroine
Hero, 1753
Old Heroine
7th Dam
g
o
w
Eclipse, 1764
Pot-S-os, 1773
Sportsmistress, 1763
Waxy, 1790
Herod, 175S
Maria, 1777
Lisette, 1772
Whisker, 1812
Conductor, 1767
Trumpator, 1782
Brunette, 1771
Penelope, 1798
Highflyer, 1774
Prunella, 17SS
Promise, 176S
Economist, 1825
Phenomenon, 1780
Stripling, 1795
Octavian, 1807
Oberon
6th Dam
Floranthe, 1818
Herod, 1758
Anvil, 1777
7th Dam
Caprice, 1797
00
CO
Eclipse, 1764
Madcap, 1774
7th Dam
King'Fergus, 1775
Hambletonian, 1792
7th Dam, 1782
n
Whitelock, 1803
Phenomenon, 1780
Rosalind, 17S8
Atalanta, 1769
Blacklock, 1814
Pot-8-os, 1773
Coriander, 1786
Lavender, 1778
5th Dam, 1799
Highflyer, 1774
Wiklgoose, 1792
Coheiress, 178'
Miss Pratt, 1825
King Fergus, 1775
Beningbrough, 1791
7th Dam, 1780
Orville, 179S
Highflyer, 1774
Evelina, 1791
Termagant, 1772
Gadabout, 1812
Highflyer, 1774
oT
Sir Peter, 1784
Papillon, 1769
Minstrel, 1S03
Florizel, 1768
3
w
o
o
p
CO
Matron, 1782
Maiden
Herod, 1758
Woodpecker, 1773
Miss Pvamsden
Buzzard, 1787
Dux, 1761
Misfortune, 1775
Curiosity, 1760
Selim, 1S02
Eclipse, 176
Alexander, 1782
Grecian Princess, 1770
5th Dam, 1790
Highflyer, 1774
Oth Dam
7th Dam
Sultan, 1816
Highflyer, 1774
Sir Peter, 1784
Papillon, 1769
Williamson's Ditto, 1800
Dungahnon, 17S0
Arethusa, 1792
7th Dam
Bacchante, 1809
Eclipse, 1764
Mercury, 1778
7th Dam
Calomel's Sister, 1791
Herod, 175;
6th Dam
Folly, 1764
Eclipse, 1764
Joe Andrews, 177S
Amaranda, 1771
Dick Andrews, 1797
Highflyer, 1774
6th Dam, 1790
7th Dam
Tramp, 1810
Mercury, 1778
Gohanna, 1790
7th Dam
5th Dam, 1803
Trentham, 1766
Fraxinella, 1793
7th Dam
Trampoline, 1825
Eclipse, 1764
Pot-S-os, 1713
Sportsmistress, 1763
Waxy, 1790
Herod, 1758
Lisette, 1772
Web, 1808
Conductor, 1767
Trumpator, 1782
Brunette, 1771
Penelope, 1798
Highflyer, 1774
Prunella, 1788
Promise, 1788
Eclipse, 1764
King Fergus, 1775
Polly; 1756
o
o
Beniugbovough, 1791
Herod, 1753
6th Dam, 1780
Pyrrha, 1771
Orville, 1799 '
Highflyer, 1774
Rachel, 1750
Evelina, 1791
Tantrum, 1760
Termagant, 1772
Muiey, 1810
Eclipse, 1764
Saltrarn, 1780
Virago, 1764
Whiskey, 178!
Herod, 1758
Calash, 1775
Teresa, 1767
Eleanor, 1798
Florizel, 1768
Diomed, 1777
.Tuno's Sister
o
CO
oo
Y. Giantess, 1790
Matchem, 1748
Giantess, 1769
Molly Long Legs, 1753
Eclipse, 1764
ft
Virago, 1764
Whiskey, 1789
Herod, 1758
Calash, 1775
Teresa, 1767
Marmior;, :
Florizel, 1768
Diomed, 1777
Juno's Sister
Y. Jfoisette
Squirrel, 1754
Noisette
Bloody Buttocks
Clare, 1824
Eclipse, 1764
Mercury, 1778
7th Dam, 1756
Gohanna, 1790
Herod, 1758
6th Dam
Maiden, 1770
Harpalioe; 1814
Trentham, 1766
Coquette
Amazon
Mercury, 1778
Fractious
7th Dam
-ocr page 159-
Hambletonian, 1792
Whitelock, 1803
Rosalind, 1788
Blacklock, 1814
Coriander, 1786
6th Dam, 1799
Wildgoose, 1799
Voltaire, 1826
Walton. 1799
Phantom, 1808
Julia, 1798
5th Dam, 1816
Overton, 1788
6th Dam, 1802
Gratitude's Dam, 1796
Voltigeur, 1847
Golunrpus, 1802
Catton, 1809
Lucy Grey
Mulatto, 1823
Orville, 17
Desdemona, 1811
Fanny
Martha Lynn, 1837
Haphazard, 1797
Filho-da-Puta, 1812
Mrs. Barnet, 1806
Leda, 1824
CamiJIus
10
oo
7th Dam
Waxy, 1790
Whalebone, 1807
Penelope, 1798
Sir Hercules, 1826
Wanderer, 1811
Peri, 1822
Thalestris, 1809
Birdoatcher, 1833
Chanticleer, 1787
Bob Booty, 1804
lerne, 1790
Guiccioli, 1823
Escape, 1802
Flight, 1809
Y. Heroine
Mrs. Ridgway, 1849
Tramp, 1810
Lottery, 1822
Mandane, 1800
Inheritor, 1831
Walton, 1799
Handmaiden, 1817
Anticipation
San Darrell, 1844
Whitelocli, 1803
BlacVilocK "1.814
7th Dam, 1799
Nell, 1S31
Comus, 1809
Madame Vestris
Lisette, 1772
Buzzard, 1787
On
o
5
Selim, 1802
7th Dam, 1790.
Sultan, 1816
Williamson's Ditto, 1800
Bacchante, 1809
7th Dam, 1791
Bay Middleton, 1833
Walton, 1799
Phantom, 1808
Julia, 1798
Cobweb, 1821
Soothsayer, 1808
Filagree, 1815
Web, 1808
Flying Dutchman, 1846
Golunrpus, 1802
Catton, 1809
Lucy Grey
Sandbeck, 1818
Beningbrough, 1791
Orvillina
Evelina, 1791
Barbelle, 1836
Don Quixote, 1784
CO
OO
Fauny
Darioletta, 1822
Selim, 1802
Selima
Hambletonian, 1792
Whitelock, 1803
OX)
a
Rosalind, 1788
Blacklock, 1814
Coriander, 1786
6th Dam, 1799
Wildgoose, 1799
Voltaire, 1826
Walton, 1799
Phantom, 1808
Julia, 1798
5th Dam, 1816
Overton, 1788
6th Dam, 1802
Gratitude's Dam, 1796
Merope, 1841
Saltram, 1780
Whisky, 1789
Calash, 1775
Juniper, 1805
Dragon
Jenny Spinner
7th Dam
4th Dam, 1817
Trumpator, 1782
Sorcerer, 1796
oo
00
Young Giantess, 1790
5th Dam, 1810
Sir Peter, 1784
2
O
CO
h
CO
Virgin
7 th Dam
Pot-8-os, 1773
Waxy, 1790
Maria, 1777
Whisker, 1812
Trumpator, 1782
Penelope, 1798
Prunella, 1788
Economist, 1825
Stripling, 1795
Octavian, 1807
Floranthe, 1818
Anvil, 1777
Caprice, 1797
Madcap, 1774
Harkaway, 1834
Commodore, 1794
Rugantino, 1804
7th Dam, 1791
Nabocklish, 1811
Master Bagot, 1787
Butterfly
7th Dam
Fanny Dawson, 1823
Asparagus, 1787
Teddy the Grinder, 1798
Stargazer, 1782
Miss Tooley, 1808
lO
00
Sir Peter, 1784
Lady Jane, 1796
Paulina, 1778
g
o
OX)
a
3
Buzzard, 1787
Selim, 1802
7th Dam, 1790
Sultan, 1816
Williamson's Ditto, 1800
Bacchante, 1809
7th Dam, 1791
Glencoe,1S33
Dick Andrews, 1797
Tramp, 1810
7th Dam, 1803
Trampoline, 1S25
Waxy, 1790
Web, 1808
Penelope, 1798
Pocahontas, 1837
Beningbrough, 1791
Orville, 1799
Evelina, 1791
Muley, 1810
Whisky, 178
Eleanor, 1798
Y. Giantess, 1790
Marpessa, 1830
Whisky, 17S9
Marmion, 1806
lO
to
oo
Y. Xoisette
Clare, 1824
Gohanna, 1790
Harpalice, 1814
Amazon
H
Sir Peter, 1784
Sir Paul, 1802
Pewet, 1786
Paulowitz, 1813
Highflyer, 1774
Evelina, 1791
Termagant, 1777
Cain, 1822
Trumpator, 1782
Paynator, 1791
7th Dam
5th Dam, 1810
Delpini, 17S1
6th Dam
7th Dam
Ion, 1835
Beningbrough, 1791
Orville, 179!
Evelina, 1791
Edmund, 1824
Waxy, 1790
Emmeline, 1817
Sorcery
Margaret, 1831
Buzzard, 1787
Selim, 1802
7th Dam, 1790
Medora, 1811
Sir Harry
oo
6th Dam, 1803
Whitelock, 1803
Blacklock, 1814
6th Dam, 1799
Velocipede, 1825
Juniper, 1805
6th Dam, 1817
7tli Dam, 1810
Hornsea
Highflyer, 1774
Sir Peter, 17S4
Papillon, 1769
Miss Cranfleld
6th Dam
Little Fairy, 1832
Highflyer, 1774
St. George
7th Dam
Zodiac, 1801
Woodpecker, 1773
Abigail
Firetail
Lacerta, 1816
Mercury, 1778
Gohanna, 1790
7th Dam, 1779
Jerboa, 1803
Trentham, 1766
Camilla
Coquette
-ocr page 160-
ST. SIMON
St. Simon is a brown horse, with a star on the forehead
and some white on the near hind-heel. He was bred by
Prince Batthyany in 1881, and is by Qalopin out of St.
Angela, who. was also the dam of Angelica and the grandam
of Orme. St. Simon is 16 hands 1 inch in height, and is the
property of his grace the Duke of Portland. He commenced
his racing career as a two-year-old (1883) by winning the
Halnaker Stakes at Goodwood, and at the same meeting he
beat the colt by Balfe-Katrine for the Maiden Stakes. At
Derby, in the same year, he won the Devonshire Nursery
Plate, carrying 8 st. 12 lbs. in a large field; and later, at
Doncaster, he won the Prince of Wales' Nursery Plate, carry-
ing 9 st., and giving 14 lbs. to the heaviest weighted of his
twenty-one opponents.
He finished up his first season by beating^ the Duke of
Kichmond in a match at equal weights for ,£500.
As a three-year-old he continued his unbroken record.
Commencing at Newmarket, he won the Trial Match from
Tristan, and walked over at Epsom for the Epsom Gold Cup
Later in the year he won the Gold Cup at Ascot, the Lrold
Cup at Newmarket, and finished up a brilliant season by
winning the Goodwood Cup from Ossian, who was beaten
twenty lengths.
As a stallion he has been widely patronized, and his stock
have displayed an amount of speed and stamina perhaps
unprecedented in the annals of the turf.
His sons and daughters have won more classic races than
those of any horse since the time of Stockwell.
The Derby was won by Persimmon (1896), and Diamond
Jubilee (1900); the St. Leger by Memoir (1890), La Fleche
(1892), Persimmon (1896), and Diamond Jubilee (1900);
the Oaks by Memoir (1890), La Fleche (1892), Mrs. Butter-
wick (1893), Amiable (1894), and La Eoche (1900); the Two
Thousand Guineas by St. Frusquin (1896), and Diamond
Jubilee (1900); and the One Thousand Guineas by Semolina
(1890), La Fleche (1892), Amiable (1894), and Winnifreda
(1900).
His daughters have also been fruitful of good horses,
especially those of the blood of Hampton and Melbourne.
In 1896 his stock won £59,740; nearly approaching to
that of Stockwell, whose offspring in 1886 aggregated the
sum of £61,195.
-ocr page 161-
ENGLISH BREEDS
as a guide for the conduct of rt k j
worthy of credence amongst irmT *? g °Perations of the latter, are as
Porary horse-raiser who transmit 11 m6n aS the dictum of a contem"
the editor of a stud-book
                      ^formation concerning his horses to
The exact sources from which rhP TT i
two centuries ago are never likelv t« I *a ckne7 originally sprang nearly
far aS the <W of the orioTa an l" ^"^at is to say, of course,
however, the most ample and sufficl? ? C°nCerned- 0n ^ sires' side,
-nuns now before the public cTf ??**"? ls forthcoming, and man
-1 other pillars of the UollZhl 1 *?** Wk to the Ay Arabian
?t ;tn ~ed -^^i3w*fl A very tenabie ^
t-i »         ' s"ggests that BWi "8™ UP0H the origin of the Hackney,
wh It th°"Cltl,e God»lP'>h A^b an StaUi0"S' SUdl " »- h™ *>ve re-
^ ol* tl°ff8I>rin8 «* their onioT' T PUt to
T SMto of —• «*
fc/ *"» ^ona s^» ^&g and Flemish mares formed
MhaW , m« m«e than 2 ! Ha°kn^ Th« ab°« intention is,
» Wwtoal gTOuad
           ™» conjecture, founded, it is true, upon very
C- ilty **» aiwtaf"* "V* 8ame; but truing 2
cooU TCn m ll!s Preface to vol f T' dearly d«>onstrated by Mr.
,"S " r*^ ™ue of « tTC V the «"*•* Stud-hook, which
W P SS °f 1,0Ke is concerned IT t" aS referCMes to ^ Ceding of
with the th &di"V Horse the 1 tCf a°kM7: Md aS«" in his
« Tr ,         wie tollowine sentpr,oo                . 8 ' at so remote a period as
therefore V         meant to neioh tu0             d fl0m the Anglo-Saxon
as «, ' ' °f assu^ing that the ™-«. 1, , appear ^tantiaj
reasons,
*U of" Sen 7' °f Fkmi* Mod ^^ ™d ^ ^^
that /           h effected so much ,™                  ' Were Put to the Eastern
worses of one hundred and fifW .
ncl h% years ago that is
-ocr page 162-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
116
certain, is that they were far smaller than their descendants, but the differ-
ence in size may be easily accounted for by the better stabling, feeding,
selection, and management that the Hackneys of the present day are
favoured with; though it may be added, that beyond a doubt all varieties
of horse have increased in stature since the period referred to. It does not,
however, appear from the published writings of old authors that the horse-
breeders of the past were over particular as regards the height at shoulder
of their steeds. Master Blundeville, of Newton Flotsham, Norfolk, who
wrote and flourished in the reign of good Queen Bess, was careful to im-
press upon his readers the desirability of breeding from tall roomy mares
" of a high stature strongly made large and faire ", but unfortunately he
omits to mention the stature which in his opinion was high. Blundeville,
however, was exceptionally well qualified to express an opinion upon the
subject of what he was pleased to refer to as the "trotting pase", for his
part of the country, East Anglia, has from time immemorial been one of the
strongholds of trotting horses. Even so far back as the fifteenth century,
one Dame Margaret Paston, in the course of a letter addressed to her
absent lord, informs him that "there be bought for you three horses at St.
Faith's Fair, and all be trotters, right fair horses, God save them, and they
be well keeped". One of the earliest reliable references that may be quoted
as applying to the height of stallions in the olden days appears in the
Norwich Gazette of 1725 in the form of an advertisement of a gray horse
which stood 14 hands; but before a hundred years had elapsed such giants as
Silvertailed Fireaway (West's), who was foaled in 1807 and stood 16 hands,
were in existence, and it may be mentioned that he in turn sired Pheno-
menon Fireaway, who stood 16'2 hands. This height was considerably i°
advance of that which was common a few years ago, when 15'2 hands was
recognized as the maximum shoulder measurement by the Royal Agricul-
tural Society of England; but in response to the appeals of Hackney-
breeders the Council of the " Royal" removed their restrictions upon horses
over this height competing at their shows, with beneficial results to all
parties concerned. Of late years a very perceptible increase in the heigh*
both of Hackneys and Hackney-bred horses has been perceptible, and in the
summer of 1895 King Edward (then Prince of Wales) disposed of a pair oi
Hackney-bred harness horses, which stood just a trifle under 16 hands, f°r
a thousand guineas, a circumstance which, did it stand alone, would afford
a practical and unassailable demonstration of the value of Hackney blood,
and likewise of the height to which Hackneys may attain. It will pr°'
bably, however, be some little time before this class of horse will averag
anything like 16 hands, especially when it is remembered that for year
the Royal Agricultural Society of England was disqualifying anima
-ocr page 163-
Photo, by Gambit
HACKNEY MARE, LADY DEREHAM 2891
By Ritualist 1542; dam, 2016 Dorothy by Lord Derby II 417. Winner of numerous prizes
The Property of Mrs. Temple
-ocr page 164-
ENGLISH BREEDS                                               117
exceeding 15 "2 hands, but nevertheless the fact remains that the stature
°f the Hackney is steadily increasing.
Reverting, however, to the palmy days of this breed of horse, which
may be taken to have been at the commencement of the nineteenth
Century, at which time the variety was well established and vastly popular
amongst farmers generally, some allusion may be made to the speed and
lamina of the Hackney of those days. For instance, the doings of a grand-
daughter, by Driver, of old Shales, the fountain-head of many a famous
Modern strain of Hackney, is credited with the negotiation of 15 miles
within the hour carrying 15 stone upon her back. This is smart trotting
Certainly, but the old horse himself possessed a record of 17 miles within
-he 60 minutes—an altogether extraordinary performance when the con-
ations under which the feat was performed are considered, as the state
?* the roads was doubtless inferior to that met with now by equestrians
111 the country. So far back as the year 1800 a 14-2 hands, twelve
fears' old mare, named Phenomena, negotiated 17 miles on the Hunt-
lugdon Road in 4 minutes under the hour, and was afterwards backed
0 trot 19i miles within the 60 minutes, but the match fell through on
^Ccount of the supporter of time paying forfeit when he learned that
herioi-nena had covered 4 miles in under 11 minutes in a trial. Of course
Jls little mare was an altogether exceptionally speedy trotter—in fact, the
u«e of Leeds cheerfully paid 1800 guineas for her at one period of her
i eet—■but at the same time a number of the Hackneys which existed
°ut that period were very fast. A case in point is Read's Fireaway,
eul a^er ne nac^ can'ie<l on° the second prize offered at the Agri-
Ul'al Society's meeting, was again brought out, and trotted his mile
minutes 49 seconds, though the weight he carried is not recorded,
js Mission that is certainly to be regretted in the interests of sport. It
Probable, of course, that the accuracy of such performances as those
fa-f aDove may be questioned by some who read these lines; but the
remains that in each case there was a backer of time who paid his
e &y 0Ver them, and he at all events would scarcely have been weak
gh to do so unless fully satisfied that he had lost his wager. Moreover,
Hi t ?1110uncement that the party behind time in the last of Phenomena's
Pa f 6S fe*"erreci to above—which was for 2000 guineas—was content to
the 6lt a^or(^s ample proof that the correctness of the time test was
a accepted, and attention paid to it. Consequently, therefore, there
old ' ° ^Ut very little justification for traversing the accuracy of the
his COlds> and more especially so as the then watch-holder was confining
case U ns to fractions of minutes, and not of seconds, as is now the
1 trotting tracks. It is therefore highly probable that had the sport
-ocr page 165-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
118
of trotting been as popular amongst Englishmen as it is on the other
side of the Atlantic, the Hackney, instead of now occupying the honour-
able position of emperor of harness horses, and the most useful of ride-
and-drive animals, would be regarded as a valuable instrument for
gambling purposes, and that this extra appreciation of his merits would
have effected a considerable increase in both his monetary value and
his speed.
Having thus discussed the origin and acquirements of the early
Hackney, it becomes necessary to consider the appearance of the horse,
which, it may reasonably be inferred, was a heavier, stouter animal
than the type now fashionable. This conjecture may legitimately be
hazarded for two reasons: first, because the horse has become more finely
bred, and has got further away from the old foundation stock, the mares of
which were probably pretty coarse and plain; and secondly, on account
of the requirements of his owners being very different from what they were
well-nigh a century ago. The class of horse that was required to carry a
burly agriculturalist, and occasionally his wife as well, to market upon his
back, must naturally have been more stoutly built than the quality-showing
animals which now grace the show-ring and charm the public by their
display of elegance combined with action. Upon this part of the question
there can be no two opinions; and it would be paying but a very slight
compliment to the intelligence and resources of Hackney breeders to
deny them the possession of the amount of acumen which would have
convinced them of the advisability of raising lighter animals, and the
faculty for accomplishing what they desired by careful selection of then*
breeding stock. It must consequently be accepted as a fact that the
old-time Hackney was exceptionally powerful, and was possessed of a
considerable amount of speed at both actions, walking and trotting—'
for many a Hackney can trot faster than he can gallop; the latter
gait is not affected by the breed—for, as Mr. Euren asserts, it is quite
true that it was not an unusual occurrence for the old Norfolk farmer
to ride fifty or sixty miles a day. Therefore it is certain that, in addition
to being strongly built, the old horse must assuredly have possessed both
speed and stamina. To ensure the latter he must have had plenty
of depth of chest, and likewise ample width, so as to give amp'e
accommodation for his heart and lungs; whilst his shoulders must have
been long and sloping, else he would have proved a very rough, if n°
impossible, conveyance for the farmer who rode him, to say nothing
of the lady seated on the pillion behind her husband. Associated wit
these sloping shoulders, if old portraits are to be believed, were shot
flat legs and a plentiful, if not excessive, supply of bone, whilst
-ocr page 166-
DENMARK (BOURDASS') 177
Denmark was a chestnut horse, 15 % bred by William
Rickell, Warter Wold, Pocklington. He was foaled in 1862,
by Sir Charles (Beal's) 768, out of a mare by Merryman 1309
by Lund's Merrylegs 449. His dam was 23 years old when,
with Denmark a foal at her foot, she won the first prize at the
Great Yorkshire Show at Driffield. The great majority of
the most fashionable hackneys of the present day have de-
scended from this horse.
Among his more famous sons are Confidence (Moore's) 163,
Danegelt 174 (for which Sir Walter Gilbey gave 5000 guineas),
Dorriiigton 184, Lord Derwent 418 (a great prize-winner),
Candidate 920, Dorriiigton II 956, Connaught 1453, Ritualist
1542, and others.
Among his more famous daughters are Princess 289, Lady
Dorothy 185, Sovereign 325, Lady Watton II 470, Apology
527, Lady Mary II 464, Sweetbriar 514, Nelly III 800,
Countess 424, Primrose 827, and Ophelia 1301.
Denmark won a number of prizes in Yorkshire between
1865 and 1876, but his achievements at the stud were greater
than in the show ring.
-ocr page 167-
Driver, 187_
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (West'fJ), 203
I'agan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Fireaway (Burgess1), 208
Highflyer
Skyscraper
6th Dam
Wildfire (R. Ramsdale's), 884
Scot Shales, 692
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
Jenkinson's (hong Sutton) Mare_
Hue ami Cry (Maisliall's), :.73
Marshland Shales, 436
T. Jenkins' Mare
Hue ami Cry (M arshall'a), 373
Dove's T
rotting Mare__
Smuggler, 789
(ith Dam
Phenomenon
(V. Ramsdale's), 673
Sportsman (Wright's)
Lund's Mare
OS
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Joseph Andrews
I
o
Cm
Performer (ltamsdale's), 647
Pickering's Horse
Ifaldenby's Prince
Walmsley's Horse
7th Dam
8th Dam
Merrylegs (Lund's), 449
Sportsman
5th Dam
3rd Dam
4th Dam
H
►J
<
X
O
Shales (The Original), 699
Driver, 187
8th Dam
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 590
Roundhead
Joseph Andrews
Performer (flamsdale's), 647
Pickering's Horse
Haldenhy's Prince
5 th Dam
Walmsley's Horse
6th Dam
Trotting Jalap
7th Dam
Merrylegs (Lund's), 449
Sportsman
4th Dam
S
-a
(3
Filho De Puta
Alfred
3rd Dam
<
W
Q
Shales (The Original),
Driver, 187
8th Dam
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Roundhead
Joseph Andrews
6th Dam
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Pickering's Horse
Haldenby's Prince
5th Dam
Walmsley's Horse
6th Dam
Trotting Jalap
7th Dam
Merrylegs (Lund's), 449
Sportsman
4th Dam
o
Shales, 609
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway, 203
Spectator
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Fireaway, 208
Skyscraper
5th Dam
3rd Dam
Atlas (R. Ramsdale's)
4th Dam
W. Wright's Farmer's Delight
5th Dam
Blaze
Shales (The Original), 699
A Hackney Mare
Driver, 187
Foxhunter
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Rxmudhead
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (West's), 203
Spectator
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Highflyer
Skyscraper
4th Dam
Q
a
Hyperion
All Fours
3rd Bam
-ocr page 168-
_FireawayA 203
Fireaway, 208
Wildfire, 864
V. arshlanii Shales, 435
8tfi Dam
7 th Dam
Wildfire, 865
President
6th Dam
7th Dam
Bay Phenomenon, 888
Fireaway (j enkinson's),_201~
Pretender (Wroot's), 5%
Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
8th Dam
Scot Shales, 0!!2
Bead's Trotting Mare
8th Dam
5th Dam
6th Dam
Atlas (P. Ramsdale's), 892
Holtby's Brilliant
Dutch Sam
4th Dam
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Grey Atlas, 330
OS
8th Dam
Grey Woldsman, 343
7th Dam
8th i>am
5th Dam
Ul
Fireaway (Burgess1), 208
Norfolk Cob, 475
Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
"bf!i Dam
Kireaway (Head's) 202
Roan Mare
8lii Dam
Shakespeare (Wilkinson's), i
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Merrylegs (Lund's), 449
8th Dam
F'ireaway (Burgess'), 208
7th Dam
8th Dam
Scott's Roan Horse, 1147
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Ramsdale's), 222
Fireaway (Scott's), 223
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
8th Dam
7th Dam
3rd Dam
M
K
Q
Q
O
►J
Joseph Andrews (Leake's)
Slnihjp (The (in;ci]","\l). 699
Sth Dam
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
8th Dam
Fireaway (West's), 203
Spectator
Pagan
Sth Dam
Emmett's Trotting Mare
7th Dam
Fireaway (Burgess'), 20S
Highflyer
Skyscraper
7th Dam
5th Dam
6th Dam
3rd Dam
Black Priest
4th Dam
M
5th Dam
m
04
w
Q
O
04
O
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (West's), 203
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
_H!ghliyer ~
Skyscraper
Sth Dam
6th Dam
7th Dam
Fireaway (Ramsdale's), 222
Waxy
7th Dam
5th Dam
6th Dam
Fireaway (Scott's), 223
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Marc
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Joseph Andrews
7th Dam
Sth Dam
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Pickering's Horse
Haldenby's Prince
8th Dam
6th Dam
_\Valmsley's Horse
7th Dam
8th Dam
4th Dam
Overton
Cockflghter
__Del])iui
8th Dam
Palafox
6th Dam
7th Dam
a
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 207
Fireaway (Wset's), 203
Enunctts Trotting Mare
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Skyscraper
7th Dam
8th Dam
Norfolk Cob, 475
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
Marshland Shales, 435
T. Jenkins' Mare
Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201.
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Read's), 202
Scot Shales, 692
Read's Trotting Mare
Sth Dam
Roan Mare
6th Dam
3rd Dam
Borodino
6th Dam
4th Dam
5tii Dam
o
s
_ Driver, 187
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (Jenkinson's). 201
Fireaway (West's), 203
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Hl^rlvci
Skyscraper
Sth Dam
6th Dam
7til Dam
Wildfire (R. Ramsdale's), 864
Scot Shales, 092
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
^Jenkinson's (Long Sutton) Mare
J_ Hue and'Cry (Marshall's)^!3
8th Dam
Marshland Shales, 435
T. Jenkins' Mare
5th Dam
Hue and Cry (Marshall's), 373
8th Dam
Smuggler (Chadd's). 789
6th Dam
7th Dam
Phenomenon
(Ramsdale's), 573
Sportsman (G. Wright's)
Lund's Mare
5th Dam
s
ft
Driver. 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (West's), 203
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
8th Dan:
Fireaway (Burgess'),
Highflyer
Skyscraper
8th" Dam
7th Dam
Fireaway (P. Ramsdale's), 222
Waxy
Ponteland
5th Dam
( Till":;
Trip
7th Dam
sth Darn
3rd Dam
4th Dam
-ocr page 169-
LOUD DERBY II (BURNHAM'S) 417
Lord Derby II was bred by Mr. J. R. Burnham, Froding-
ham Hall, Winestead, Yorkshire, in 1871. He was a dark-
brown horse by Lord Derby (Leake's) 415, out of Nancy by
Achilles (Hairsine's) 2 by Fireaway (Scott's) 223. This
horse has sired many notable animals, and his blood when
crossed with that of Denmark has given us some of the most
distinguished of our modern hackneys.
Among his sons who have made names at the stud and in
the show ring are: County Member 948, Cadet 1251, East
Riding 1475, Lord Derby III 1508, Lord Rattler 2566, Grand
Fashion II 3024, Gentleman John 3624, Lord Denby II 3092,
Contest 1746, and others.
Among his daughters are to be found Princess 499, Lady-
bird 177, Silver Belle 508, Brunette 49, Lily 219, Modesty
1731, Dorothy 2016, Propriety 4597, Lady Sarah 2963,
Dorothy Derby 1081, Levity 2247, Frisk 439, and Falka
2043.
Lord Derby II was equally successful in the show ring as at
the stud, and in the course of his career won many prizes in
Yorkshire.
-ocr page 170-
119
ENGLISH BREEDS
nnddle piece of the ancient horse was a good deal heavier than would
now be care(j for in ft ghow animal_
. At the same time, the modern Hackney must be accepted as represent-
ing very strongly the leading characteristics of the old stamp of horse,
mitted tnat be is lighter, and perhaps more blood-like to suit the
requirements of the age as suggested above, his form is, generally speaking,
very much the same, even though it be presented upon somewhat more
delicate lines. As to conformation:—
The head should not possess the delicacy of that of the Thoroughbred;
Either should the coarseness of the Shire horse be apparent in it, a plain
clerbred expression or a clumsy head-piece being most particularly objec-
'lonable in any Hackney, and especially so in a mare. At the same time,
. etterriinate look, or the appearance of a gelding-like head upon a stallion,
a serious fault, for the prepotency of this horse is great, and a sire which
' to impress a masculine appearance on his colts is seldom popular
,nSst breeders. Moreover, it may be remembered that though style in
°rse is indispensably associated with merit in most breeds, one does
r ti re1uire a superfluity of the commodity about the head, but would
ei have it distributed equally and in correct proportions about the
w u us' an exceptionally blood-like head on a Hackney stallion
of v ^6 norse was symmetrically proportioned, necessitate a reduction
ma 1 tance' and then he would become a weed; and consequently it
in-L rePeated, that the head of a Hackney stallion should be there
and - • ' Prov^ed always that it be properly proportioned in itself
about tlfS .relation to tne rest 0I" tlie body. It should be rather wide
or a e Jowl> and taper gradually towards the muzzle—a Roman nose
uotino- W •'0W* are abominations in any horse, the one frequently de-
chara + & SUrly disposition, and the other completely destroying the
nicelv %V\ °^ tll<3 ^6a(^' ^e eyes
°^ a Hackney are of a good size, and
lookboP i 6d iU H1S Sku11' and sll0uld be soft, amiable, and intelligent-
cWact ' 6n°tlng tlie courageous and confiding disposition which is very
with uenStlCf tlle ll0rS6' A Sma11 °r sunken eye is usually identified
session n?ertaint^ of temper and general unreliability, whilst its pos-
tne ea»s sh^ immeasura% from the beauty of any animal. Finally,
big i'oundSUld be Sma11' P°inted' carried erect, and set on high; a
coarseness ^vi ear 1S n0t infrecLuently accompanied by objectionable
toP of the \ T -a l0P 6ar Whicl1 is carried out almost level with the
sire for +~l T 1S sirnPby hideous, and should tell greatly, against any
The crtt        ti°n iS °ften hereditar7-
neek ratheT W^t ^ pronounced in the case of a stallion, and the
)ng, though it looks shorter than it really is on account
-ocr page 171-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
120
of its massiveness; but it must not be imagined that because the neck
of a Hackney is big and powerful it should necessarily be coarse. A
thick clumsy neck is as bad as a short one in the case of any saddle-
horse, and worse than a thin narrow one. The neck of the Hackney
possesses a peculiarly graceful bend, and gradually increases in its
dimensions until it reaches the shoulders. But it should be quite free
from coarseness.
The shoulders themselves are one of the most important points, for
if they and their associated muscles are short there is no flexibility to
be found about them. They should also slope well backwards to ensure
the much-sought-for smoothness of action that everybody admires; whilst
the existence of a mere suspicion even of superfluous lumpiness about
the points is a very serious fault.
The chest of the Hackney should be broad, not so broad as to influence
his speed or action, but yet wide enough to afford room for the free
play of both heart and lungs. For similar reasons it should be deep,
but this depth is not so striking in the Hackney as in the case of some
other varieties, owing to the fact that this horse is, or should be, exception-
ally deep about the back ribs, and consequently is more level in his lower
line than most breeds.
The fore-legs should be short; very big in the arms; heavy and flat
in bone; with nicely sloping powerful pasterns, not long enough to be
weak, yet sufficiently springy and sloping to minimize concussion; and
the feet should be on the large side, deep and set on dead straight, an
in-toed Hackney being simply an abomination. The knees should be
rather big, but so should the entire limb; and it is a most serious fault
if the horse stands back upon them—a calf-kneed horse, in fact, should
never take a prize of any kind, or be utilized as a sire.
The back should not be long; but a sufficiency of room both in
front of and behind the saddle must be sought for, whilst the back itself
must be level and present an exceptionally powerful appearance. Oi
course in the case of aged horses a dip is no disqualification, as late
in life its appearance is only to be expected. A flat-sided Hackney is not
appreciated, for the ribs should be well sprung, and, as stated before,
the back ones should be unusually long. The quarters, another most
important feature, should be long. To this formation an appearance
of length of back is often due. They must, moreover, be as level as
possible and powerful-looking.
The tail, which is usually docked short, is set on high, and carried
gaily when its possessor is excited, or set going at his best.
The hind-legs are very muscular about the thighs and second thigh8'
-ocr page 172-
121
ENGLISH BREEDS
' too much bent at the hock, and possess a considerable amount of
j0116 kelow that joint. The pasterns, moreover, should be of a nice
° l Wlthout showing a trace of weakness.
in general appearance the Hackney, assuming that he is a representative
, !Se' should strike even a stranger to the merits of the breed as a remark-
e combination of activity, strength, and symmetry. Unless he carries
_ miself jauntily the first attribute is likely to be lost sight of, and
r. ^ees not display power all over he ceases to be a good specimen
_ race. In the case of no other variety of horse is symmetry a
e important property than in the Hackney, for a coarse animal is as
so f t0 comman<i success as a very light one. Perhaps even more
' '' as it nas keen SUggested above, there has been a strong disposition
pi ecent years to introduce a more blood-like class of animal to the
iue 4-C\         w^ilst breeders can scarcely be blamed if they attempt to
^ . ne requirements of the market, it will be an error on the part
great ^es-" they award prizes to narrow split-up stallions. Even that
rec e(iUlne attribute, "quality", may be too dearly purchased, and the
•effe^ 1 10n 0I> a light flashy race of Hackney stallions will assuredly
n0 n U lmmense amount of mischief to the breed; moreover, it is by
spleivr"|S-lmSS^e for refinement to be associated with substance, many
Th lnstances of the combination being alive,
tiiost l °n °^ the Hackney is one of the most important, in fact the
^Pable a!acteristic feature of the breed, no horse in existence being
*s only 4. exteiiding himself as does a good specimen of the variety. As
Pr°Omwt
         supposed, it is his shoulder action that plays the most
. acWy vfart hi his movement; but it may still be observed that a
111 harm0 re he can be regarded as a goer, must use all his joints
ttlUst all k W^ k*s shoulders. His knees, pasterns, stifles, and hocks
Motion, t^,e Correctly flexed before the beau ideal of that poetry of
tlle htaek! \ incomParahle one, two, three, four, which so distinguishes
fn hnmen ' m aU other horses, can be arrived at. There should be
Hng as it& amount of liberty about the shoulder action, the fore-legs
!!°r8e is e r^6 daslie<i out in front so that it almost appears that the
!je doubled T°Uring t0 get rid of tHem> The knees in turn should
Qd the J! tllen extended straight, whilst the pastern-joints first
feet ftre stret\ ackwards a»d then straighten themselves, so that the
mentary poig • °Ut in.a straight line with the fore-leg, and affect a
^h1 these varied m ^ ^ before being brought down upon the ground.
almost imperce6nfK|0V^mentS &T& transacted so instantaneously as to be
^hile the back lea
            ^ l°Ut ensemble is as described above. Mean-
egs are acting, or should be, as powerful motors for the
-ocr page 173-
122
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
propulsion of the body. The hocks and stifles are bent, the former being
tucked in under the horse's belly, so that when the feet reach the ground
they are in a line with, and apparently close behind, the fore ones.
Great goers, especially if they are fast, are often inclined to move wide at
the hocks, but this is an unsightly style of action, and will tell against
a horse to a greater or less extent, though it may be added that some
very notable performers, both upon the turf and elsewhere, have moved
with their hocks very far apart from one another. Dash, fire, and
freedom in his action are all essential to the success of a Hackney; and
if possible to a still greater extent, so is that smoothness and levelness
of motion which is always a characteristic of the perfect-actioned horse.
Dash, in fact, need no more necessitate the presence of roughness or
rockiness in a horse's action than need the fault of dishing, i.e. throwing out
the feet beyond the line of the fore-leg when the pasterns are bent upwards,
be associated with high stepping. Both are nasty faults, and the possession
of either will most probably mean the forfeiture of a prize.
The question of shoulder and knee action is one, however, upon which
opinions of Hackney breeders may be accepted as differing somewhat-
Otherwise it would not be possible for some horses to have won the prizes
which stand to their credit, for animals have before now carried off high
honours in the show-ring which have entirely failed to get away in front,
owing to their having used their knees to a far greater extent than their
shoulders. This is the class of horse that conforms to the description " all
action but no go", for he lifts his knees almost up to his bit, and then puts
his feet down again close to the place whence he took them up. This
fighting style of going is surely not comparable to the action advocated
above, especially when it is remembered that the feet must suffer from
being smashed down upon the ground, and that half the animal's energies
are being wasted in his fruitless beating of the air. A horse that uses
his shoulders need not necessarily omit to bend his knees, and in addi-
tion to proving a fine and showy mover, will undoubtedly be a far more
comfortable conveyance for his rider, whilst it stands to reason that his legs
will last much longer than those of the other class of animal. The position
of the shoulders, and other points in the structural development of the
Hackney, such as the length of neck, strength of loin, and length and slope
of pasterns, are of course a more important consideration in the selection ot
a Saddle than a Harness horse; but it must always be borne in mind that
the latter is the more saleable animal, in addition to being the more correo
type of the breed, and consequently, when the two varieties meet, the pre"
ference should always be given to the Harness horse. Indeed, the modern
Hackney is not an ideal saddle horse.
-ocr page 174-
;,'.
CONFIDENCE (D'OYLEY'S) 158
The most famous of Norfolk's Hackneys in recent times
was the celebrated horse Confidence. Bred by Mr. William
Rose, Dykebeck, Wymondham, in 1867, he passed into the
hands of Henry D'Oyley, of Hempnall, Long Stratton. Con-
fidence was a black-brown, 15-2 hands high, and had for his
sire Prickwillow (Tice's) 614, his dam being by Highflyer
(Jacob's) 360.
Among his best sons were Confidential 1379, Canvasser 114,
Confidant III 1741, John Gilpin 1499, Harvester 1799,
Gem 2082, Felicity 2064, Doctor Syntax 877, Cassivelaunus
2198, Hedon Surprise 2509, Fashion (Grout's) 199, Reality
(Flander's) 665, Honesty 369, Lord Bardolph 412, and others.
His best daughters during his later life were Her Majesty
1137, Acclamation 1, Kiss me Quick 2853, Nelly 2349,
Carmen Sylva 3578, Lady Isabella 2194, Wild Mint 1399,
Twilight 4819, and Mascotte 1706.
-ocr page 175-
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
_ Kmmett's 'Trotting Male
Fireaway (West's), 203
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Skyscraper
7th Dam
Norfolk Cob, 475
"Shales (TliisUe'ton's), 702
T. Jenkin's Mare
Marshland Shales, 435
titli Ham
-Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
Fireaway (,i enkinson's), 201
Pretender (Wroot's), 590
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Bead's), 202
Scot Shales, 692
Read's Trotting Mare
Roan Mare
Prickwillow (Cobbin's), 007
Shales (Thistletoif's), 702_
T. Jenkin's Marc
Marshland Shales, 435
Shales (Wright's)
Flamingo, 277
Worthy
Flamingo
4th Dam
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway, 203
Emmett's Trotting Mare
5th Dam
o
Ph
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Bellfounder (Steven's) 52
Bellfounder (Jary's), 55
c3
Velocity OJavy's)
Norfolk Hero (Mann's), 494
6th Dam
P-H
Norfolk Hero (Wigg's), 495
Scot Shales, 692
Shales (Thistle-ton's), 702
Jenkinson's (Lung SjittonKMare
Hue and Cry (Marshall's), 373
Marshland Shales, 435
T. Jenkin's Mare
Nicholson's Trotting Mare
3rd Dam
sini'los, 699
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
8th Dam
Fireaway, 203
Spectator
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
4th Dam
•1
*
o
s
1-3
Pretender (Wroot's), i
Bellfounder (Steven's), 52
8th Dam
Bellfounder (Jary's), 55
Velocity (Jary's)
Norfolk Hero (Mann's), 494
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
Marshland Shales, 435
X. Jenkin's Mare
6th Dam
Whiskey
7th Dam
Ph
8th Dam
Norfolk Hero (Wigg's), 495
Scot Shales, 692
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
Jenkinson's (Long Sutton) Mare
Marshland Shales, 435
Hue and Cry (M arshall's), 373
T. Jenkin's Mare
Nicholson's Trotting Mare
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Norfolk Hero (Smith's), 499
Eagle
Congress
4th Dam
Shales (Dodd's)
Bay Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Bellfounder (Steven's), 52
8th Dam
6th Dam
ft
a
Whalebone
Camel
3rd Dam
oo
w
O
Z
w
Q
O
o
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Joseph Andrews
7th Dam
8th Dam
Creeper (Wright's), 170
Hero
6th Dam
7th Dam
Creeper (Templeman's)
Standard
Lord Fitzwilliam's Blacklegs
5th Dam
Flying Buck (Grove's), 280
Harkaway
Flying Wonder
4th Dam
Fireaway, 201
Fireaway (West's) 203
8th Dam
Fireaway, 208
Skyscraper
7th Dam
5th Dam
Fireaway (Burgess1), i
Wildfire (R. Ramsdale's), 864
Sth Dam
Phenomenon (Ramsdale's), 573
Sportsman (G. Wright's)
Lund's Mare
Sth Dam
Performer (Taylor's), 550
-a
MO
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Merrylegs (Lund's), 449
Sth Dam
6th Dam
7th Dam
Pretender (Brigham's), 604
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
8th Dam
Black Pretender
7th Dam
Atlas (Greenwood's)
Atlas (Ramsdale's)
Sth Dam
6th Dam
7 th Dam
3rd Dam
4th Dam
«
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Bellfounder (Steven's), 52
8th Dam
Bellfounder (Jary's), 55
Velocity (Jary's)
Norfolk Hero (Mann's), 494
"Shales (Thistleton's), 702
T. Jenkin's Mare
________Whiskey
Marshland Shales, 435
6th Dam
7th Dam
8th Dam
Norfolk Hero (Wigg's), 495
Scot Shales, 692
Shales (Thistleton's), 702
Jenkinson's (Long Sutton) Mare
~!Hue and Cry (MarshaIi's)T37ir~
Marshland Shales, 435
T. Jenkin's Mare
Nicholson's Trotting Mare
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Grey Norfolk Hero
(Smith's), 335
Congress
Congress (Warne's)
Cook's Pioneer
6th Dam
7th Dam
4th Dam
Bellfounder (Lord Suffleld's)
5th Dam
Gold Leaf (Wright's)
;7th Dam
Shales (Dodd's)
3rd Dam
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Sth Dam
Bellfounder (Steven's), 52
Smuggler (Chadd's), 789
7th Dam
8th Dam
Bellfounder (Jary's), 55
Velocity (Jary's)
4th Dam
5th Dam
-ocr page 176-
Shales, 699
Fireaway, 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway (West's), 203
Spectator
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Highflyer
Skyscraper
5th Dam
Fireaway (Ramsdale's), 222
Waxy
Ponteland
6th Dam
4th Dam
Granby
CO
C5
Trip
7th Dam
5tli Dam
6th Dam
Shales, 699
Driver, 187
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
Joseph Andrews
T. Jenkinson's Mare
c3
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Roundhead
Joseph Andrews
6th Dam
Ph
Performer (Ramsdale's), 547
Pickering's Horse
Haldenby's Prince
5th Dam
Walmsley's Hoi'se
6th Dam
Trotting Jalap by Jalap
7th Dam
3rd Dam
Overton
Cockfighter
Delpini
Palafox
5th Dam
OS
H
i-l
3
o
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway, 203
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Fireaway (Burgess'), 208
Highflyer
Skyscraper
6th Dam
Norfolk Cob, 475
Scot Shales, 092
Shales, 702
Jenkinson's Mare
Marshland Shales, 435
Hue and Cry, 873
T. Jenkins' Mare
5th Dam
Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
Fireaway (Jenkinson's), 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender (Wroot's), 596
Joseph Andrews
7th Dam
Fireaway (Read's), 202
Shales (The Original), 699
Scot Shales, 692
Read's Trotting Mare
7th Dam
Roan Mare
5th Dam
s
eg
ft
Smolensko
Borodino
5th Dam
3rd Dam
<3\
<
<
W
K
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Fireaway, 203
Pagan
Emmett's Trotting Mare
Sth Dam
Fireaway, 208
Highflyer
Skyscraper
Sth Dam
0th Dam
7th Dam
Norfolk Cob, 475
Scot Shales, 692
Shales, 702
8th Dam
Marshland Shales, 435
Hue and Cry, 373
T. Jenkins' Mare
8th Dam
5th Dam
6th Dam
Norfolk Phenomenon
(Bond's), 522
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender, 596
^Joseph Andrews
7th Dam
Sth Dam
Fireaway (Read's), 202
_Shales (The Original),
Scot Shales, 092
"A well-bred Hunter'
Read's Trotting Mare
Roan Mare
Oh
3rd Dam
o
S5
Scot Shales, 692
Shales, 702
Sth Dam
Marshland Shales, 435
Hue and Cry, 373
T. Jenkins' Mare
Sth Dam
Black Shales, 83
Fireaway, 201
Pretender, 596
8th Dam
Capt. Ogden's Trotting Mare
7th Dam
Brown Shales, 102
Primo (Taylor's)
Hewson's Roan Mare
Harkaway (Johnson's)
4 th Dam
P
ft
Driver, 187
Fireaway, 201
T. Jenkinson's Mare
Pretender, 596
Joseph Andrews *
7th Dam
8th Dam
Creeper (Wright's), 170
Hero
Valerius
8th Dam
Creeper (Templeman's)
Lord Fitzwilliam's Blacklegs
7th Dam
Sth Dam
3rd Dam
4th Dam
!
-ocr page 177-
c
FlREAWAY (TRIFFETT'S) 249
Tritfett's Fireaway 249 was a dark-brown horse, 15'2 hands
high, bred by Philip Triffett, Holme, Yorkshire, in 1859.
He was by Achilles (Hairsine's) 2, out of Nancy by Per-
former (Ward's) by Norfolk Phenomenon (Bond's) 522. He
won a great number of prizes in Yorkshire, and continued his
show career up to 1874.
As a stud horse he produced some excellent stock, especially
mares, among which were a number of high-class animals, such
as Polly 494, Jenny Bother'em 2124 (dam of Ophelia 1301),
Polly Horsley 495, Queen Mary 295, Fanny 114 (dam of
Connaught 1453), Empress 95 (dam of Sweetbriar 514, Prin-
cess 289, and Primrose 827), Lady Jane 197 (dam of Sovereign
325), and Lightsome 2248.
-ocr page 178-
ENGLISH BREEDS                                               123
ihe walk of the Hackney is second in importance only to his trot, for
. Weyer free a mover a horse of this breed may be when fully extended, he
sure to lose admirers if he is incapable of settling down to his slower
Paces when required to do so. Moreover, it stands to reason that no
. 0rse can be always moving at a trot, and he will soon disgust his owner
> instead of striding out and using his joints and limbs properly at his
Slower paces, he goes shuffling along in a fashion that partakes somewhat
°t the nature of a cramped trot, and yet is slower and more exhausting
0 himself than a good honest walk. Great as is the show made by a
good Hackney when he trots, it is doubtful if he is not more majestic-
coking when walking—that is to say if he can do so in proper form,
tor when he strides out with head erect, no nobler-looking horse exists
than a good Hackney stallion; and moreover, as remarked above, the
Possession of a natural gift for walking adds considerably to the value
°f a sire.
Before leaving the Hackney, the extraordinary success of Sir Walter
^ilbey's Hedon Squire at the Horse Show held in connection with the
great International Show at Paris in 1900 must be referred to. Upon
"he occasion in question Hedon Squire was awarded the champion prize,
offered for the best stallion in the show other than an Arab or a
thoroughbred, by a jury of judges representing different foreign countries.
Purely no greater tribute to the merits of the breed could be desired, as
he met and. defeated the best Harness type of horses that the world
could produce.
The Pack-horse.—It is unfortunately rather to the discredit of
British horse-breeders that so useful a variety as the Pack-horse, which
at one time was so commonly met with in many parts of the country,
aQd particularly in Devonshire and Yorkshire, should have become practi-
cally extinct; but the fact remains, that until the occasion of the Crystal
Palace Horse Show of 1897 it was popularly believed that no specimens
of the breed could be found. After an infinite amount of trouble, however,
had been expended on the search, a stallion and a mare were discovered,
and by permission of their owners wTere included in the Diamond Jubilee
parade of British horses, which was arranged in honour of Her Majesty
Queen Victoria's long reign. The reproach, therefore, of permitting a
Dreed of horse, to which in all probability more than one modern variety
°wes its existence, to die out entirely, cannot be applied to the men of
■Devon, though unhappily there is no denying the fact that instead of
^creasing in stature and power, the existing Pack-horses are lower at
^he shoulder and , built on smaller lines than their ancestors. This is
111 all probability a direct result of the inbreeding which followed their
-ocr page 179-
124
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
abandonment; the breed in its original purity falling into so few hands
that the very limited number of adherents who have remained staunch
in their allegiance to it have not been able to secure the crosses they
desired, and consequently the stature of the Pack-horse has become less,
and the old breed practically extinct.
A couple of hundred years ago, before the Hackney invaded Devon-
shire and Yorkshire, and when no other means of locomotion existed,
the Pack-horse was an institution in the west and north of England,
where he was not only employed in agricultural and ordinary road work,
but as the medium for carrying supplies to the inhabitants of outlying
holdings on the moors and wolds. In order to be of service in this respect,
it was necessary that the horses should be powerful and sure-footed,
and these are two properties which the ancient Pack-horse possessed to a
very considerable extent. What the precise origin of this most ancient
breed may have been there are unfortunately no means of ascertaining,
but it is reasonable to assume that he was, in the first case, a cross-bred
Eastern and old English War-horse. This theory is quite a possible one
when it is remembered that a succession of English sovereigns engaged
themselves in importing both Arab, Barb, and Turk stallions into this
country with the laudable object of improving the native horses; whilst
the existence of the War-horse, which had been increased in size by
crossing with Flemish mares, renders it highly probable that this variety
may claim the distinction of being a parent of the Pack-horse, and con-
sequently a still more remote ancestor of the Cleveland Bay.
Be the origin of the Pack-horse, however, what it may, the indisputable
fact remains, that until the invasion of Devonshire by railways and
Hackney horses, the old breed was regarded on all sides as essential to
the existence of the inhabitants of the west country, and he would have
been a rash, if not reckless, individual who would have ventured to
prophesy that it would ever become out of date, or be neglected by
Devonians, who up to comparatively modern times utilized the Pack-
horse for sporting as well as for general purposes. An illustration of
this is forthcoming in the 16-hands Cottager, the property of Mr. Skinner,
a resident near Totnes, which in a steeple-chase run at the annual race-
meeting, held in that town about the middle of last century, suc-
ceeded in defeating the Thoroughbreds and cocktails which competed.
The owner of this horse, moreover, had previously issued a challenge
to trot him, against any animal in the west country, 4 miles on the
road, carrying 14 stone, a fact which goes a long way towards proving
that the Pack-horse was a fine and fast mover both at the gallop and
at the trot.
-ocr page 180-
125
ENGLISH BREEDS
Generally speaking, the Pack-horse, so far at all events as he exists
at the present day, has a very great resemblance to the Hackney, as he
has a deep chest, big level back, deep middle, and powerful quarters; his
^gs too are short, heavy in bone, and carry a great deal of muscle on
fche arms and thighs; but he differs very considerably from the Hackney
m three most important points, namely, head, shoulders, and action.
Pack-horse's head is far more blood-like than that of the Hackney, its
Sttlall size and delicate outline being most probably due to the posses-
sion of a strong strain of Arab blood; whilst his shoulders, as a rule,
^re ^nger and more obliquely set, for the Pack-horse was largely utilized
0r saddle work, the moors and hills of Devonshire being most unsuitable
°r vehicular traffic. Nor is the action of the Pack-horse so high as
^ of the Hackney, as in the first place an animal largely utilized for
saddle purposes, if a stepper, would be a rather uncomfortable mount
when negotiating the steep declivities and stony bridle-paths of Devon-
lre; and in the second place, the question of sure-footedness was more
fought for by Devonians of the old school than an ability to bend the
nee- At the same time it must not be imagined that the Pack-horse was
a very free and attractive mover, as all references to the breed allude
0 his action as being excellent in both respects. Another point of
.x erence which exists between the Hackney and the Pack-horse is seen
k tne colours of the two breeds, for Packs were always bay, black, or
^ n> whilst a large percentage of Hackneys are chestnuts. Still, the
the
          ce between the few remaining survivors of the Pack-horse and
slen 1 0]?U*ar Hackney is considerable, though it is to be hoped that the
^ r ranks of the former will not be further reduced by crosses with
to fi r°tter' grand horse though the latter is, for England is large enough
, Qd accommodation for a few specimens of an ancient horse, which
. 0ne good service in assisting old breeders to produce some popular
eties of the present day. Probably, moreover, there could be no
cross for Hunter-breeding than the Pack-horse upon weedy, light-
> breedy " mares, from which it is desired to produce short-legged,
^Tu e<^ stock capahle of carrying weight.
em"
           CleVeland Bay. — The subject of this paper stands pre-
andUently f°rward as tlie eldest large-sized carriage horse of the day,
, as will be shown later, his antiquity is undeniable, though a
or-y considerable amount of ambiguity exists as regards the precise
but n ° h ^ree(i- The date 0I> bis production is also quite unknown;
most^tl 6 °tlier hand there are g00(i reasons for believing that, like
borse V u §Hsh varieties> be is a descendant of the old English War-
which played so prominent a part in the early history of our
-ocr page 181-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
126
country, and which is fully referred to in the description of the Shire
horse.
The War-horse, however, though small in stature, eventually in-
creased in bulk by a judicious system of crossing with imported stallions,
and no doubt became in due course of time too heavy an animal for light
draught purposes, and hence it is but reasonable to infer the inhabitants
of some districts were glad to do their best to produce an animal more
suited to their requirements. This horse, it appears most probable, was the
original tap-root from which the modern Cleveland Bay is descended; but
owing to the fact that the majority of English horse-breeders were devot-
ing their resources to the production of a powerful class of animal which
would be serviceable in times of war to carry soldiers clad in armour—it
being the command of successive kings that they should do so under heavy
penalties—it is but natural that the advent of the lighter variety should
have been delayed. Indeed, his services were scarcely required until a
comparatively recent period in the history of the country, as it was not
until almost the conclusion of the reign of Queen Elizabeth that Fitzalan,
Earl of Arundel, first introduced light coaches into England, the aristocracy
of which country had up to that period been in the habit of indulging
in their carriage exercise in carts. No doubt, however, the coaches
designed by the Earl of Arundel were cumbersome affairs, as the roads
in his days were not exactly adapted for light vehicular traffic; but on
the other hand, it is reasonable to infer that a less powerful horse than
those which had been bred up to that time would be equal to drawing
them, and hence it may be assumed that the attention of certain breeders
was directed to the production of a lighter class of animal somewhere
about the reign of good Queen Bess.
From that period until the present time there has, of course, been a
steady improvement in our highways and a corresponding diminution in
the size and weight of conveyances, with, of course, an increasing demand
for the more lightly built yet powerful harness horses; and no doubt as
highways have improved and the vehicles become more shapely and less
cumbersome, horses have been bred to meet the requirements of the times.
Consequently animals of the Cleveland type, either as he now exists or in
his less finished form, have more and more been sought for by a certain
class of horse owners, who have been anxious to procure an upstanding,
imposing-looking animal, possessed of plenty of substance, and sufficient
strength to draw heavy loads, but yet showing some quality and an
ability to get over ground more actively than the breeds which were
solely adapted for agricultural purposes.
As observed above, there can be very little doubt regarding the antiquity
-ocr page 182-
127
ENGLISH BEEEDS
the Cleveland Bay, although diversity of opinion might reasonably be
lowed as to his precise origin. Very probably the Thoroughbred has
ered largely into his composition, and as it is in turn extremely likely
at the Pack-horse was a scion of the old English War-horse, which is
iry referred to in the chapter on Shire horses, it may be justifiable to
'Sue that the ancient British race and the Eastern importations are
sponsible between them for the existence of the Cleveland Bay.
J-he theory that the breed is the result of the successful manipulation of
e -thoroughbred and Cart-horse is scarcely so tenable as the one just pro-
Pounded, as though it may be admitted that the Pack-horse and the Cart-
0rse are both descendants of the old English War-horse, the similarity that
jested between them was by no means pronounced, the former being a far
c'hter, more blood-like animal, and therefore a better horse to work upon,
ttiay also be observed that the quarters and some other points of the
Ueveland Bay are the reverse of carty, and this circumstance affords further
10-ence of the improbability of the presence of Cart-horse blood.
Although it is suggested that the southern districts of England deserve
"re credit in the production of the Cleveland Bay horse, there can be no
ot at all that his development and improvement, indeed one might
lQst add his present existence as a recognized breed, is due to the
hern part of the country whence he derives his name. This assertion
lengthened to some extent by the theory, that the black points which
so characteristic of the horse are the result of the introduction, at
e remote period, of Scandinavian blood, and this was naturally far
dj f6 eas^y procurable for the purpose of experiment in the Cleveland
Sol /C^ ^nan m the south. Nor, it may be added, was the Pack-horse
y confined to the last-mentioned part of the country, as under not
y that designation, but under the title of the Chapman's Horse, he was
i . y extensively known throughout England, and Yorkshire especially,
§ frequently alluded to by old writers on the equine race. On the
. hand, the possibility of the south of England having produced the
,^1Iaal tap-root of the Cleveland Bay, or the still greater probability
. ere at least being a strong dash of Devonshire blood in his com-
POSifi      ' V                   "^"g,   " ™'"Ug   «««" *"■   ^V.V-U^XV    "-"-   "*    "">
wv l             in tlie fact tliat tne dark streaks or"list"down tne back>
i , UP *° not so many years ago was a treasured point in the Cleve-
jn , ay' ls a distinguishing feature of the dun animals commonly found
t0 ,, evonshire district, though, of course, it is not entirely confined
p horses of the west country.
t0 j L a tnls> and much more that could be written were it necessary
that t^0' aS t0 ^e Posslble origin of the Cleveland Bay, it will be seen
' cLuestion of the precise composition of the breed, like that of other
-ocr page 183-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
128
established varieties, can only receive an approximate answer, and this is
by no means astonishing when it is remembered that the horse now under
consideration can be traced back to the commencement of the eighteenth
century. In fact, that not invariably reliable authority, " the oldest in-
habitant", has asserted that the black-pointed bays were common in some
parts of Yorkshire long before the importation of the Darley Arabian
was an accomplished fact. This may, however, be quite possible without
affecting the correctness of the contention put forth above, to the effect
that the Cleveland Bay originated in an Arab cross, as undoubtedly
Eastern horses had been imported into England years and years before
the Darley Arabian appeared upon the scene; but under any circumstances-
full credit for the production of the Cleveland Bay is due to the district
from which he derives his name.
The strong probability that a Thoroughbred cross was introduced some
hundred and fifty years ago into the mares which have produced the modern
Cleveland Bay is referred to by Mr. W. Scarth Dixon, in his admirable
article on the breed which appears in Light Horses, as he there states that
many of the best pedigrees trace directly back to a mysterious stallion
known as " Old Traveller", of which no further information is forthcom-
ing. There are evidences, however, to prove that a Thoroughbred stallion
named " Old Traveller " was at the time covering mares in the Yarm dis-
trict at a low fee, and there is much reason to believe that this animal
was the horse whose name appears in many Cleveland Bay pedigrees.
It must not be supposed, however, that the horses which were bred two
hundred years ago in Yorkshire under the name which heads this chapter,
were all utilized as coach-horses. On the contrary, the majority of them
were relegated to duty on the farm, a fact which is referred to in the
Farmers' Magazine of seventy years ago, which states that, when a lighter
class of animal came to be the fashion for carriage traffic, the Cleveland Bay
was permitted to become practically extinct until its value for agricultural
purposes was noticed by some practical farmers in the north of England.
This statement would go to prove one of two things, namely that the
Cleveland Bay of that period was a far more powerful animal than the
modern possessor of the name, or that farm-work was not so heavy; and
indeed it may be very likely that both these conditions are reconcilable,,
for oxen were largely utilized for the heaviest work. At the same time,,
the certainty that exists that Thoroughbred blood had been introduced
long before the period to which the Farmers Magazine refers, shows that
the then existent Cleveland Bay was not a heavy horse; and assists m
substantiating the correctness of the contention propounded some lines
above, that the Cart-horse was not a component part of the variety*
-ocr page 184-
SPECIALITY 1562
Speciality is a bay horse without white, and stands 16 hands
1 inch high. He is by Merry heart 1299, out of Beatrice 932,
and was bred by Mr. J. Lett of Eillington, York.
He has been exhibited on ten occasions, and won nine first
prizes and one second, including Champion prize for the best
Cleveland Bay Stallion at the Great Yorkshire Show, and first
prize at the Royal show at Cardiff in the same year.
Speciality is a typical Cleveland showing excellent quality
and grand all-round action.
-ocr page 185-
Drover, 91
Salesman, 271
7th Dam by Master George,
Salesman, 272
Wonderful, 358
7th Dam by Ebor, 99
6th Dam
Emperor, 653
Chilton, 67
Luck's All, 186
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
5th Dam
Prince Frederick, 234
l'liienix
Emulator, 103
7th Dam by Warwick
Cardinal, 47
King George, 160
6th Dam
7th Dam by Bay Emperor, 29
4th Dam
Golden Forester, 122
Forester, 110
7th Dam by Nailor, 209
CO
6th Dam
o
I
Wonderful Lad, 361
Nobleman, 219
7th Dam by Nimrod, 218
.g
Ph
Forester, 112
Master George, 203
6th Dam
7th Dam by Eoseberry, 259
Captain Cook, 46
Master George, 203
Captain George, 46
7th Dam by Trafalgar, 326
5th Dam
Cleveland, 60
6th Dam
7th Dam by Short Legs, 276
3rd Dam
Cleveland, 59
Favourite, 105
7th Dam by Kelsey, 622
Sir George, 278
Golden Pippin, 128
0th Dam
4th Dam
Victory, 336
King George, 159
rth Dam by Etty's Horse, 501
King George, 161
Nailor, 208
6th Dam
7th Dam by Forester, 108
Barnaby, 18
Golden Hero, 123
Barnaby, 15
7th Dam by John Connell's
Horse, 496
5th Dam
Forester, 108a
6th Dam
Forester, 113
Victory, 336
Victory, 337
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
Commodore, 76
Direction, 468
4th Daim
Victory, 336
Volunteer, 346
7th Dam by Champion, 554
5th Dam
10
Cleveland Lad, I
Wonderful Lad, 361
a
CO
7th Dam by Wonderful, 357
Yatton Lad, 364
7th Dam by Nailor, 208
Brilliant, 42
King George, 160
Master George, 203
7th Dam by Barnaby, 16
6th Dam
Admiral, 2
6th Dam
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
3rd Dam
Cleveland Lad, 69
Wonderful Lad, 361
7th Dam by Wonderful, 357
Yatton Lad, 364
Nimrod
6th Dam
7th Dam by Nailor,
Brilliant, 42
King George, 160
Master George, 203
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
5th Dam
Admiral, 2
6th Dam
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
Sportsman, 299
Sportsman, 292
Ottonburgh, 222
7th Dam by Nailor, 210
Grand Turk, 138
Eichmond Lad, 257
7th Dam by Trafalgar, 325
4th Dam
Eeformer, 251
Bay Thornton, 36
7th Dam by Skyrocket, 283
5th Dam
Elegant, 385
Magnificent, 195
7th Dam by Peerless, 415
Cleveland Champion, 53
Victory, 336
7th Dam by Favourite, 475
P3
Champion of England, (5
Splendour
6th Dam,
MrB. Gilbert, 227
King George, 159
King George, 161
7th Dam by Nailor, 208
Barnaby, 18
Barnaby, 15
7th Dam by Forester, 108A
4th Dam
Ottonburgh, 222
Grand Turk, 138
7th Dam by Eichmond Lad, 257
6th Dam
Baylock, 371
Baylock, 372
7th Dam by Bmtandorf
General Benefit, 120
Wellington, 552
6th Dam
7th Dam by Borgee, 453
Emperor, 102
Eichmond Lad, 257
Royal George,
7th Dam by Magistrate, 193
5th Dam
Golden Forester, 122
6th Dam
Emperor, 387
A pure Cleveland Mare
Cleveland, 60
3
Cleveland Lad,
7th Dam by Short Legs, 276
Wonderful Lad, 361
Wonderful, 357
6th Dam
7th Dam by Luck's All, 178
Captain Cook, 44
King George, 160
Master George, 203
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
5th Dam
Admiral,
6th Dam
7th Dam by Barnaby, 15
3rd Dam
Faithful, 390
Symmetry, 314
7th Dam by Forester
Colonel, 75
Brilliant, 454
6th Dam
7th Dam by Volunteer, 341
4th Dam
-ocr page 186-
ENGLISH BEEEDS                                               129
0f p ** may be added that the experiments for introducing a strain
art-horse blood have been attended with most unsatisfactory results
ar as the Cleveland Bay type has been concerned.
r V KC1COrdmS to tlie Cleveland Bay Stud-book, which may be accepted as a
of tv autllority uPon the subject with which it deals, namely the breeding
his class of horse, there exist three families—the "Dart", the "Barley
arvest", and the "Hob Hill Horse", to one of which all the best and most
... Ca Cleveland Bays belong. No particulars, unless the statement
th fl ^ee missbl8 " can he accepted as information, is forthcoming regarding
st of this trio of tap-roots, but his son Agar's Eainbow, afterwards
dat^f8,8-^1118 Geor§e the Fourth, sired some excellent stock, though the
Hors°'' hlS belng f°aled is n0t given in the Stud-book The "Hob Hill
ab f ' °r' t0 ^Ve ^m b*s refd name> "Farmer's Glory", was foaled
tim i, an^ "Baidey Harvest" a little before that period, since which
fort6         Pedigrees of Cleveland Bays have been far better kept. Un-
painUnately' ll0wever' a11 ^e breeders of this class of horse have not taken
abn '            ** PUre' and' moreover, the Cleveland Bay, as remarked
his 1 ' WaS a Vlctim of experiments which contributed a good deal towards
Cent ° Prestige and popularity during a portion of the nineteenth
PublisT ^ a CaSB in Point' the article written by J. B. Lloyd, which is
may j?* U1 the first number of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal,
states th qU°ted as Provmg how the breed was crossed. This gentleman
cultural t ab°Ut the year 1827 he "determined to try and breed some agri-
011 Clev orseswith more activity and little or no diminution of strength"
mares a i .es' and ^or tb^s PurPose "purchased some Gloucester cart
intendinS n in the legS aS he COuld get them "• Consequently it behoves
the pedia PUrchasers on the look-out for pure-bred Cleveland Bays to study
thouo-h ?r6eS °f the animals which take their fancy very carefully, for
8°mebhor ^ qU-teSsible for the evidences of cart blood to be absent in
hi their ^ ^ G^ mherit it, the taint is likely to appear sooner or later
ing fron^tli and m°ney ma^ be thrown away and time wasted in breed-
V manvPharS'r1ll0WeVer' tHat the examPle of Mr- L1°yd was not followed
of the societ vS °f the Cleveland Ba^ and according to the Stud-book
the Period \7
         h has been formed to further the interests of the breed,
horse- After tb611! th<3 yearS 1851 and 1867 WaS a Very fine °ne for the
Probably on 1c
            ^ year itS P°Pularity hegan to dwindle somewhat,
^hicb was berr^-',^ ^^ S° ** is suggested, of the increased attention
Pieties in que^'
         t0 ^ Shir6 h°rSe and C1ydesdale, for though the
Bay in looks T T ^ k 1U n° S6nSe be re§arded as rivals of the Cleveland
* 01. I.
adaptabihty for fast harness work, the favour with which
-ocr page 187-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
130
they became regarded no doubt diminished the number of admirers of the
lighter horse. The advent, or perhaps it may be more properly termed
the resuscitation of the Hackney, has also proved beyond all doubt injurious
to the progress of the Cleveland Bay, and the steady increase in the
stature of the former breed causes it to become a more formidable rival
every year. Public taste, too, has rather set in in favour of action, and
here again the Hackney takes precedence of the big horse; whilst the
hardness of the times has caused many scores of country gentlemen to
reduce their studs; and in most instances the coach-horses, the duty of
which was to draw the family landau round the Park during the London
season, have been the first to go. At the same time the Cleveland Bay's
position in the equine world is, at the time of writing, a very long way
removed from being an unsatisfactory one. Indeed, it is incomparably
superior to what it would have been had there been no Society at the
back of the breed to look after its interests, and to provide some satis-
factory guarantees as regards the genuineness of pedigrees. Many dealers
too are consistent in their support of the big coach-horses, and favour
the Cleveland Bay—when they can get them at a reasonable price—above
all others; but in the case of professional purchasers, who only buy to
sell again at a profit, their support is naturally more a matter of pounds,
shillings, and pence than a sincere devotion to the breed they patronize.
Consequently it must always be borne in mind that when a dealer has
made his connection as a seller of a certain class of horse, it is to the
highest degree improbable that he will forsake that particular variety
for another if he can by any possibility avoid so doing.
It may, however, be once more repeated, that the resuscitation of the
breed was accomplished by the appearance, in 1884, of volume 1 of the
Cleveland Bay Stud-book, and since that date the managements of some
of the great horse shows have evinced a disposition to try and give the
variety a help along. This, it may be stated, has not invariably been
associated with profitable results, and even the Eoyal Agricultural Society
of England has found it necessary to amalgamate the classes of
Cleveland
Bays and Yorkshire Coach-horses, to the extreme concern, expressed and
implied, of the admirers of either breed, who, nevertheless, have only
themselves to thank for the reduction of their prizes, as they did not
support the shows sufficiently. This rather suggests the existence of aia
apathetic spirit on the part of breeders of Cleveland Bays, who certainly
are not to be credited with the push and go which characterizes the actio
of other horse-breeders; but against this charge the excuse may be made
that the breed is in, comparatively speaking, a few hands, as the Clevelan
Bay, though an excellent horse in his own particular line, is scarcely
-ocr page 188-
ENGLISH BREEDS                                               131
regarded as being an animal for everybody's money. He possesses
e great qualification, however, which should commend itself to all horse
, ners, and this is an unusually robust constitution; which circumstance
no doubt the cause of a good deal of the crossing that is going on
Ween the Cleveland and other breeds, and possibly accounts for the
atively small number of the pure-bred " Bays" which are to be found.
doubt, however, the Cleveland and Hackney cross is fairly successful
en the production of a sizeable animal possessed of high action is the
Je°t of a breeder, and extremely long prices have been realized for
imals thus bred. Plenty of good hunters have also been bred from
eveland Bay mares; but upon the whole this sort of breeding partakes
Very much of the nature of a lottery, that the wise man who desires
turn a penny, usually seeks to produce a harness horse from his Cleve-
1 ±>ay. A.t the same time stories are told of the ability some pure-
a representatives of the breed have displayed in the hunting-field, but
scarcely conceivable that many very great feats were accomplished
ms direction with any of the crack packs.
-&s to conformation, the head of a Cleveland Bay can scarcely be
, rioed as a very attractive or taking one, being inclined to plainness,
!t is xi^ a coarse head, and is usually well carried. The neck is
air length and slightly arched, showing plenty of strength at the
li v^ °n' ^u^ a^ ^ne same time it is free from coarseness and superfluous
iu 1 ei" ^ome difference of opinion—up to a certain extent—exists amongst
bn1beS °n ^ie (luestion of shoulders, for though it is probable that every-
reo. Prefers them well set and sloping, many persons argue that they
j,b ^ the Cleveland Bay as a harness horse above all things, and that
j. ' °re the possession of a long sloping shoulder is not so essential in
te t- S 3 as ^ would be if he were used for saddle purposes. This con-
of +-l Q 1S' °^ course> strongly opposed by those who regard the capacity
th t "ree(l from the other point of view, and there can be no doubt
fa
            vast majority of the active supporters of the horse are dead in
a nicely placed shoulder. Upon the question of middle there
0£
         uirlerences of opinion, however, as the judges agree that the back
and V 6Ve         should be short, his girth considerable, his loins powerful,
tho if (luarters l°ng and level. He is wide in chest, and short on leg,
rea]ito . Us neight often makes him appear longer on his legs than he
In tl 1S' an^ ^S arms an<^ tnigns can scarcely be too big and muscular,
only • ttlatter of bone the Cleveland Bay is conspicuously good, as not
quite S
            P^nty of it, but it is remarkably flat, and the quality is
Prom'           eirt> it being extremely dense, and the sinews show up
Y- The pasterns slope well, and the feet are large and truly
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
132
formed, the hocks being of good size with plenty of the right sort of bone
below them, whilst the tail is set on rather high. His usual height is-
about 16 hands 2 inches, or a little more or less.
So far as the action of the Cleveland Bay is concerned, it cannot be
successfully contended by his admirers that he possesses any of the fire
and dash of his great rival the Hackney. Neither does he show the
snap of the knee and peculiar poise of the fore-feet just before they touch
the ground; nor of course does the big bay go nearly as high. On the
other hand, the Cleveland Bay succeeds in giving a fine show when he
is a good one, and he can get over the ground without losing much time,
for he has plenty of shoulder and hock action, and cannot be accused of
being a slovenly mover, but very much the reverse. In colour the true
Cleveland must always be a bay. There are no two opinions about this,
though it does not necessarily follow that the bay must always be of
any one particular shade. On the contrary, although the lighter shade
predominates, many of the finest-looking specimens which have been seen
of the breed, animals possessing moreover pedigrees which have been
absolutely above suspicion, have been of the darkest shade, and no objec-
tion has been raised against any of them, nor ought any to have been.
The legs below the knees and hocks should be quite black, and above them,
on the forearms and second thighs, some black horizontal stripes, such as
those which appear on the zebra, are often to be seen. These, when
found, are not objected to, in fact many persons regard them as signs-
of good breeding; but a white blaze on the forehead, or a white heel, are
regarded as signs of impurity of blood, and will at once condemn their
possessor to be suspected as a cross-bred. Some authorities would not
reject an otherwise good horse for a very small star on the forehead, or a
few white hairs on the heel, but a Cleveland Bay is all the better without
either. The dark stripe down the back, or " list", is regarded very
favourably by many breeders, but is not to be accepted as an infallible
proof of pure breeding any more than are the zebra-like stripes on the
thighs and quarters. A possible explanation of the appearance of these
markings has been suggested above, and assuming it is a correct surmise,
it speaks volumes for the prepotency of the old Devonshire dun. So far
as the general appearance of the Cleveland Bay is concerned, it may be
stated that he is a big upstanding, massive, yet active-looking animal,
and conveys the impression to those who look him over of being an
extremely powerful carriage horse, and therefore well calculated for heavy
vehicles; but his "quality" is not conspicuous.
Finally, the temper of a pure-bred Cleveland Bay is all in his favour,
as he is a docile, willing worker, if not ill-treated and put to feats beyond
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ENGLISH BREEDS
133
fils strength. It is true, however, that his reputation for pluck and
tamina has been impugned by some persons who have crossed him with
^e view of producing a hunter, and who have pronounced him soft.
ms, however, is scarcely a fair charge to bring, as, in spite of the pro-
stations of the thick-and-thin admirers of the Cleveland Bay, the horse
3 more adapted for harness than for saddle, and it therefore is surely
inning him out of his course to expect an animal to discharge duties
0r which he was never intended.
The Yorkshire Coach-horse.—The subject of this article so closely
resembles the Cleveland Bay in appearance that there is considerable dim-
m distinguishing between the representatives of either breed on the
Part of those who are not experts on the subject of horse-flesh. It is there-
ore perhaps permissible, heretical though it may appear to some minds, to
gard the Yorkshire Coach-horse as an offshoot of the Cleveland Bay,
wruch he is very like, though he shows more quality and breeding.
Ihe Yorkshire Coach-horse has been recognized by horse-breeders as a
lstinct variety for a hundred years. It is only, however, within a com-
paratively recent period that he has been taken seriously in hand by
°se who, in the best interests of the horse, have placed restrictions on
. e operations of breeders, with the result that the Yorkshire Coach-horse
now the recipient of a fair share of public attention. At the same
aie> the existence of a remote Thoroughbred cross has been fully recog-
"e(l by the members of the Yorkshire Coach-horse Society, who, whilst
eavouring to promote the interests as a breed of the animal they are
, uged to support, are sufficiently liberal in their views to admit the
ents which the Coach-horse has derived from both the Thoroughbred
aM the Cleveland Bav.
Beyond all doubt the Yorkshire Coach-horse owes his origin to the
veland Bay-Thoroughbred cross, the object of the founders of the breed
§ the production of a horse which stood very high at the shoulder, and
med a great amount of quality with a sufficiency of substance. As
progressed, more Thoroughbred blood was introduced, the result being
th * .Cer^am amount of weediness ensued, and this weediness it has been
q ctuei desire of later breeders to counteract. A coaching stallion of
ie l ^            Cleveland Bay mare was a very popular cross, and the
j was, as might be expected, a valuable harness horse—as the plain-
wh'l              Cleveland Bay was neutralized by the breeding of the sire,
hanr) 16re WaS P^enty 0I" power about the youngster. On the other
in 1 ' 6 1Irtr°duction of a superfluity of Thoroughbred blood resulted
shoul l u S1Ze anc^ tightness of bone; and as the Yorkshire Coach-horse
- a tall animal and yet possess substance, it was speedily recog-
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134                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
mzed that the Thoroughbred cross, if persisted in, might soon become
prejudicial to the interests of the breed.
The difficulty in attempting to trace the pedigrees of Yorkshire Coach-
horses may be appreciated when it is stated that at least one animal appears
in the Stud-books of both the Cleveland Bay and Yorkshire Coach-horse
Societies. Still, the efforts of the society which bears the name of the
breed will doubtless be rewarded by an improvement in the horse, and
will eventually lead to the encouragement of breeders to abjure the in-
troduction of extraneous blood, with the result that the stylish blood-like
Yorkshire Coach-horse will be universally recognized as a defined breed,
as he deserves, and without the further assistance of either a Thoroughbred
or a Cleveland Bay.
As may be supposed from the greater amount of quality he shows, the
Yorkshire Coach-horse is a more active-looking and stylish animal than
the Cleveland Bay, and his action and liberty are preferred by many.
On the other hand, he does not possess the bone and substance of the
Bay, as may readily be imagined when it is remembered that the blood of
the Thoroughbred circulates so freely in his veins. His close relationship,
however, with the aristocracy of the equine world assures the Yorkshire
Coach-horse the possession of a great deal of quality, and beyond all
doubt the acquisition of this great virtue endears him to many people
who vote the Cleveland Bay a commoner. At the same time it must be
confessed that at present there is a good deal of dissimilarity amongst
even the best-known Yorkshire Coach - horses, some of which are much
more blood-like and therefore narrower than others, this being no doubt
due to their relationship to either the Thoroughbred or the Cleveland
Bay, as the case may be.
In appearance, however, the Yorkshire Coach-horse very closely
resembles the Cleveland Bay, but he shows a good deal more style
and finish, and is not so pronounced in substance, owing to his possession
of so much Thoroughbred blood. Indeed, he displays far more quality
than would be acceptable to the ordinary judge of the big Bays, whilst
his head is more refined and his crest more arched. Perhaps, too, his
action is freer upon the whole, but this is more a matter for consideration
when the points of individual animals come to be reckoned up, than a
general characteristic of the breed. The Coach-horse likewise fails m
bone when brought into comparison with the Cleveland Bay, and is>
generally speaking, the lighter, corkier animal of the two. He is usually
a taller horse, as good specimens often reach 17 hands, and in colour
may be either bay or brown. Any other shade of coat is strongly objected
to, and white markings are disliked, though a spot on the forehead or
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135
ENGLISH BEEEDS
a little white on the heel are not unfamiliar to judges. In most of their
essential properties, however, the Cleveland Bay and the Yorkshire Coach-
horse are very closely allied, the two varieties representing the best type
neavy coachers we possess, whilst both of them have been frequently
tossed with the Hackney of late years.
The Hunter. — Although there are few horses more sought after
than a first-rate weight-carrying Hunter, the fact remains that in the
Y^st majority of cases the animal belongs to no definite breed, most
Hunters being made up of the Thoroughbred sire crossed with a mare of
m°re or less doubtful pedigree. It may, however, be at once conceded
that a very great number of men who ride to hounds would prefer being
Counted on a clean-bred horse to a half-bred one, provided that a suitable
aiUmal was forthcoming; but the supply of Thoroughbreds available for
the purpose of hunting men is limited, and consequently a composite
auimal has to be produced. It is scarcely complimentary to the Hunter,
that he should be the only variety of horse whose admirers confess them-
selves unable to produce him as a distinct breed. On the other hand, the
confessed inability of most Hunter - breeders to work without the direct
assistance of the Thoroughbred is a direct testimony to the value of the
iatter horse.
,. At the same time, although surprise may be expressed at the recognized
f^lenity of producing a breed of Hunters, the general admission of the
^ct must be accepted, for the present at all events. It is a very re-
coettable circumstance, nevertheless, as until there is some reliability
^p^iug the pedigree of a breeder's stock, there will always be a great
a °f uncertainty regarding the results of the experiments he may
i a e- The establishment of the Hunters' Improvement Society has,
'ever, done much to assist the raisers of this class of animal, and the
a J U8l0n of mares in the Stud-book they publish must in the course of
ew years contribute very materially to further progress in the direction
fut r purPose- it is therefore possible that in the dim and far-off
Ul'e Hunter-breeders may succeed in establishing a definite breed for
themselves.                           J                                       b
^. or should modern Hunter-breeders be blamed by those who may
of TlT Wlt^ tlleil 0Pinions as to the necessity for the introduction
ex ^ orouglibred blood, for every important authority of the past has
^ pressed some very similar views upon the question. Whyte Melville,
his ^ ~TUntm9 Recollections, thus places what was in his mind before
is /tV £S: "In a11 the <lualities of a Hunter, the Thoroughbred horse
fine " SUperior to the rest of his kind "; but this good sportsman and
er proceeds immediately to qualify somewhat his .praise by adding
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136                                      VAKIETIES OF THE HORSE
that the Thoroughbred all the same may not always be the pleasantest
of mounts. Dick Christian, whose valuable opinions upon the question
of Hunters have been immortalized by " The Druid ", was precisely of the
same opinion, and he expressed himself in very similar though perhaps
more emphatic terms; whilst "Nimrod" (Mr. Apperly), in 1842, although
he did not advocate the claims of the clean-bred horse as a Hunter,
recognized the desirability of a bit of blood in his composition. The
remarks of the last writer, so far as they have reference to the Thorough-
bred being used in the field, may perhaps be accepted as a reply to
the suggestion made by Blaine two years previously, when he observed
that it would be well worth the while of hunting men to purchase some
likely young Thoroughbreds that were not fast enough for racing, and
having thrown them up for a time, to proceed to make them into Hunters.
From these references to the opinions of men whose names are still
household words in the hunting world, it will be seen that if the out-and-
out sticklers for blood are wrong in the views they possess upon the
subject of Hunter-breeding, they are erring in extremely good company.
Moreover, in view of the uncertainty which the opinions referred to
foreshadow, it is scarcely probable that Hunter-breeders would summon
up the heart or courage to make experiments on a large scale. They
certainly do not appear to have exerted themselves very much until the
last few years, to produce even the proper kind of mare to cross with
the Thoroughbred stallions whose services they so implicitly rely upon,
the result being that Hunter-breeding has generally been a lottery, in
which the number of the blanks has been far in excess of that of the
prizes. Any sort of mare was promiscuously put to Thoroughbreds by
enterprising farmers, who were prepared to chance their fortune; and
the produce of the union was recrossed with the Thoroughbred or not
just as luck would have it. This is illustrated by the statement of an
elderly farmer, which is repeated by the Druid. This breeder told him
that he had never produced the type of Hunter he wanted until he had
put a short-legged cart mare to a Thoroughbred horse, and then had the
female produce of the union served by another Thoroughbred, and this
brought him what he wished to get.
The above system has no doubt been practised with varying results
by many Hunter-breeders of the past, and some also of the present time.
Others have set to work on different material, and have used the Thorough-
bred upon all sorts of light mares from the Coach-horse downwards. It
may be noticed, too, that there were " hunters " of some sort or other
in England at a date prior to the period when the Thoroughbred horse
as we know him became available for a cross, but it is pretty certain that
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ENGLISH BREEDS
137
efforts were made to perpetuate or improve the race as it then existed,
and perhaps for the reason that Hunters were not required to do the same
ork as the modern animal of the shires.
still, even in those early days Hunters were not without admirers; for
tar back as the year 1602 Gervase Markham expresses himself as
°Ws: " The Hunting Horse, both for his virtue, strength, goodness,
u endurance, I place next to the horse of service". Markham also
escribed at some length, and in his usually quaint style, " the three
^special characters or forces by which a man shall choose a good Hunting
orse". These were: (1) his breed, (2) his colour, and (3) the shape
his lineaments. Markham, however, in spite of his professions of
egiance to breed, appears to have possessed a somewhat open mind,
he commences his observations on the subject by stating that if the
rse were a bastard Jennet, or bastard Polander, he would not be amiss,
at is to say if the parent on one side were English bred. He never-
ess expressed a predilection for the native article. Markham was
more catholic in his taste for colours, as bays, browns, grays, and
ns were all admired by him; but he strongly objected to blacks—on
SuPerstitious grounds apparently—and chestnuts marked with white he
> also opposed to. The third property upon which Markham was
' Ustomed to base his opinions of a Hunter was shape, on which he
Patiates with unusual prolixity. Briefly, the points this old writer
sti         for were a long, lean, large head, with a spacious, wide jowl, a
rt sharp ear for preference (but if these organs were long and pointed
„ ard it was to be accepted as a sign of speed), a long and rising
*ead, eyes full and round, and nostrils wide. The sort of neck
Knam liked to see was the straight and firm, "as it were of one piece
the body", a strong broad chest, exceedingly short flat legs with
~knit joints, and straight upright pasterns, the hoofs being strong and
•long and narrow. Upon the question of the mane and tail, how-
' Markham was most emphatic, as he held that the thicker and denser
harr of these were, the greater the sign of dulness, whereas if they
thin it was a sign that the horse was possessed of spirit.
t v° Lawrence, whose work was published in 1809, bears testimony
jt e *act that a good deal of progress had somehow been made by the
er since the days of Gervase Markham, but the chief credit for
fo ~l          been accomplished appears to have been due to Irish breeders,
j          e°rnmences his observations by stating of their horses that, " The
are the highest and steadiest leapers in the world ". Lawrence, more-
tp ' oes not show signs of being perfectly sound upon the question of
ghbred blood, for he prefaces his description of a Hunter by saying:
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
138
" Hunters are of all degrees of blood from the Thoroughbred to the Cart-
horse. It depends on the nature of the country for which they are
chosen, and still more on accident. ... If a man desires to make a
figure in a capital hunt he must provide a Thoroughbred Hunter. He
must be equal to the weight of the rider, neither leggy, nor long-waisted,.
nor slight-boned, nor have crooked pastern joints. He should be well
set upon his haunches previously to being used as a Hunter. In general
a Hunter should have a good loin and spreading haunches, strong and
well-knit joints, should go clear of his legs, have a good mouth, a striding
gallop, and reach at least the height of 15 hands".
Eleven years later John Scott, writing in the Sportsman's Repository,
again alludes to the superiority of the Irish horses, which he says " are
renowned as leapers both standing and flying, to be attributed in some
measure to their form, shape, and frigate build". He refers to the
English Hunter as being "a horse between 15 and 16 hands in height
from the half-bred to the Thoroughbred species, and ought to be of a
lofty forehand, and shoulders well formed for action, with wide and
substantial loins, moderately short legs and pasterns, and sound feet."
" Nimrod", although credited with being a first-flight man in his day,
does not appear to have been so profoundly impressed by the sanctity
of the Hunter as some modern authors, for he admits that a Hunter may
be put to many purposes in addition to field, as he can carry a man
to battle, or be used for draught. " It is therefore singular," he adds,
" that out of a hundred men at covert side not half a dozen of them are
on their own bred horses." This he accounted for by the uncertainty of
breeding, for which it was difficult to lay down rules, but he thought
the chief difficulty was to obtain the services of a good stallion; and
therefore he, unlike most writers upon the Hunter, advocates a cross of
Arab blood. So far, however, as he dared to go into the question of
breeding Hunters "Nimrod" went, the cardinal principles that he laid
down for the guidance of his readers being to observe the peculiarities
of the horse and mare, and cross accordingly, a tall horse to a low mare,
and so on, selecting only animals with moderate-sized carcasses, as he
"never saw a very closely ribbed large-carcassed horse brilliant as a
hunter". "Nimrod", moreover, appears to have been a little heretical
as regards his opinions on the subject of a Hunter's head, and he expresses-
himself as indifferent to its size and shape, provided it is well hung on,
which is important, for he states his belief that even more than the-
mere length of neck, the set-on of the head is connected with the heavy
bearing on the hands. He considered, however, that the length of the-
head, and neck should be proportionate; if one were long so ought the-
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ENGLISH BREEDS                                               139
ther to be, and vice versa. Length of shoulders "Nimrod" was quite
positive was a necessity, an oblique scapula being indispensable for up-
lu and down-dale work; and though, of course, he did not like coarse
°ulders, he objected to them less than straight ones. The arms he
^ed long, strong, and muscular, the knees broad and deep, the fetlocks
1 iair length and sloping, and the feet wide; chest deep, quarters lengthy,
ith long muscular thighs and well-placed hocks. Upon the question of
ction "Nimrod" had a great deal to say, being a hard-riding man, and
was only natural that he should advocate a gentle action with no.
Celling about it. So far as the general appearance of his ideal Hunter
ent, "Nimrod", like every modern judge, preferred to see a horse appear
0 °e smaller than he really was, for then he was sure that the animal was
J ^metrically built; whilst he adds that according to his experience
e long-backed horses were the best brook jumpers, whilst the short-
acked ones excelled over timber.
Youatt, unlike " Nimrod", was a great stickler for blood, believing
at though half-bred Hunters could continue to get along, if stoutness
ere really wanted a hard rider should be mounted on at least three-
t. arter or seven - eighths bred animals. According to this writer, na
unter should stand less than 15 or more than 16 hands at shoulder.
he were below that height Youatt considered he could " always,
easure the object", and if above the prescribed limit the horse was
P_ to be leggy and awkward at his work. In the opinion of this.
lter the first point to be sought for in a Hunter was lightness in hand,
^ therefore he, again disagreeing with "Nimrod", sought for animals.
th neak small heads, with thin necks, and especially those that were
s^t on their underside. He also insisted upon broad chests, big arms,
,, short legs, with pasterns of fair length; whilst, though he desired
t the feet should be set on straight, he would regard their being
tr outwards slightly as an unimportant fault, though he would reject
Unter that was pigeon-toed. Finally, Youatt advocates a short and
wj, ^act body, and therefore is once more at variance with " Nimrod",.
appears to have been tolerant of a long back.
^ r°rn all that has gone before it is pretty clearly shown that the
si a 6rS °^ ^ne Past) s0 far as they were afforded opportunities, were
gel- • avail themselves of the services of a Thoroughbred horse for
an' ^ Hunter stock. Then, as now, it was not often that a clean-bred
0j ■ was to be found up to more than 13 stone. The consensus
a tr ni0n that has been expressed in favour of the Thoroughbred as
£o ter sire, both by past and present writers, renders it impossible-
Pect that the day is yet at hand when Hunters shall exist as a
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
140
distinct variety having the faculty of reproducing themselves; and the
idea has been well-nigh abandoned of attempting to establish a class
of Thoroughbred animals up to greater weight than the half-bred horses
now available for men who ride to hounds. Whether this is practicable,
experience alone can show, but unquestionably a move is being made in
the direction of the prevailing practice of sending mares to Thoroughbred
sires, and again repeating the process with the fillies that are thus
obtained. The results of the second cross are again sent to Thoroughbreds,
and so it may be continued until the foals are, virtually speaking,
themselves Thoroughbreds, though whether they will have retained the
substance of the original dam, together with the bone and size which she
may have possessed, is a question which can only be replied to when the
experiment has been worked out. The rooted antipathy which exists
in many quarters to the half-bred stallion affords a very probable cause
for believing that the manufacture of a breed of weight-carrying Hunters
would not be an exceptionally difficult task; but until the prejudice
against the half-breds subsides breeders who are trying to raise animals
for sale, and cannot therefore afford to offend the susceptibilities of their
patrons, may be excused if they decline to digress from the beaten
track that has been traversed by their predecessors for generations. No
doubt, too, the course adopted by the Eoyal Commissioners, who are
entrusted with the distribution of the money voted for the King's
Premiums, has exercised a very decided influence upon the feelings of
the public. According to the practice of, and rules laid down by, the
Commissioners, the premiums are only divided amongst Thoroughbred
stallions which are considered to be suited for serving half-bred mares
and breeding Hunters therefrom, but whether the conditions go far
enough or the reverse is a point upon which opinions differ very materi-
ally. To commence with, the judges are not informed of the pedigrees
or performances of the competitors for these premiums, and as many
of the horses are either non-stayers themselves, or descendants of such,
it is a debatable point whether they are likely to instil stamina into
their offspring. Secondly, as the selection of the districts in which the
horses are to travel for the season is left to their owners, and the competi-
tors are grouped in classes accordingly, it naturally follows that many
a fine stallion, which happens to have the bad luck to compete in a
strong class, fails to gain a prize, and his services are thereby lost to
breeders in other districts, whereas, had he been entered in another
class, he might have won easily, and would thereby have done much
better public service during the succeeding season than the horses that
were awarded premiums in that class. It appears therefore that the
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ENGLISH BREEDS                                               141
money devoted to the King's premiums would be much better applied
U the judges were to select the horses that were to travel each district
from the whole of the competitors, and not class by class, as there
would then be increased prospects of having the money distributed
among all the best animals, which would be a distinct benefit to the
breeders of horses. Besides this, it is quite possible, under the existing
order of things, for a stallion to be given a premium as a sire to travel
a district for which he is totally unadapted by his shape, size, make,
and breeding. Thus a small-bred, little horse may be selected to serve
mares in a pony-breeding part of the country, or a big coarse one in a
district where the mares require quality put upon them. Consequently
*t is certain that the King's premiums would accomplish more good if
the judges were empowered to select the stallions which in their opinion
were best calculated to serve in each particular part of the country.
The desirability or the reverse of introducing the Arab cross into.
Hunters is one that has often been debated. No doubt the reputation
°f the Arabs was considerably affected by the ignominious figure they
cut at Newmarket some years ago, when they finished behind some very
Moderate Thoroughbreds over a distance of ground; but under any circum-
stances it is difficult to see in what respect the Arab is superior to the
English horse, provided that the latter is carefully selected for the purposes
01 a Hunter-breeder, and therefore if a sire has to be found to cross with
half-bred mares, it surely would be safer to cross with an animal that has
°een a good performer himself, or else comes of running and of staying
Wood. The latter qualification is probably more powerful than the
former, but it too frequently happens that horses which have passed
through a long turf career come down to the level of a Hunter sire
0ldy because they lack the quality of endurance. It is also quite possible
that a good performer on the course may be found to be incapable of
Degetting race-horses, although his offspring may be quite fast enough
tor work across country. A second objection that is not infrequently
raised against using horses that have done much work upon the turf for
-hunter - breeding is, that these animals have been forced from a very
early age, an(j }iave \)eeil generally subjected to conditions of life which
are likely to have impaired their energies for begetting staying stock
hat are capable of carrying weight to hounds, and lasting out a long day
beneath it. A considerable time ago, as the history of the turf informs
Us> the Thoroughbred of the period had to run over long courses under
^elter weights and in heats, and in fact was subjected to treatment
hat their descendants of the present day could not stand. Such animals
Were far more likely to produce Hunters than the modern race-horse;,
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142                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
and therefore it once more may be suggested that as the Thoroughbred
is accepted as indispensable to Hunter-breeders, all the more care should
be exercised by the breeders of weight-carrying Hunters in selecting
a stallion that can stay.
So much space having been given to the selection of a Hunter sire
the question of the mare may now be considered, for after all there
can be no denying the fact that she plays a very prominent part in
the production of a Hunter. The latter is, however, very frequently
the offspring of quite a haphazard cross, between a mare of a heavy
•or light breed as the case may be, and the first available stallion, regard-
less of merit either in respect to pedigree or performances. But this
method of breeding is merely groping in the dark. It is impossible to
expect business men to embark in such an undertaking as raising Hunters
as an enterprise with nothing but their luck to influence the results. For
farmers it may do very well, for they possess the mares, and can work
•them very nearly up to their time of foaling and soon after it, so there
is not much time wasted, and if the youngster proves a misfit there is but
little loss over the transaction. If, on the other hand, Hunter-breeders
can be induced to act upon the advice of the Hunters' Improvement
Society, a great step might be made in rendering their enterprise more
reliable; for even if, failing an established breed of Hunters, it is admitted
that the Thoroughbred as a sire is essential for the production of a Hunter,
it is the fashion that the mare should be half or three-parts bred.
Consequently, it is not only possible, but probable, that any breeder who
pays due regard to the individual merit of his mares, and ascertains their
pedigrees before he buys them, may reasonably anticipate that his results
will be more satisfactory than if he crossed the clean-bred horse indis-
criminately with any sort of mare, and chanced the rest. Cart blood may,
moreover, be a capital thing in its way—that is to say, it is satisfactory
enough if a farmer's mare flukes a good stamp of weight-carrier to a horse
that happens to suit her—but how about the offspring of the union if
a filly? The ancient breeder referred to above, who told "the Druid"
that he had never produced the sort of Hunter he wanted to breed until
he crossed a cart mare with a Thoroughbred and their filly foal back
again to the clean-bred animal, was no doubt a lucky man to get what
he required in two crosses, but it is not recorded that he did so a second
time. Unquestionably the prepotency of the Thoroughbred is great, but
this circumstance gives no guarantee that the cart blood will not assert
itself, and until a breeder provides himself with a stud of mares that
possess some good back-breeding for several generations he must expect
some disappointments as the result.
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ENGLISH BREEDS
143
The task of breeding a heavy-weight Hunter is a very much more
difficult one than the production of a light-weight animal, and the cross-
country men who are not troubled by superfluous flesh or bone can mount
themselves, if they please, on Thoroughbreds or cross-bred animals for,
comparatively speaking, small amounts. This being the case, it is naturally
the ambition of every breeder, whose ulterior object is the sale of his
young stock, to produce a weight carrier, and consequently the raising of
light-weight horses is seldom seriously attempted, except by amateurs who
breed for their own requirements and not for market. Size, in addition to
power, stamina, and action, is a great desideratum in any Hunter, for a. big
horse possesses the charm of making the fences look smaller than they
really are, and vice versa, and therefore a little horse will not command the
price that would be given for a bigger one, however clever he may look or
be. At the same time it must be noted that the quality of a weight carrier
is usually in inverse ratio to his strength and stature.
There is no valid reason for preferring a great clumsy mare to a sym-
metrically built one for a cross with the Thoroughbred when it is desired
to produce a Hunter—in fact, the less coarseness she possesses the better
are the chances in the lottery—but still she must have bone and size. If
weedy, it would be too much to expect her to throw a weight-carrier;
whilst if coarse, the foal will very probably be pronounced too common
for a Hunter, and be condemned to a life of slavery between the shafts.
A bit of breeding somewhere is, of course, essential to a mare from which
it is hoped to breed a foal possessed of quality, and a good-girthed, big-
quartered, short-legged one will most commend itself to the practical
breeder as the sort to go for. In process of time the Stud-book of the
Hunters' Improvement Society, if it does not degenerate to all intents
and purposes into a replica of the General Stud-book, will be accepted
by breeders as an invaluable guide in the selection of their horses, both
for work and breeding purposes; but rapid as has been the progress of
the volume, it must take many years before it can assume the propor-
tions of a reliable guide to Hunter-raisers generally. Only one foal a
year at best can be expected from a mare, and therefore the progress
°f building up foundation stock must be slow; but meanwhile a work
of reference of inestimable value to the Hunter-breeder is being steadily
compiled, and this volume, in course of time, must become a most reliable
source of information regarding Hunter mares. It is highly probable
that a mare which herself has proved a valuable Huntress will produce a
ioal of merit; but whilst fully accepting the theory of the poet Horace,
^ho mentioned that Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis, it does not invari-
ably follow that a clever Huntress will produce a saleable foal, let alone
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144                                     VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
a weight-carrier. Still, the produce of really good mares is usually good
in turn, but unfortunately the supply of high-class matrons is limited
and with difficulty obtained.
There is yet another point in connection with the breeding of Hunters
which must be considered, and this is that the same class of horse is not
required for every hunting county in England. This circumstance is a
very fortunate one both for breeders and sportsmen, as in the first case
there is a more elastic market in which to dispose of their horses, and in
the second the demand for any particular class of animal is restricted to
those who hunt in a particular district. At the same time it is essential
that every Hunter should gallop and be safe and quick at his fences. Size,
as has already been pointed out, is a most important quality, and so of
course is action, but there are men who, provided their mount possesses the
other attributes of a good Hunter, are so happily constituted as to be dis-
posed to give way a little on the subject of action if only they feel satisfied
that their horse will carry them to the end of a run. It must not, how-
ever, be imagined that action is not a great point in the Hunter, for it
is, and a horse that is deficient in this respect is never likely to command
a high figure. He must possess freedom at the shoulder and a knack of
bending his hocks above all things, as, if he fails in these points, it will
not be at all likely that he can see the end of a long run beneath a welter
weight, whilst, so far as his rider's comfort is concerned, a good shoulder
action in his mount is a blessing which all horsemen must appreciate.
The appearance of a Hunter must naturally conform to the work that he
is expected to perform, and the animal that is expected to carry a welter
weight over a stiff country is, of course, different in shape and make from
the horse which is required to gallop under a less severe burden. At the
same time there are several points which all Hunters must possess in com-
mon, for they are all required to stay and jump, and therefore the chest
should be deep enough and wide enough to provide ample accommodation
for the heart and lungs, whilst the quarters and thighs must be big and
powerful. Nor can the importance of good legs and feet be overestimated.
An animal that is bad upon his fore-legs is always an unreliable mount.
This fact has been recognized by most people from time immemorial, and
amongst the older writers none was more emphatic in his denunciations,
of indifferent fore-legs than the Duke of Newcastle, who wrote in 1667.
He states as follows: " Some say if a horse have a great head, and thick
neck and fleshy shoulders, that he is hard on the hand. You must know,
that if he have any imperfection in his leggs or feet, but especiall before,
the horse must be hard on hand; for he leans on the hand to ease the
grief of his leggs, as gouty man doth use his staff. And let him be finely
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ENGLISH BREEDS                                               145
shap't or ill shap't, if he have any imperfection in his leggs, he must be
hard on the hand." The secondary importance which was attached by the
Duke of Newcastle to the head of a Hunter will scarcely be in accordance
with the opinions of modern experts, who for the most part are greatly
influenced in their selection of an animal by the opinion they form of this
portion of his anatomy, a refined-looking intelligent head being regarded
by most hunting men as a sine qua non in the composition of the horse
that has to carry them. The subjoined description of a Hunter that may
be expected to find favour with hunting men of all degrees may be offered
for the guidance of the reader.
The head should be small, lean, and bear an intelligent expression; it
should be fairly wide at the jowl, and taper gradually towards the muzzle,
which should be of a good size. The forehead is broad, the eyes rather full
and soft, and the ears small and nicely carried. The setting on of the neck
is an important point, for if the head meets it at a sharp angle, not only is.
an awkward appearance the result, but the horse loses a considerable
amount of his natural power to recover himself if he makes a mistake;,
whereas if he possesses a head set gracefully on his neck in a gentle curve
in the throat, he is capable of greater activity in moving it suddenly upon
an emergency, and thereby may save his rider a fall. The neck itself
should be lean, though muscular, quite free from lumber, slightly arched
and increasing in size until it reaches the shoulders, a coarse heavy neck
being a very bad fault in a Hunter. The shoulders themselves should be
long and sloping, well laid back at the withers, which in turn should be
Well raised but fine, most judges, though not all, being opposed to wide
withers. His chest should be both broad, flat, and deep, so that the girths
are well behind the forearms, whilst the forearms should be long and
muscular, with big deep knees, and plenty of good sound flat bone and
wiry sinews below them. The canons should be short from knee to fet-
lock, and the pasterns of fair length and sloping. The middle piece must
be very powerful, with well-sprung ribs, strong loins, and a big flat back.
-The hips should be wide, and the quarters very long, level, and powerful,
With deep and very muscular thighs, big clean hocks, and a considerable
amount of vein below them. The tail must not be set on too low, or else
the horse will present a goose-rumped appearance, which, in addition to>
being an eyesore, will convey to many minds the impression that the
arunial is descended from common stock. The feet should be large, and of
course perfectly sound and symmetrical, dark in colour, with a rather high
neel, healthy frog, and thick soles. In general appearance, therefore, the
•hunter may be described as being an intelligent-looking, short-legged
korse, possessed of great power behind, and an ability to carry the weight
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                             10
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VAKIETIES OF THE HORSE
146
required of him through a long day. Eegarding the action of a Hunter, all
that need be said is that galloping and walking are the two most useful
gaits that he can possess. When fully extended his gallop should be
smooth, without any disposition to fight about it, but rather of the low
creeping order; and of course the faster he is the better. An ability to
trot, too, with ease to his rider is, of course, an additional and a valuable
attribute, for it usually happens that this mode of progression is resorted
to in the journey to and from the meet; but it is not every galloper
that can trot, and after all the former is far the more important action
in a Hunter. A horse of this description that can walk well is, of course,
an animal for selection over one that cannot, as the rider of a tired
Hunter which cannot step out is not to be envied when he has to make
his way home on a strange road and in the dark. There can be no two
opinions upon the question of temper in a Hunter, as an awkward head-
strong animal, let alone a vicious one, is always a danger to his rider and
the rest of the field. Finally, the manners of the perfect Hunter must
be exceptionally good, his mouth should be light, his intelligence great, and
while possessing courage, he should be steady and tractable, with his heart
in the right place. A puller will soon wear down the strength of his rider,
whereas a horse with manners will carry him without demanding half the
expenditure of energy and trouble to keep him straight.
Briefly speaking, therefore, a Hunter, for whatever purposes he may
be required, should possess—
First, the best of legs and feet.
Second, action, strength, and courage.
Third, long sloping shoulders, without which the action will not be
there.
Fourth, powerful quarters and big muscular back-legs.
Fifth, a neat intelligent head.
Sixth, a deep chest, and a flat and not too short back.
Some points of a Hunter were briefly epitomized by Whyte Melville
as follows:—
" A head like a snake, and a skin like a mouse,
An eye like a woman's, bright, gentle, and brown,
With loins and a back that would carry a house,
And quarters to lift him right over a town ".
With every word of the above all hunting men will cordially agree,
their principal regret being, no doubt, that the gifted author did not
still further extend his poetical description of a very valuable class of
horse.
The Saddle Horse.—Having referred to the various distinct breeds
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147
ENGLISH BREEDS
of horses which are recognized in England, it is desirable that a short
space should be devoted to the Saddle horse—not necessarily as regards
his breeding, but so far as his structural development and qualities are
concerned. In so far as a breed of Saddle horses is concerned, there is
nothing of the sort in this country, though in America breeders have
made one.
In the first place, perhaps the most essential point of all is to secure
good manners, as no matter how excellent a Hack may be in other ways;
he will never be a safe, whilst he will often be a very dangerous, ride,
if through vice, bad breaking, or some other cause, he is not to be
depended upon to answer his bit, or be easily controlled by the slightest
touch of the rein. After manners the question of shoulders in the riding-
horse is a subject for the gravest consideration of those who have to
judge him, as a short-, straight-, or heavy-shouldered animal can never
be expected to move at any of his paces as smoothly as one whose
shoulders are long, obliquely placed, and free from lumber. "No shoulder
no saddle horse", is an expression made use of by a hard-riding and
practical Yorkshire gentleman, who most truthfully maintains that no
matter how good a Hack's legs and feet may be, if his shoulders are
faulty he will be a sorry mount for anyone. Of course it would be most
foolish to ignore the importance of the legs and feet of a Hack or any
other horse, and so it should be a subject of care to a judge to note that
the arms of the animal he is looking over are big, the knees large and
properly placed—not standing back or over—the bone between them and
the pasterns short and flat, with nice springy sloping pasterns terminating
in sound, properly-shaped feet. The importance of a good pastern is
great when the horse is to be used for saddle work, as if the pasterns
are too short or straight the animal is not so well calculated to preserve
his balance if he stumbles, whilst he will certainly be a rough-actioned
Hack.
The head of the typical Hack should be breedy-looking and small,
with neat ears, fair-sized eyes—a pig eye looks very objectionable through
a bridle—and an elegant muzzle with large nostrils, the jowl being
moderately deep, but in no respects heavy, and the forehead wide.
This sort of head, if set upon a delicate and slightly arched neck, which
widens as it nears the shoulders, is always attractive; and it must be
borne in mind that a short, thick, heavy neck is an abomination in a
Hack.
The withers should be fairly high, and, like the shoulders, sloping,
So as to assist in keeping the saddle in its place. There should be a
nice depth of chest, but at this point extreme width is not required.
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
148
The back should be neither long, weak, nor dipped, but there must at
the same time be plenty of room to carry the saddle and leave a reason-
able amount of space behind. The Hack should be well ribbed up, and
possess nice long straight quarters, as, if the latter are short or slope, they
are a great eyesore to judges; a weak quarter is a very serious defect.
The hind-legs should be nicely bent at the stifles with a good length
of bone down to the hocks, and short thence to the ground, the pasterns,
though not so long and sloping as those of the fore-legs, being lengthy
enough to ensure elasticity of action, whilst the feet must, of course, be
sound and healthy. The tail is set on rather high, and is not usually
docked short in a Hack, but neatly squared. The hocks should be large,
free from all blemish, and so placed that they are neither so close together
nor so wide apart as to prove a source of weakness to the horse, which
they will if either of these defects is present.
The action of the Park Hack should be free, well-timed, and elastic,
his principal paces being the walk and the canter; he is rarely required
either to trot or gallop, and any approach to a high fighting style of going
is very strongly to be deprecated. A horse which creeps along, as it wrere,
over the ground with a smooth easy canter will always command attention,
whilst a fast level walker is almost always as much admired. It is re-
markable to notice how often the walking action of a Hack is neglected
by judges and purchasers of this class of horse; but the discomfort and
danger of riding an animal which is an awkward walker are both so
apparent, that in selecting a Saddle horse his style of going at this gait
should be closely studied. The important subject of manners may also
be regarded as including action within its scope, for no horse which does
not move smoothly and answer its bit and its rider's knee, can ever be
expected to possess the perfect manners which are so inseparably asso-
ciated with the true type of riding horse.
The great points, therefore, to be sought for in a Hack are manners,
which includes mouth and freedom from vice; action, which is invariably
associated with good shoulders and limbs; and elegance of form, in other
words, quality—a trio of properties which it is not easy to combine in any
one animal; and hence the great value of a perfect Saddle horse.
How to produce this much-sought-after class of animal is a subject
which causes breeders a great deal of anxious thought, but it is the
prevailing belief, founded upon experience, that as a rule the beau ideal
Park Hack should possess a great deal of Thoroughbred in his composition,
even if he is not perfectly clean-bred himself. The possession of this
blood will almost certainly ensure a fine neat head, and the right sort
of shoulder, though in the latter point Thoroughbreds differ like every
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ENGLISH BREEDS
149
other horse, some being far superior to others. It not infrequently
occurs, however, that a blood-horse is much too high-couraged for a timid
rider, who consequently seeks for an equally good-actioned but steadier
mount. To such the advantages of an Arab cross may be suggested,
for although the Eastern breeds are decried by many authorities, there
can be no disputing the fact that, in spite of their not uncommon ten-
dency to be faulty in shoulder, the Arabs are usually very excellent Hacks,
provided they are given a fair chance to do their merits justice. They
certainly put good heads upon their offspring, whilst their docility is
great, so that although their action may not invariably be so imposing
as might be desired, they will, if judiciously crossed, throw most excellent
Saddle horses, whilst in their pure state they can carry a lady or boy
very comfortably and well. The style, too, in which an Arab will come
up to his bit, and change his legs as often as desired, is worthy of
all the praise that can be bestowed upon any horse; and therefore to this
breed and the Thoroughbred the would-be breeder of a Park Hack may
look when seeking; a cross for suitable mares.
Weight-carrying Saddle horses of the stamp which is sought for by
elderly gentlemen of considerable bulk are naturally built on far more
substantial lines than the Park Hack. They must also be heavier in
bone and the possessors of irreproachable decorum; but valuable though
they be, the art of producing this class of horse has hitherto remained
a mystery, the appearance of a weight - carrying cob being usually a
matter of chance, though possibly the crossing of an Arab and a powerful
Hunter mare might produce the animal required.
For Covert Hacks a dash of Thoroughbred blood is most desirable, as
the duties of these horses are so varied, and their work is often of so
arduous a nature, that high courage combined with manners and style
are chiefly desired by those who use them. Many an excellent Covert
Hack has been the offspring of a blood-horse and a pony mare, or vice
versa,
and it is from such sources that the best of them are most likely
to spring.
The Harness Horse.—The formation of the ideal Harness horse is
Uaturally very different from that of the Park Hack, or even the ordinary
Saddle horse, one at least of the most difficult points to secure in the
latter—long, sloping, well-placed shoulders—not being so essential to per-
fection in the case of a Harness horse. This stamp of animal should be
long and low and stand over a great deal of ground. His loins should
~e powerful, and his quarters lengthy and level, with muscular thighs and
. road, flat, well-placed hocks. A sour head is seldom associated with good
11 any horse, as it usually betokens a sullen or vicious temperament, which
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
150
is shunned by driving men, whilst a heavy head and a dull expression
generally accompanies a soft, cowardly disposition, which prevents its
possessor from struggling on under difficulties, as many Harness horses
are called upon to do.
The neck of a Harness horse should not be short or heavy, as both these
faults are apt to make him clumsy, a defect which is prejudicial to the
merits of any horse. His neck, too, should be firmly placed on his shoulders,
which need not necessarily be so oblique as those of the Saddle horse, nor is
it imperative that the withers should lie so far back. Indeed, many persons
advocate a moderately straight shoulder in the Harness class of animal, being
of the opinion that such a formation more readily adapts itself to the collar,
but in this respect, as in all others, it is no difficult thing to go too far, as
coarse shoulders not only are liable to injure action, but detract very much
from the appearance of any horse. Big forearms, with plenty of length
above the knee, and short from this joint downwards, with broad flat canon-
bones, are very desirable features for a Harness horse to possess, whilst the
pasterns should slope, and the feet all round be of good size, well formed,
and of course sound. Considerable depth and fair breadth of chest should
also be present, so that whilst the speed and " handiness " of the animal are
not affected, there may be plenty of room for the play of both heart and
lungs.
It is not absolutely necessary that the back of a Harness horse should be
as level as that of a Hack, as he is not required to carry any considerable
weight, upon it; but a distinctly hollow or dipped back is a great eyesore,
and should always be avoided when possible, though a really good animal
in other respects need not be discarded if his back happens to be hollow.
Neither is a badly ribbed-up middle piece or a slack loin a fatal defect,
though any signs of weakness, such as these, depreciate the value of an
animal and detract from his appearance. On the other hand, the import-
ance of good quarters can scarcely be overestimated, as a horse which is
cramped here is naturally placed at a disadvantage for harness work; whilst
good thighs and hocks are quite essential to him. The stifle joints should
be nicely bent—but not too much so—and there should be plenty of length
of limb between them and the hocks, which in turn should be large and
powerful, and of course quite clean and free from blemish. A capped hock,
let it be mentioned, though an unsightly disfigurement, does not of a neces-
sity betoken unsoundness or an incapacity for work, and therefore need not
entail the discarding of an otherwise good horse, provided he is passed sound
in other respects; but they are always better avoided if possible, if only on
account of their ugly appearance. There should not be too much of a bend
at the hocks; " sickle hocks " are very often associated sooner or later with
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ENGLISH BREEDS                                               151
weakness, and they should be well placed, not being carried outward below
the line of the body or inwards according to the conformation known as
" cow hocks". The tail should be set on high, as must be the case when the
quarters are level, for though plenty of " goose-rumped" horses are good
workmen, a drooping quarter never adds to the appearance of any animal.
The question of manners in a Harness horse is a matter of great import-
ance, as an animal with a naturally bad mouth, or one which has been ruined
by injudicious breaking or heavy hands, to say nothing of a vicious or timid
dispositioned one, is always an unsatisfactory and very often a dangerous
horse to drive. Very frequently, of course, the manners of a horse become
affected by bad bitting, and consequently in trying a recent purchase of
which nothing is known it would be unwise to discard him, if not at first
satisfactory, until the peculiarities of his mouth have been carefully studied.
Indeed it may safely be asserted that as many equine tempers have been
ruined, and manners spoiled, by injudicious bitting as by any other
means, and therefore in forming an estimation of a strange horse's manners,
it is always necessary to pay attention to his mouth. Again, the question
of manners is so often associated with temper that no one is ever justified
in ignoring the character an animal may possess. Some animals entertain
peculiar aversions to certain objects wdiich they may possibly encounter
when being tried, and although they may be steady enough under any
other circumstances, may earn for themselves a bad reputation amongst
strangers. A bolter, however, and particularly one whose eyesight is at all
affected, is never to be trusted, for if a horse once decidedly gains the
upper hand over his driver, he rarely forgets his power, and is therefore
liable to repeat the outbreak at any moment.
Action and style are two points about a Harness horse which are ab-
solutely essential to success in the show ring, or inclusion in the category
of valuable animals. Unfortunately, however, they are both difficult to
secure, nor are they always associated with each other. Yet they must be
there if a horse is to be accepted as a good one, for no matter how perfect
uis formation may be, or how well he moves, he will go down before a good
judge if he does not carry his two ends up; whilst if he accomplishes this
and is deficient in action his other merits will all be overlooked. To com-
mence with, a good Harness horse should hold his head up proudly as it
were, and not be dependent upon a bridoon bit for keeping it in position;
out, on the other hand, a " star-gazer" which throws his head-piece back
as Xf he were taking an observation of the sky is never an animal to be
aOttiired, and not infrequently is an awkward horse to drive. When it is
oticed, therefore, that a Harness horse is driven in a martingale, it is as well
) try and ascertain how he carries his head without one; whilst, on the
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152                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
other hand, it may be mentioned that it is no unusual thing for animals to
be shown off with the reins attached to the bridoon bits in thsir mouths,
instead of to the other bits which are merely added for the sake of appear-
ance.
The action of a Harness horse is necessarily a most important part of his
composition, as an imposing show is the object most sought after by both
judges and purchasers. A considerable difference of opinion however exists
regarding what is required, though in all cases lofty knee action is insisted
upon. Many high movers, however, appear to be incapable of doing any-
thing except bending their knees, and such animals usually possess an evil
propensity for smashing their fore-feet down in almost the same place from
which they raised them, and leaving their hind-legs behind them, after a
fashion which is simply distressing to a lover of real action. Still, such
horses can win prizes under some judges, but this fact does not necessarily
prove that their style of moving is at all in conformity with the ideas of
practical men who really understand what action is. In the first place, a
Harness horse should use his shoulders and pasterns as well as his knees, for
when he can do so he possesses an ability to "get away" which the shoulder-
tied high knee-actioned animal can never hope to do; whilst if he does not
flex his hocks and tuck his hind-legs well under him, the smoothness of
his going, to say nothing of the dash which is so characteristic of a good
Harness horse, will be entirely absent. In short, there should be plenty of
power and fire about the going of this class of animal, and this there
never will be if he does not move from the hocks, which should convey the
appearance of propelling his body forwards, as indeed they should do.
Having thus endeavoured to describe the leading points to be sought
after in a high-class Harness horse, it may perhaps be desirable to offer a
few suggestions upon how to produce the sort of animal which is wanted.
There are, however, in existence at the present time, as has been shown
in the foregoing pages, at least three English varieties—the Hackney, the
Cleveland Bay, and the Yorkshire Coach-horse—which in their pure and
unadulterated state should between them be able to supply the. require-
ments of most seekers after a high-class Harness horse. It not infre-
quently happens, however, that a buyer is anxious to combine the brilliant
action possessed by the Hackney with greater size than that breed usually
attains, and in such instances a cross with a Cleveland Bay mare may
be the means of securing what is wanted, though the plainness which is
so frequently associated with the latter breed may possibly provide a
disappointment. The fact that the Yorkshire Coach-horse is the result of
a Thoroughbred and Cleveland Bay cross, however, does not commend the
Coach-horse as a desirable cross for the Cleveland Bay; but many most
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
153
brilliant-actioned and sizeable horses have been produced from the Coacher
■and the Hackney.
Assuming that action and not great stature is required, the introduction
of Hackney blood, provided always that the stallion used is Hackney-bred,
and not therefore the possessor of a strain of alien blood either Thoroughbred
or otherwise, is morally certain to produce what is required, though, of course,
if the mare is hopelessly bad, or else is bred in such a way that her blood
"will not " nick " with that of the sire, a disappointment is likely to result.
All things being equal, however, it may safely be expected that the old and
true type of Hackney will provide his stock with action all round, a good
middle piece, and short, flat legs; whilst the Cleveland Bay will produce an
increase of size, though if bred to underbred mares his offspring will probably
be very plain. At the present time, a large number of American Roadster
mares are being imported into this country, but the greatest care should
be exercised in breeding from them, as, excellent though their style and
manners may be, it should always be remembered that the horses on
the other side of the Atlantic possess a tendency to be light in barrel and
bone, and so if not bred to the right sort of horse are likely to throw back
to a weedy ancestor. Still, these should throw something very good to an
old-fashioned short-legged, heavy-boned Hackney.
Of the heavy breeds of draught-horse, the Suffolk undoubtedly is to be
regarded as providing the greatest field for valuable Harness crosses, and
if bred to the Thoroughbred or Arab, and then to the Hackney, it is very
possible that a good stylish Harness horse might be produced, though
the majority would be more likely to be of the Vanner type. The first
•crosses with either of the above varieties produce some extremely useful
animals, but as a rule these cannot be expected to possess the brilliancy of
action and the breediness which are associated with the highest class of
Harness horse, such as has been described above.
PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
As many writers have truthfully observed, the first difficulty that
confronts a person who is attempting to describe a pony is the diversity
°f opinions which exist upon the subject of the description. An animal
that is regarded as a Pony in one part of the country is styled a Cob
*Q another, the inhabitants of one district possessing very different ideas
upon the qualifying height from those entertained by the residents in
another. Then again these little horses appear in such different forms,
^hat a description which holds good for one variety would not apply
in the least to another, the truth being that ponies are as varied in
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154                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
their character and conformation as they are in their adaptation to
different purposes.
The public, however, or at all events a very considerable number of
persons, ignore this fact entirely, and though they readily distinguish
between the different varieties of large horses, they are very prone to
regard anything below a certain height, fixed by themselves, as merely
a pony, and unworthy of that careful division and classification which has
been adopted with such good results towards kindred varieties. This, of
course, is altogether wrong, for the equine bantams exist in quite as
many varieties as the bigger horses.
This being so, the consideration of the varieties of the pony becomes
extremely difficult, for not only do representatives of old - established
breeds appear in strong numbers in some parts of the country, but cross-
bred and manufactured animals are still more numerous, the result being
that breeding ponies to any particular type or ideal standard is a great
lottery, though unquestionably profitable. There is no doubt that the
pony is to a certain extent the survivor of the old English horse which
was possessed by the ancient Britons, as there is ample evidence to
show that the equine race in those early days was far smaller than
now. The increase in size in our general horse stock is a natural result
of scientific breeding and attention to the feeding and general welfare
of brood stock. Civilization encourages the domestication of animals, and
domestication ensures an increased development of frame, and therefore,
even were evidence not at hand to prove the fact, it is beyond all doubt
that the horses of the Britons were very little taller than many so-called
ponies of the present day, though undoubtedly they were stronger in
build.
There appears, however, to have been a desire from the very first
to increase the size as well as to improve the quality of the native
pony, as, in addition to crossing these animals with others which had
been imported from abroad, several rigorous laws were made and enforced
against the practice of permitting undersized stallions to run on common
land with breeding mares and fillies. These restrictions very naturally
contributed to the quasi - extinction of the old-fashioned pony,
though it must at the same time be remembered that many long-
established breeds still exist in various localities, and that although it is
quite possible that their type has a good deal changed, still enough
remains behind to connect many of them with their lost ancestors.
No doubt the principal difficulty that pony-breeders have to contend
against is the tendency to increase of size amongst their stock. Improve-
ments in regard to shape and make are, comparatively speaking, easy,
-ocr page 212-
A GROUP OF PONIES
Shetland
Dartmoor
English
Welsh
Exmoor
Irish
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
155
but it is the propensity to add inches to his stature that makes a pony
a difficult animal to produce. All horses which are reared in luxury
are prone to grow and spread, as has been observed before, and conse-
quently pony-breeders have discovered that it is necessary for them to
adopt rigorous measures with their studs. To commence with, it is not
a judicious act to attempt raising ponies on good land where the
keep is plentiful and very nourishing in quality. A pony from his
earliest youth should be compelled to live on poor land, and in fact to
go short of commons, if the size is to be kept down to the required
standard. Of course, this rule cannot be made to apply to ponies which
are in work, but even in the case of these overfeeding is most unde-
sirable. It may be pointed out that ponies are naturally small feeders,
though an artificially large appetite can always be produced by treating
them to a too liberal diet. The fact that ponies can be more satisfactorily
reared on sterile than on rich land is in itself a direct encouragement
to persons who own, or who can acquire a lease of, mountainous or moor-
land ground, to try their fortunes as breeders, and certainly to the man
who possesses patience, and can afford to wait, an enterprise of this de-
scription should turn out a complete pecuniary success. Not only is
such land comparatively speaking worthless at the present time, but
the cost of attending upon the stock and feeding them is very small.
The value of their winter keep cannot possibly amount to more than
a trifle, and the quarters required for the brood stock during the more
inclement seasons of the year may be of the most primitive kind. The
chief aim, in fact, of pony-breeders should be to bring their stock up
hardy and to encourage the survival of the fittest, so that these little horses
may continue to possess what they now enjoy, the most robust constitu-
tions of any variety of the equine race. In fact, in their case health
and soundness appear to exist in direct ratio to their diminution of size;
hence an infirm pony is comparatively seldom met with.
In addition to short commons and outdoor life on the mountain-side
there is another important requirement, viz. to arrange the breeding opera-
tions so that the foals shall be dropped late in the season. This of
course is reversing the ordinary practice of horse-raisers, but it will be
readily seen that the very motives which require that breeders of large
animals shall procure early foals, are those which induce pony men
to breed late ones. When the young animal finds a quantity of rich
keep at hand he naturally feeds himself well, and proceeds to spread
out and extend his lines in all directions; whereas, if his growth is not
forced on at first, and there is not an over-abundant supply of food for
him, as his age advances he will naturally become stunted, and this is
-ocr page 214-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
156
exactly what his owner wants. A foal dropped in the early spring gets
all the best of the grass, and so does his dam, with the result that hex
milk is richer and more plentiful than it need be; whereas one which
comes later on in the season obtains less luxuriant fare, and with bene-
ficial results so far as the intentions of his owner are concerned. That
■all horses can stand cold and privations fairly well is an accepted fact,
but it is equally true that there is in this respect, as in all others, a
limit to their powers of endurance. The colder the latitude in which he
resides the smaller in stature he will be; therefore it may once more be
suggested for the guidance of pony-breeders that the three cardinal points
of their creed should be a cool mountainous climate, a sufficient though
not over-liberal supply of food, and late foals.
There is, however, another and a very important subject to be dis-
cussed in connection with the raising of ponies, and that is the desirability
or otherwise of practising a system of close breeding. That "sibbing"
has been most successfully practised by the leading pony-breeders of
the day is incapable of being disputed, and certainly Mr. Christopher
Wilson of Kirkby-Lonsdale carried this practice to an extreme which was
absolutely daring in the case of the well-known pony stallion Sir George,
whose victories at the Royal Agricultural Society's shows were so frequent
as to become almost monotonous. Mr. Wilson bred Sir George to a
daughter of the little horse, and then again to the female offspring of
this union, repeating the experiment a third time, and yet he not only
lost nothing by doing so, but actually gained immeasurably, as in this way
he produced one of the very finest pony mares that ever looked through a
bridle. Strange to say, too, he did not lose any bone nor an ounce of
strength; on the contrary, the mare in question was bigger below the
knee, and as sound in constitution as any member of his stud. Having
regard to Mr. Wilson's experiences, it can scarcely be contended that in-
and-in breeding, so far as ponies are concerned at all events, is a bad policy
if judiciously carried out, and doubtless the system will be found necessary
in order to impress type and keep down size. In inbreeding, however, as
in everything else, there is a limit that must be reached sooner or later,
and breeders who adopt such methods must always be on the look-out for
evidences of deterioration in stamina and constitution amongst their stock.
One can scarcely avoid suggesting, moreover, that it is quite possible that
some particular animals or some strains may be more peculiarly adapted
for the purposes of inbreeding than others; and here again is a possible
danger on which the attention of breeders must be fixed in carrying
■out their crossing experiments. It is obvious, too, that any sire which
may be selected for inbreeding purposes should not only possess a strong
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING                                    157
constitution and be absolutely sound, but must also be as near perfec-
tion in his looks as can be secured. Weaknesses and faults, it must be
remembered,
               likely to be perpetuated as are the best and most
attractive points, and when imperfections are strongly rooted in a strain
of horses they are most difficult to eradicate. Of course, the value of
an inbred animal—provided always that he or she, as the case may be,
is sound and good-looking—as a stock pony is immense, and a breeder
possessing such an article may seek for an outside cross with some degree
of confidence, knowing that at all events on one side there is good
material to work upon. In ponies, however, as in all other stock, a
male will oftentimes nick with one female and not with another, and
vice versa; and therefore the breeder who may fail at first will not be
acting wisely if he at once makes up his mind that his sire or mare
is worthless, because their first foal turns out to be a disappointment.
The effect of a suitable sire upon common pony mares is extraordinary,
and the rapidity with which a strain has been improved by the influence
of a desirable stallion in the stud has upon many occasions been noted
with astonishment, and even by those best acquainted with the history
of the mares. This is a most satisfactory circumstance, for beyond a doubt
many valuable strains or varieties of pony have been so long neglected
as to render their owners sceptical as regards the possibility of improve-
ment. Experience, however, has so amply proved the contrary that no
one who is associated with the raising of this class of stock should permit,
his mares to run with a moderate stallion. A difficulty, however, exists
m selecting the horse pony to run on common land on which mares of
many and varied types are kept, for an animal that will suit some may
fail with others, but there is always safety in following blood. A good-
constitution ed Thoroughbred pony is sure to leave good results behind him,
and may be safely used to any class of mare; and in such cases as those
m which owners are either unable or unwilling to provide separate accom-
modation for such mares as may not be quite adapted to the stallion running
With the drove, he is not likely to do them more harm than many horses
which are permitted to be at large on common ground. It is the indifferent
typeless class of horse that has done so much harm to ponies generally, and
tt Would be an excellent thing if a law were passed that no stallions should
De allowed to run at large amongst mares on public land unless they
^ad previously received a licence to do so; and surely no man is justified
ln enforcing his legal rights to the detriment of the property of other
Persons possessing similar privileges.
Having thus attempted to explain the principles which have influenced
^e operations of the most eminent pony-breeders of the day, it now
-ocr page 216-
VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
158
becomes necessary to enlighten our readers as to what a pony really is.
The differences of opinion which have existed in different parts of the
country as to the necessary stature that qualifies its possessor to be
accepted as a pony have already been referred to, and it may be added that
the 14-h.-2-in. standard which now marks the line of distinction between
the pony and the horse at most of the principal shows, is possibly not sub-
scribed to by every breeder. But assuming that it is, and that there is
a hard-and-fast rule making every animal under 15 hands a cob if he
stands 14-h.-2-in. or over, and every one a pony if he does not reach the
latter standard of height, difficulties almost innumerable still confront the
writer who attempts to describe the points and conformation of a pony.
This is mainly due to the existence of so many varieties of the breed, in
behalf of all of which some special features of type are claimed by their
respective admirers. Unfortunately, however, a writer is opposed by a still
more serious obstacle that must be encountered, namely, the divergence of
opinions
that exists amongst the chief admirers and supporters of these
•different breeds. Doubtless this is in no small degree attributable to the
fact that all sorts of undesirable and irregular crosses of blood have been
introduced into each variety; partly as a result of mistaken theories that
have been applied, and partly to the indifference of many persons whost
first duty it should have been to have kept the particular variety of pony
with which they were connected pure and free from any undesirable taint.
As suggested above, there is little doubt that the person who pro-
poses to breed ponies, and to found a new stud upon raw material which he
has succeeded in collecting hap-hazard from all the four points of the
compass, will act wisely if at the commencement of his operations he
trusts to the good offices of a Thoroughbred pony sire. There are plenty
of these little horses to be picked up every year whose breeding is as good
■as that of any animal in the Stud-book; but valuable though they are as
corner-stones in the establishment of a strain, it must always be borne in
mind that there is a strong probability of their begetting stock that is
taller than themselves, whilst they are not likely to introduce high action
into their stock. Of course, the possibility of the former being the case is
somewhat discounted by the fact that the foals they get will be out of
small mares; but then, as in all likelihood the mares in question have been
picked up here and there with little or no information as to pedigree,
there may be the taint of size on their side, and if this is so, the appear-
ance of big foals at the commencement of the operations might reasonably
be expected. Still, as it is not within the power of everyone who proposes
founding a stud, to buy his mares from well-established herds, the beginner
is compelled to do the best he can for himself; and provided he possesses
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
159
the golden gift of patience, and can afford to wait a few years for the
return of his money, he should eventually succeed, as others have succeeded
before him.
Of course, if a person possesses the means, and is impatient to show
profitable and satisfactory results, he can indulge at once in the luxury of
procuring the best of blue-blooded pony mares and stallions; and unless his
operations are attended by the most cruel luck, he can then start with
almost a certainty of breeding good-looking foals that can be raised at a
profit. On the other hand, the man who proposes to begin at the begin-
ning, as other successful breeders have done before him, and who possesses
both judgment and patience, should in the course of a few years show even
better results, for though he will naturally have to wait longer for a return
of his money, the profits will be proportionally higher in the end, and
his stock will be increasing every year in value. On the contrary, if he
■starts with expensive animals he rims the risk of incurring severe losses
by death, or having to pay large premiums for insurance; besides which,
there cannot be so great an increase in the value of his stud as there
would be if he commenced with lower-priced foundation stock and worked
■at it until the desired improvement had been effected. There is, moreover,
the fact remaining that although his capital, or a great deal of it, should lie
idle for a few years, the working expenses of a pony-breeding establishment
are not very heavy, even if they are not actually insignificant. The rent
of a hillside, a very appropriate situation for such a place, cannot pos-
sibly be more than a few shillings an acre; the necessary attendance upon
the animals whilst they were upon it cannot be much, and the expenses
of such additional forage as would be required in the winter and on certain
special occasions will not be likely to amount to more than a compara-
tively small sum.
There is another point, moreover, for the pony-breeder to take into
consideration before he commences operations, and this is the probability
that exists of his always finding a market, and a ready one, for his surplus
toals. This in itself should form no small inducement to a person who may
be anxious to try his luck, as the prospect of having stock on hand which
^e is desirous of disposing of not infrequently acts as a deterrent to an
intending breeder. There is always a demand for ponies, be they good-
booking or only commoners, and therefore so long as the small tradesman
^id the costermonger exist, so long will a man be able to dispose of his
^ulls, and such transactions should certainly yield some profit to the
vendor. If the misfits can pay their own way, the profits on the better
^ass of animal, not to mention the " cracks " when they begin to make
leir welcome appearance, will be considerable.
-ocr page 218-
160                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
The introduction of a bit of blood into the newly-founded pony stud
will be doubly valuable if high action is not sought for at the outset, for
the superfluous males and the mares which are not considered good enough
to keep for breeding purposes would assuredly command a readier market
than many of the continental monstrosities which now find their way into
the country to supply the home demand. No one would willingly invest
his money in the purchase of a coarse underbred-looking animal with
straight short pasterns if he could get hold of an active, symmetrical, wear-
and-tear-looking pony with some approach to the type of what may be
regarded as the correct one. Consequently an investment in a little
Thoroughbred blood, it may be once more repeated, is of the highest im-
portance to the founder of a stud of ponies brought together from all
quarters. It is noticeable that some sires will always get foals bigger than
they are themselves, and beyond the limit of height allotted to the pony,
whilst others, happily for their owners, invariably produce smaller ones;
so if the beginner is fortunate enough at the outset to procure a horse
pony belonging to the latter category, which at the same time possesses,
the invaluable merit of impressing his own quality upon his foals, the path
of that particular breeder will be a rosy one indeed.
In commencing pony-breeding there is one question that the speculator
must always put to himself and answer before he sets to work. This is,
what type of pony is it that he proposes to raise. In all other varieties of
horse there are lines laid down to guide the operations of a breeder, as the
standards are pretty well fixed; but in the case of the pony matters are^
somewhat mixed. It is not merely sufficient to try and produce a little
horse; a breeder should have something more definite before him than that,
or else his operations will be conducted on a happy-go-lucky method of
progression which can only end in disappointment and disaster. Perhaps
the most valuable and saleable type of pony is the Harness type, possessed
of a high, free, and graceful action. Very few ponies, and especially the
higher-priced ones, are required to gallop, the canter and the trot being;
the paces that are most affected by their owners. For the production
of such as these the Hackney pony is, of course, the best of all sires-
to use in the first instance, provided always that his merits as a stock-
getter are proportionate to his other qualifications. He should at all
events be equal to the task of introducing action into his foals, and it is
remarkable for how long this most essential "entity" will remain in a
strain when once it becomes fairly rooted in it, which, by the way, it is.
sure to be in the case of closely inbred strains, such as those most pony-
breeders now possess.
The Hackney sire of small stature, combined with action, finds many
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING                                   161
friends amongst admirers of ponies, but the services of a sire possessed of
Hackney blood to any considerable extent are apt to produce a heavier class
of foal than those now in request. The fashion, of course, may change,
and perhaps it will before long, as it is by no means improbable that a
heavier breed and, on the whole, more powerful type of pony will be in
demand. As it is, generally speaking, there is naturally far more action in
the first cross Hackney than in the first cross Thoroughbred pony; and
whilst the latter shows, as a rule, the more quality, the former possesses
the greater amount of substance. The Hackney, it must always be borne
in mind, is a trotter above all things and then a walker, whereas the
Thoroughbred is a galloper, and it is only natural to expect that the inherent
qualities of the sire in either instance will be transmitted to a greater or
less extent to his offspring. Of course, the character and breeding of the
mares—especially the breeding—will have a great deal to do with the
appearance and value of the foals. That goes without saying, as otherwise
the mares could be collected from all parts and merely selected by their
looks, without any attention being paid to their ancestors; but in such a
case it is to be feared that the success of the stud, if ever attained, would
be delayed for many a year, as the foals would come season after season in
all shapes and sizes; and unless a breeder can get hold of a "sorty" lot of
mares, all bred on pretty much the same lines, he cannot reasonably expect
anything like uniformity amongst their produce if they are all served by
the same horse, as no doubt they would be for a season or two at least after
the stud had been established.
This brings us once again to the all-important question of inbreeding,
which has been alluded to above, when a reference was made to the
remarkable successes of Mr. Christopher Wilson. Here, of course, lies
one of the greatest secrets of the triumphs of that gentleman; but it
must be remembered that when he "sibbed" so strongly he was only
combining blood of which he thoroughly understood the properties. It
is questionable, therefore, whether a person who starts a pony farm by
collecting a herd of Dartmoor, or New Forest, or any other breed of
mares, and crosses them with a Thoroughbred or Hackney pony sire, wTould
be acting quite wisely if he determined to commence close inbreeding
at once and to shut his eyes to the imperfections of his stock, or their
approach or otherwise to the approved type. He may, of course, be
fortunate in getting one or two youngsters of exactly the class he wants
ln the first or second season, and these he might breed together, and thus
ttake good progress towards the goal he has in view; but the wise man
will first of all try to establish the type he requires amongst his breeding
stock, and when he has produced the material, and enough of it to work
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                             11
-ocr page 220-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
162
upon, he will make no more experiments, but will inbreed to a greater
or less extent until he has possessed himself of a herd of ponies of the
required shape and make. By this it is not intended to convey the
meaning that a series of first or second crosses must result in a breeder
getting what he wants. On the contrary, some time may be required
ere he can possess himself of the number of foundation stock necessary
to his purpose. At the same time, if it clearly appears to him that his
stallion does not suit his mares, and that the crossing and recrossing is
not advancing him much along the road he wants to travel, he will be
foolish to persevere in it, and if he is wise he will commence again. In
the case of the first foals bred from "native" mares—the term "native"
may be accepted as applicable to the more or less pure-bred mares of
some old established variety that have been purchased as foundation
stock—and the Hackney or Thoroughbred sire, it will be best to cross
them with their sire; but sooner or later—and probably sooner—it will
be necessary to find a stallion of their own breeding, else in time the
original pony blood will be absorbed by that of the Thoroughbred or
Hackney, as the case may be, and all traces of the original pony will be
obliterated. Consequently breeders must bear in mind that if they desire
to found a strain that shall make a name for itself, their stock must be
something different from either bantam Thoroughbreds or bantam Hack-
neys, though participating in the best qualities of the one or the other,
whichever may be used.
The services of a " native" sire may perhaps be resorted to by some
owners in certain instances; but a difficulty will always exist in discover-
ing an animal of unimpeachable pedigree which also fulfils the requirements
of a breeder in other essential points. The fact is, as stated above, that
the " commoners" who have for centuries possessed the privilege of
grazing their ponies on common land, have not been careful in protect-
ing their property, the result being that many good mares have acciden-
tally been served by uncut two-year-olds of an indifferent character,
whilst many quite undesirable entire horses have been permitted to roam
about the land, and work destruction amongst the different herds. Of
late years the indigenous stock—or what remains, if any, of it—has
received some attention, but the assistance has come so late that many
reputedly pure-bred ponies of a certain variety are simply improvements
upon the mongrels that have been produced in the course of a long
period of neglect. It therefore appears that the founder of a pony-
breeding stud may be acting more wisely in relying upon a Thorough-
bred or Hackney-bred sire in the first instance — provided he cannot
produce a stallion of the Wilson, or some other established strain—than
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
163
upon a pony which may be all he is described as regards looks, but which,
on the other hand, may be full of most undesirable blood. In the case of
mares it is a different matter. A beginner would be unfortunate indeed
if all his investments in foundation stock turned out worthless; but it
may be remembered that each mare stands or falls to a certain extent upon
her own merits, whereas a sire possessing a bar sinister in his pedigree
is liable to injure the produce of every mare he serves, in fact there is
no limit at all to the mischief such a horse may create in a stud.
Eegarding the native breeds of ponies which have existed—or in some
cases still exist in a more or less modified form—in certain parts of the
kingdom, it may be said that the efforts that have been made to rescue
them from extinction have met with fairly satisfactory success, though
unhappily great mischief has been accomplished through injudicious crosses.
The best-known varieties of pony will now be briefly dealt with, begin-
ning with—
The Dartmoor.—Almost from time immemorial the Dartmoor ponies
have been highly thought of, but, like many other kindred breeds, they
have suffered to a certain extent by the apathy of those whose first
consideration their welfare should have been. The region of Dartmoor
embraces an area of some 20,000 acres, the chief portion of which is
included in the Duchy of Cornwall, and consequently belongs to H.E.H.
the Prince of Wales. The rights of common are let by the Duchy, and
there are also some manorial rights of pasturage. At one time it was laid
down that no stallion exceeding 12 hands high should be permitted to
run on the famous moor, the duty of supervising the Forest and its
occupants being relegated to a family of "moormen", who succeeded to
the office from generation to generation. Many owners of the ponies,
and to their credit be it said, have attempted from time to time to
improve the race, the services of a Thoroughbred sire of as diminutive
proportions as could possibly be obtained being usually the animal selected
for the purpose. There is very little doubt, too, that Arabs have been
tried as crosses for the Dartmoors, with questionable results, as there has
always existed a disbelief in the minds of breeders as to whether the
constitution of these sons of the desert would stand the rigours of
a winter on the moor, the climate of which at times is most inclement.
At the present time many good ponies come from Princetown, being
raised by some of the officials connected with the convict establishment
which is situated there. Although the breed has become a good deal mixed
"ere and elsewhere by crosses with Exmoor, Pack-horse, and other blood,
nere are many excellent ponies to be found in the neighbourhood, and
^thusiasts believe that by the enterprise of pony-breeders the improved
-ocr page 222-
164
VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
Dartmoor will, in course of time, multiply and become more generally dis-
tributed throughout the country. In this respect the modern breeders will
only be following the example of a little band of energetic pony-lovers, who
laboured hard to introduce stamina and quality into their herds, but, as
suggested above, the great difficulty that invariably presented itself was
the acquisition of a suitable cross-bred pony that was small enough to be
turned out with the native mares.
Perhaps the best known breeders of the past were a well-to-do farmer
named Elliot, known as Lord Elliot, owing to the fact that he was lord
of the manor of Brent, and Mr. John King, who possessed a herd of ponies
that ran upon the Buckfastleigh moors. The former died about the year
1860, and many of his stock came into the possession of Mr. Hamblin of
Buckfastleigh, where their offspring are no doubt to be found at the present
time.
Probably the best representatives of the Dartmoor pony more closely
resemble the pocket edition of the Hunter than any other variety of the
equine bantam tribe. They certainly might display a greater amount of
quality about their heads, but their shoulders, as a rule, could not be
improved upon, whilst their weight-carrying capacity and powers of
endurance are extremely great. Being ponies of a most robust constitu-
tion, they can rough it anywhere; they are wonderful stayers, and excellent
in both harness and saddle when they have not been ruined by injudicious
crosses. As regards their fore-legs and feet, they are excellent, though in
the eyes of some judges they might be a trifle heavier in bone; but light-
ness below the knee in the case of a showy, blood-like looking pony is a
very venial fault, whilst it may be added that appearances are very often
deceptive, and the little horses are frequently far heavier below the knee
than they appear to be.
The chief point that is unsightly in the composition of the Dartmoor
pony lies in the direction of the quarters. Here, besides being wanting
in length, they not infrequently droop, disturbing the otherwise elegant
top line and symmetry of the whole. Cow-hocked specimens are unfor-
tunately to be found in too many instances, and no doubt this defect is a
great cause of trial and disappointment to breeders who are desirous of
raising good-looking stock for the market. There is, however, consolation
to be derived from the knowledge that, even if a pony possesses such
defects, the cost of his production is so small that a very fair margin of
profit may still remain after he is disposed of. The ears of the Dartmoor
are rather large for a pony whose height should not at the utmost exceed
13 hands, but they are characteristic of the variety and must be accepted
as such.
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING
165
The Exmoor.—The Exmoor pony, like the Dartmoor, should not ex-
ceed 13 hands at the shoulder, even if he reaches that height, a fact that
is rather remarkable, for Exmoor is better supplied with nourishing keep
than Dartmoor. There is also a sort of glamour of romance in connection
with the Exmoor, as the stories of the mysterious Katerfelto—the dun
stallion which appeared upon the scene, from where no one appears ever
to have discovered—have been the thesis adopted by other writers besides
the great Whyte Melville, and to the public the mysterious is nearly
always attractive. Some sceptics asserted that there was never such an
animal as Katerfelto; but they were wrong, for he was eventually secured,
and while in captivity served several mares. Mr. G. S. Lowe, who investi-
gated his history upon the spot, asserts that he was a dun horse with a
black list down his back, and that his appearance was that of a blood-like
cob. Suffice it to say, that Katerfelto was no myth, and that his mysterious
appearance may probably be due to the fact that he had survived some
shipwreck and made his way to Exmoor unnoticed, or, at all events, for a
long time uncaptured by any of the inhabitants of the locality. The
residents in the village of Exmoor can offer no information whatsoever
concerning the origin of their ponies; all they appear to know is, that
this breed has existed for a period far beyond living memory, and that
the animals are most necessary to their comfort.
About the year 1820, Sir John Knight purchased some 20,000 acres
of moorland, for the purpose mainly of raising ponies, and he afterwards
added to his original purchase the part of the forest that belonged to
Sir Thomas Acland, as well as the celebrated herd of ponies contained
thereon. The original stock was subsequently crossed with the Nubian
horse Dongola, the Arab, and the Thoroughbred; but he ultimately tired
°f pony-breeding and devoted his attention more to sheep—not, however,
before the height of the Exmoor had been brought up to nearly 13 hands
by the use of Thoroughbred blood.
In the year 1850, Sir Frederick Knight, who then owned Simonsbath,
recommenced pony-breeding operations to a great extent, and produced
s°rne extraordinarily good-looking animals up to 13 hands, whilst several
extremely beautiful specimens of Sir Thomas Acland's strain still survive,
-"-he latter have chiefly been bred by the late Sir Thomas Acland at
^orloch, near Dulverton, to which place their ancestors were removed
when Sir John Knight purchased Simonsbath. It is believed that shortly
before his decease Sir Thomas Acland introduced some crosses, and so
olio wed the example of Sir John Knight. If so his action is much to be
regretted, as the truebred Exmoor pony had already become extremely
are, for no British pony has been a greater victim of fantastic crosses.
-ocr page 224-
166                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
As regards his general appearance, the Exmoor perhaps shows more
quality than the Dartmoor, his head being extremely clean and neat, his
eyes full of spirit, whilst his limbs and middle piece are excellent, and
they are not so frequently found cow-hocked as the Dartmoors are. They
are a most valuable cross for the purpose of producing the miniature
Hunter style of pony, and anyone who purposes embarking in the
pleasurable pursuit of pony-breeding should congratulate himself if he
succeeds in getting possession of a few mares of the old blood, for they
are sure to serve him well; but, as has been stated above, the majority
■of so-called Exmoors are simply mongrels.
The New Forest. — As probably everyone who reads these lines is
aware, the New Forest owes its existence as a royal forest to William
the Conqueror; and it is pretty certain that since the days of that monarch
it has been to a greater or less extent the home of horses of some shape
or other. The extent of the crown property here is about 70,000 acres,
and admirers of the ponies that exist in the forest are in the habit of
claiming for them that they are indigenous to the locality; but whether
this is the case or not, it can scarcely be claimed for the present repre-
sentatives of the ancient race that they appear to have repaid the care
that has been bestowed upon them. So far back as the middle of the
eighteenth century the famous Marske, the sire of Eclipse, was covering
mares in the neighbourhood of the forest at a half-guinea fee, whilst in
more recent days the services of Arab stallions have been available through
the good offices of the late Prince Consort, and no doubt the large number
of grays that are met with in the district strain back to the latter horses.
Still, in spite of the advantages it has received, the New Forest pony
of the present day is in appearance beneath the level of the Dartmoor or
the Exmoor, as it fails to equal these varieties both in head and shoulders,
added to which it is often badly goose- runrped; but it possesses plenty
of courage and dash, and makes an excellent trapper, so there is reason
to believe that the exertions which are being made to improve the breed
will be crowned by excellent results. At present there is an association
in existence for the purpose of improving the variety; but though the
writer made enquiries and asked for information concerning it, no reply
was received, and consequently it is but reasonable to infer that no
tangible results have hitherto been attained by the promoters thereof.
The Welsh.—The true Welsh pony, and especially if he is a creditable
representative of his race, is one of the best and most serviceable animals
that could be desired. The worst thing that can be said about him is that
the Welsh pony has been so carelessly bred that a variety of types exist to
confuse the public mind. As a rule, the Welsh pony runs rather taller
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING                                   167
than the varieties referred to above, for it is not often that a really
good-looking one stands much under 13 hands, and there are a great
many over that height. Still, as it is not everyone that requires a
very small pony, this may be regarded as a qualification in favour of the
Welshman by many persons; and at all events there is no denying the
fact that these animals have not only fully maintained their hold upon
the affections of the public, but have deserved it. The best specimens
very closely approach the miniature Hunter type, which may be laid
down as the most generally accepted ideal for the all-round pony; but
many of them lack the quality that the introduction of Thoroughbred
blood always brings, though the Welshman is grand material to work
upon. He is generally a very free and fast mover, with plenty of action,
and his legs and feet are exceptionally good, soundness being one of his
notable attributes—in fact so much so that, as far back as the year 1842,
Nimrod in his book alluded to the Welshmen as never going lame in
their feet or becoming roarers.
Roughly speaking, though the Welsh pony and cob are not always
so blood-like in the head as some breeds, they are by no means coarse
there; they are very good about the shoulders, the back is short and
strong, and the quarters, if sometimes plain, are as a rule superior to
those of many other varieties. The Welsh pony also has a society devoted
to his interest and improvement, and, like the Exmoor, may be dismissed
with the observation that, however valuable he may be for the beginner
to commence with, it is probable that if the object of the breeder is to
produce 12-hand ponies, he may experience some difficulty in making his
enterprise a success.
The Westmoreland. — Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart., in his extremely
lnteresting article on the subject of ponies, which appears in the Live
&tock Journal Almanack for 1896, makes the statement that the moors
and waste lands of Westmoreland and Cumberland have for centuries been
Used for breeding ponies, horses, and Galloways. Such being the case,
*t is remarkable to think how little the Westmoreland pony is really
n°wn; for although the presence of valuable ponies in the north has
ever been doubted, it was not known to everybody that the district has
een the home of such animals for centuries. It is, however, extremely
Probable that the fame of Mr. C. W. Wilson's strain, which hail from
irk by-Lonsdale, has of recent years so completely overshadowed all the
ner ponies in the district, that the latter have become lost sight of.
f0 doubt Mr. Wilson found some of his foundation stock in that
!0ca%, but he. it may be observed, so improved them by judicious
Ceding and a scientific attention to the details of out crosses, that no
-ocr page 226-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
168
better ponies can exist, and consequently diligent search should be made
by intending breeders in the neighbourhood whence the Wilson ponies
came.
The Shetland.—There is not much to be written about the Shetland
pony that is not generally known, but it is satisfactory to be able to assert
that these useful little horses are making steady headway in the south
of England. Possibly the Shetland is the only variety of the equine race
of which specimens can be found that possess the blood of no outside
cross, and it is upon the sterile moors of Shetland that this pony can be
found in all its native purity. Beyond all doubt the inclemency of the
climate and the poverty of the fare to which he and his ancestors have been
subjected are responsible not only for the diminutive proportions of the
Shetland, but for the robustness of his constitution, for no animal unless
absolutely sound could exist and propagate his species amidst the hard-
ships which have been the daily lot of the Shetland for generations.
He is a sturdy, cloddy-built little animal, standing about 10 hands at the
shoulder, though of course both taller and smaller specimens are to be met
with in plenty, and no doubt owing to climate influences the coat of the
Shetland is extremely dense. For his inches he is a marvel of strength
and activity, which properties have rendered the Shetland's services invalu-
able in coal-mines, where the exertions of undersized animals possessed of
plenty of power are most useful in bringing coal to the bottom of the
shaft. This variety is being a good deal benefited by the Shetland Pony
Stud-book Society, which is doing good work by interesting the public
in the breed; but the inherent good qualities of the Shetland will always
ensure his finding friends in all parts where his merits become properly
understood, his docility and intelligence rendering him a very useful
animal for the purposes of juvenile equestrians.
The It*ish.—The Irish ponies can scarcely be accepted as being in-
digenous to the Emerald Isle, as, though they chiefly come from the
Galway districts, any originality of type which they may have once
possessed has become so defaced by the various crosses which the breed
has been subjected to that it has quite disappeared. Some enthusiasts
hold that the original ponies were rescued from the wrecks of the Spanish
Armada, but there is no real authority for the belief. The most famous
of them are the Connemara ponies, a long, low, heavy-boned, very useful
type of pony. In colour they are usually chestnut, and they run from
about 14 hands upwards. As a rule they are excellent workers, but as
foundation stock for commencing breeding operations upon, the Irish pony
as a race scarcely possesses enough of a pronounced type to be recom-
mended, though beyond all question the introduction of a number of
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PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING                                   169
small-sized stallions of good quality into Ireland is calculated to effect
a very great improvement in both their appearance and value.
The Dale or Fell Pony.—This pony is doubtless a very close
relation of the Westmoreland tap-root, if not identically the same animal,
and also resembles the Rum pony in its conformation, so that the descrip-
tion given of the latter may be taken as applying equally to the subject of
this chapter, though the Dale pony is, generally speaking, rather the more
breedy-looking animal of the two. At the same time, it is difficult to
believe that there is not some intimate relationship between them, though
doubtless the Dales have received more attention from north-country
breeders than have the Rum ponies from the Scotsmen of the west coast.
A very great recommendation of the Dale pony is his great stamina, as
some members of the variety are credited with having travelled immense
distances under heavy burdens; whilst the strength of their constitutions
is borne evidence to by the fact that they exist and flourish on the hills
on the borders of England and Scotland under conditions which would
render existence impossible in the case of most horses. Like the Rum
pony, the Dale pony is extremely sure-footed, and being as it were a
sort of half-way breed between the horse and the pony, the Fells should
prove acceptable additions to the establishments of those who desire to
possess a sturdy, useful animal of rather less stature than the ordinary
cob. Finally, as a proof of the antiquity and stamina of the English
north-country pony, it may be stated that an account is in existence of
a Mr. Sinclair of Kirkby-Lonsdale having, for a wager of 500 guineas,
ridden a Galloway 1000 miles in 1000 hours at Carlisle in the year
1701, the Galloway being presumably a Fell pony.
The Rum Pony.— The association of the above name with a well-
known breed of ponies inhabiting the north and west of Scotland has
become of late years an accomplished fact, owing to the fact that almost
all the best specimens have been bred on the isle of Rum, whilst those
°n the mainland have become deteriorated in quality. The former circum-
stance is doubtless owing to the fact that so far back as the year 1847
a former Lord Salisbury turned a Thoroughbred stallion out on the island;
"Ut unhappily no authentic records of the ultimate fate of the horse or
°f the produce of his sons and daughters have been forthcoming. At a
e°niparatively recent period, however, Lord Arthur Cecil purchased the
entire stock of island ponies, and removed them to the neighbourhood
°f the New Forest, where doubtless their improvement will be studied
Wlth ultimate benefit to the breed.
The Rum pony is usually black in colour, and the average height
ls between 13 hands 2 inches to 14 hands 3 inches, which proves that
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170                                      VAEIETIES OF THE HORSE
they are considerably taller animals than the ordinary run of English
pony. As a rule, their shoulders are good, and their feet and legs are
the perfection of soundness. On the other hand, although rather narrow
in their build, their heads incline to coarseness. Lord Arthur Cecil
claims for them that the main characteristics of the breed are extreme
docility when broken in, immense strength, and great intelligence, all
of which merits, combined with iron constitutions, have been preserved
by the specimens of the Rum pony which have come beneath the notice
of the writer.
The Hackney Pony.—The Hackney pony, now unquestionably an
established breed, is a most valuable little animal, not only on account
of his intrinsic merits, but because of the great success which usually
attends the crossing of him with the mares of other pony breeds. As
a variety but little need be said of him here, since in character and
make-up he is simply a pocket edition of the ordinary Hackney, which
by judicious selection has been bred down to the desired height by pony
lovers, who have wanted to possess an animal of about 14 hands which
will excel in action and possess all the good looks of the larger members
of the breed. With the possible exception of the Wilson ponies—which
have had more judicious care expended upon them for a longer period, and
which owe by far the largest proportion of their excellence to the strong
dash of Hackney blood which is inbred in their veins through Sir George
—the Hackney ponies are the most valuable and generally high-priced
of all the varieties of equine bantams, and for harness purposes, in cases
where high action is desired, there are no animals of their inches which
can approach them in style, symmetry, and action. Consequently it is
not surprising to find their numbers increasing on all sides.
No doubt Sir George, the stallion from which the Wilson pony sprang,
is likely to be accepted as the most successful member of the breed which
has appeared, his long sequence of victories at the Royal Agricultural
Society's shows providing the strongest testimony to his good looks and
action and quality. Sir Horace, by Little Wonder, for which Sir Gilbert
Greenall was content to pay 500 guineas, is another Hackney pony
whose name will long be a household word amongst breeders, as will
that of Mr. J. Jones's Cassius; whilst included in the category of famous
little horses of the variety is Pick Up, by Model, a winner of the early
shows of the Hackney Horse Society, which was purchased to run in the
New Forest. All these animals will be remembered as being first-rate
Hackney pony stallions.
The Wilson Pony.—This variety, which only exists in small num-
bers, owing to the fact that its origin is comparatively a matter of recent
-ocr page 229-
Plate XVIL
HACKNEY STALLION, CONFIDENCE, D'OYLEY'S 153
By Prickwillow 614; dam by Highflyer 360 by Flying Buck 280. A famous hackney sire
HACKNEY STALLION, LORD DERBY 415
By Performer 459; dam by Joseph Andrews (Leake's). A famous hackney sire
-ocr page 230-
PONIES AND PONY-BREEDING                                       171
date, is founded upon a long-sustained cross of the Hackney upon the Fell
pony. Mr. C. W. Wilson, of Kirkby-Lonsdale, to whom is due the entire
credit of its production, founded his stud by selecting a number of high-
class Cumberland mares and crossing them with the Hackney pony stallion
Sir George, which possessed a strong dash of Norfolk blood. The fillies
from this cross were put to their sire, and in most cases this was repeated
for another generation, with the most remarkably successful results; for
although the height was well kept down to under 14 hands, the bone
and stamina of the strain was fully maintained, whilst their beautiful
quality and action made them popular from the first. A proof of this is
forthcoming from the fact that at Sir H. de Trafford's sale by auction in
Norfolk in September, 1895, five Wilson pony mares were disposed of at
an average of over 700 guineas each, the highest price of the day being
obtained by a three-year-old filly, which realized 900 guineas: this young-
ster being the most inbred of the lot.
In appearance the Wilson pony may be described as being a high-
class miniature Hunter, gifted in most cases with superlative action, and an
amount of quality which is surprising even in the case of so small an
animal. In colour they are usually bay, and it may be added that the
originator of the family, Sir George, was a winner at the annual show of
the Royal Agricultural Society of England upon no fewer than eight-
occasions.
The following were some of the Wilson ponies disposed of at the sale
referred to above:—
600
guineas
65
33
300
33
600
33
105
33
720
33
700
33
150
33
900
33
210
33
155
33
350
33
100
33
Snorer II, 8 years
Foal, Snorer IV......
Georgina
Dorothy Derby, 5 years ...
New foal, Agnes Derby ...
Dorothy Derby II
Snorter II ...
Jackdaw, 2 years ...
Miss Sniff, 3 years
Julius Caesar, 1 year
Eoman Warrior, 2 years
Snorter, 3 years ...
Young Sir George, 9 years
The most famous of the mares of the family, so far as the show ring is
concerned, are Snorer, the original, so named because of the singular noise
she made in her nostrils, Dorothy Derby, and Dorothy Derby II, all of
which have won prizes at the most important shows; whilst the names of
others have appeared prominently in many an exhibition catalogue.
-ocr page 231-
172                                  VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
HEAVY HORSES
The Shire Horse.—The subject of the present article is entitled to be
accepted as the giant of the equine world, and possibly no variety of
English horse impresses foreign visitors to an agricultural show more than
do the majestic animals which within the last few years have come to be
included in the category of the Shire horse. Previously to a decision being
arrived at amongst breeders to abandon such designations as Cart-horse
and Agricultural horse, some confusion naturally existed in the minds of
inexperienced persons who frequented horse shows as to the classification
of our heavy breeds, and consequently the fusion of all heavy English
horses—of accredited pedigree—save Suffolks, into one division has been
welcomed by the public, and no doubt the animals themselves have been
benefited by it.
Accepting, therefore, the Shire horse as the modern representative of the
English draught horse, the searcher after earlier records of his existence will
at once discover that the variety possesses the distinction of being a very
ancient one indeed. Sir Walter Gilbey, in his most interesting work on
the old English War-horse, maintains, and with a very considerable amount
of success, that the Shire is a direct descendant of that celebrated animal
of which the ancient Britons were so proud, and their Eoman conquerors
were so extremely covetous. Still, whether Sir Walter Gilbey is fully
justified in his deductions or not—and he writes with authority, since
no one man has done more for the advancement of the Shire horse than
he—the fact remains that there was an ancient breed of horses in Great
Britain at the time of the Roman invasion, and that the animals were
then considered remarkable for their size and power, though of course
vastly inferior in stature to the Shire horse of the present day. There
is no doubt at all, as history shows, that the old strain of horses was
highly prized by successive kings of England who flourished since the
Conquest, this fact being clearly proved by the references that have
already been made to the good deeds, from a horse-breeder's point of
view, of the different English monarchs.
It is equally certain, also, that in the earlier stages of their respective
efforts to improve their race of horses, the sovereigns of England were more
influenced by a desire to produce a superior type of War-horse than to assist
mere peaceable agriculturists in preparing their land for cultivation. As a
matter of fact, all the necessary farm-work, which in those days must have
been terribly heavy, was performed for centuries by oxen, the few horses
that were employed for what was considered to be a somewhat degrading
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HEAVY HOESES                                                 173
task being known by the designation of stots or offers. A peculiarity in
connection with the former of these titles is, that it is a term applied to
oxen in certain parts of Scotland, and perhaps it points to the association
of the old draught bullocks with horses used for farm-work.
William the Conqueror was the first king of England who attempted
to produce a horse specially adapted for agricultural purposes; and so far
as can be ascertained, the first notice of a horse being so employed was
published in the first year of this sovereign's reign. It consisted of the
delineation of a horse attached to a barrow and attended by a man. The
figures were woven in a piece of Bayeux tapestry, which has served as a
landmark to proclaim and fix an approximate date for the introduction of
horses into the operations of the husbandmen, and is therefore historically
important. Henry II was the next monarch of England who appears to
have made serious efforts to improve the race that was then known as
" the Great Horse". In his reign sires were imported from abroad.
John, whatever his other failings may have been, developed a genuine
interest in horse-breeding, as evidence of which he imported one hundred
large-sized stallions from Flanders and Holland for the purpose of crossing
with the native mares. Edward II evidently possessed a hankering
after both light and heavy horses, for he is credited with having imported
thirty Lombardy war-horses and a dozen big draught stallions for breed-
ing purposes; whilst Edward III, working on different lines, added his
quota to the efforts of his predecessors by deciding to keep all the best
animals in the country, which end he accomplished by prohibiting the
exportation of any horses at all.
Then there appears to have been a lull in the enthusiasm of the
English kings in the matters of horse-breeding, until that monarch of
decided views, Henry VIII, undertook to grapple seriously and practi-
cally with the question of undersized animals, though Henry VII may
be credited with having attempted something by reviving the expor-
tation laws. Bluff King Hal, however, when he once determined to see
into the matter, lost no time in setting to work with characteristic
energy. Only mares and stallions above, a certain height were allowed
to be bred from, and the wealthy prelates and nobles, whose wives in-
dulged in such expensive luxuries as French hoods or velvet bonnets,
were compelled to keep stallions of a stipulated size for the benefit of
the community. Satisfied with the improvement that his earlier laws
had effected in the race of English horses, King Henry, in 1535, caused
another edict to be passed, which provided that all owners or farmers of
parks and enclosed ground of the extent of 1 mile in compass should
keep two mares apt and able to bear foals, of the altitude of 13 hands
-ocr page 233-
174
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
at least, under a penalty of forty shillings. A like penalty was also
inflicted upon any owner or farmer who willingly permitted such mares
to be served by a stallion under 14 hand's. Still later on, in the year 1541,
it was enacted that no horse under 15 hands should be allowed to run in
eertain forests and districts. This is specially interesting to the modern
Shire horsebreeder, as the expression " Shire" is referred to in the Act—
not, it is true, in connection with the animal, but with the districts in
which stallions under 15 hands were to be permitted to run loose on moors
and in forests. The districts were Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge,
Huntingdon, Buckingham, Berkshire, Oxford, Worcester, Herefordshire,
Gloucester, Somerset, South Wales, Warwick, Northampton, Cheshire,
Staffordshire, Shropshire, Leicester, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire,
Kent, South Hampshire, and North Wiltshire. Not only were these
stringent provisions made for ensuring the services of desirable stallions,
but legislation was directed also towards mares, filly foals, and even
geldings, which did not appear likely either to grow or to be able to bear
foals of reasonable stature, or not likely to be able to do " profitable
labours by the discretion of the drivers". In such cases the driver or
drivers were compelled by the Act to cause the unprofitable beasts to
be killed, and their bodies to be buried in the ground or " otherwise
bestowed as no annoyance thereby shall come or grow to the people
there near inhabiting or thither resorting". Subsequently, the laws
already in existence prohibiting the exportation of horses were extended
to Scotland, so that any person discovered selling horses to a Scotsman,
and the purchaser as well, rendered themselves guilty of the act of felony.
That the vigorous policy of King Henry worked well there can be little
doubt—a statement made by Sir Thomas Chaloner in the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, assists to prove this—for there is every reason to suppose
that his subjects, knowing the determined disposition of their monarch,
and his peculiar methods of enforcing obedience to his will, acted up to
the strict letter of the law in every particular. Finally, it may be added
as a testimony to King Henry's sincerity in his desire to improve the
heavy horse, that Balph Holinshed states that he " erected a noble
studderie for breeding horses, especially the greatest sort, and for a time
had verie good success with them".
To King Henry VIII, therefore, the present Shire horse is indebted
for a good deal of the size and power it possesses; but in spite of the
improvements brought about by the active policy of that much-married
monarch, the English animals, even at the conclusion of his reign, were
not as a rule equal in stature to the horses of the Continent. This
is borne testimony to by the writer last quoted, who, in alluding to the
-ocr page 234-
CHAMPION SHIRE MARE, ROKEBY FUCHSIA
By Lincolnshire Roy; dam, Lady Grey by Noble Devonshire. The Property of A. J. Hollington, Esq., Enfield
Winner of Numerous Prizes
-ocr page 235-
HEAVY HORSES                                                 175
position of the equine race in this country in the days of Queen Elizabeth,
expresses himself as follows: " Our horsses moreover are high, and although
not commonlie of such greatnesse as in other places of the maine, yet
if you respect the esinesse of their pase it is hard to saie where their
like are to be had. Our cart or plough horses (for we use them indif-
ferently) are commonlie so strong that five or six of them (at most) will
draw three thousand weight of the greatest tale with ease for a long
journie, although it used to be not a load of common usage—which con-
sisted onlie of two thousand, or fiftie foot of timber, fortie bushels of
white salt, or six and thirtie of bail, or five quarters of wheat—experience
dailie teacheth, and (as) I have elsewhere remembered. Such as are
kept for burden will carie four hundred weight commonlie, without any
hurt or hindrance." An ability to move about under such a weight must
have been thought a sine qua non in the case of the charger of the period,
for, as Sir Walter Gilbey has pointed out, the armour carried by horse
and man about that period must have scaled quite that amount. As
an instance, there is the armour which is credibly believed to have belonged
to the Duke of Suffolk, one of the numerous brothers-in-law of King
Henry VIII, now lying on view in the museum of the Tower of London,
the weight of the various portions being as follows : man's armour, 99 lbs.
9 ozs.; horse's armour, 80 lbs. 15 ozs., which, added to the weight of the
rider and his accoutrements, would have brought the figures up to very
nearly if not quite the amount alluded to by Holinshed as being the
ordinary burden for the charger of the Elizabethan era.
Some extremely interesting allusions are contained in the book pub-
lished by Thomas Blundeville of Newton Flotman, Norfolk, in 1566,
as the author was evidently a practical judge of horses, and succeeded in
collecting for his work a good deal of very useful information to lay before
the readers of his Breeding of Horses and Art of Riding. As may
naturally be expected, the " Great Horse " occupied a good deal of his at-
tention, and he commences by referring to the fact that " some men have
a breed of Great-Horses meete for the war and to serve on the field".
This breed Blundeville describes as " though not finely, yet strongly made,
he is of great stature ", and he offers some interesting descriptions of both
the Flanders and the Almaine or German heavy horses, with which he
evidently associates the English animals. Blundeville commences by
referring to the similarity which in many points existed between the two
breeds, and then proceeds to describe their points as follows:—"The
Glanders horse in his shape and disposition differeth in a maner nothinge
from the Almay ne horse, saving that for the most parte he is of a greater
stature and more puissant. The mares also of Flanders be of a greate
-ocr page 236-
176                                     VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
stature, strong, longe, large syze and fruytefull, and besydes that wyil
endure great labour as is wel sene, for that the fleminges do use none
other draught, but with these mares in their wagons, in the whiche I have
sene twoo or three mares to go lightly away such a burden as is almost
incredible." In his description of the " German horse " Blundeville thus
expresses his opinions : " The Almaine is commonly a great horse, though
not finely yet very strongly made, they be very grosse and heavy, yet
by industry can be made lighter behind than before. The disposition
of this horse (his heavy moulde considered) is not evyll, for he is very
tractable, and will labour indifferently well by the waye, but his pace
for the moste part is a very harde trot." It is extremely probable that
in paying his tribute of praise to the capacity of the Flemish mares
Blundeville was labouring under the impression that the summit of equine
perfection had very nearly been attained by these heavy animals; and
there is no denying that, though their powers may appear almost con-
temptible in the eyes of modern Shire horse-breeders, their performances
were better than they at first appear to be, as the vehicles to which they
were attached must have been of ponderous weight, whilst the condition
of the so-called roads was indescribably bad during that period of the
world's existence.
Later on, in the reign of James I, it is recorded that when horses
were required for military purposes beyond the seas, it was calculated
that eight animals would have to be provided for each baggage wagon
that carried a ton, and three for each ambulance conveyance that was
to be supplied for carrying the wounded and invalids to places of
safety. The estimated value of these horses was £9; but they were
clearly regarded as being of inferior quality to the " strong or great"
horses which were also alluded to. It was recommended that 200
of the latter should be purchased at the price of £15 apiece, which
shows that the breeders of the bigger horses were making money out
of their studs.
In the year 1667, the first Duke of Newcastle published a second
edition of his work, The Manner, and Feeding, Dressing, and Training
of Horses for the Great Saddle, and Fitting them for the Field in
time of War,
which had appeared in 1658. His grace appears from
his writings to have been inclined to take rather a pessimistic view of
the position of the English horse of the period, for he states : " There
were many good races [of horses] in England, but they are all now
ruined, and the many new breeders of horses come up presently after
the wars are, I doubt, none of the best; for I believe their stallions were
not very pure, because the men that did govern in those days were not
-ocr page 237-
WHAT'S WANTED (2332).
What's Wanted was bred by Mr. J. Ashmore of Darlton,
Nottinghamshire, in 1873.
He was a bay horse 17 hands high, with two white hind-
legs and a broad blaze down the face. At two years old he
came into the hands of Mr. James Forshaw, Carlton-on-Trent,
Newark, in whose stud he continued to the time of his death
in 1882. He had for his sire Bold Lincoln, 231, and his dam
Diamond was by Oxford, 1683.
At three years old he had sired that good mare Sunshine
(Shaw's), and each succeeding year his stock occupied a more
conspicuous and prominent position in the prize-ring.
Premier, 2646, his most distinguished son, not only took
high honours at the best horse exhibitions in the country, but
he proved himself one of the most successful sires of his day,
following closely in the wake of his stable companion Harold.
Besides Premier, What's Wanted sired a large number of
noted horses, and established a strain, the blood of which is to
be found in most of our best shire stock.
Among his best sons may be mentioned Bold Lincoln, 2536;
Northern King, 2635; Silent James, 2668; Eclipse, 2571; Old
Times, 2861; Union Jack, 2684; Benefactor, 2394; Trade
Mark, 2940; Blyth Echo, 2991; Duke of Lancaster, 2566;
Candidate 2405; and Royal Stamp 3296.
He had more good daughters than sons, and of the best
were Princess Alice, Reciprocity, Brock, Shire Queen, Sun-
shine, Flower Girl, Maggie (Foxwell's), Lassie, Lady Whitelock,
Shire Maggie, &c. &c.
He died when only nine years old, and at a time when still
greater success might have been expected from his services
at the stud.
-ocr page 238-
<tt
Bold Lincoln, 231
Matchless Junior, ] 544
Matchless, 1509
Active, 29
1
Farmer's Profit, 873
Farmer's Profit (Howard's)
"j
6th Dam
England's Glory, 705
Honest Tom, 1060
5th Dam
Abraham JJewland, 10
Abraham Nejvland, fi
K., 119]
7th Darn
Farmer's Glory, 824
--------
4th Dam
Stafford, 2049
Honest Tom, 1079
Honest Tom, 1073
Honest Tom, 1007
..._.. 7th P&m .
Phenomenon, 1713
6th Dam
Thumper (Golden's)
3rd Dam
Honest Tom, 1071
Honest Tom, 1066
Honest Tom, 1061
Honest Tom (Townsend's)
5th Dam
England's Glory, 705
Honest Tom, 1060
Brown Horse (Milton * Colley's)
7 th Dam
Odham's Horse of Thorney Fen
Bounce
Lincoln, 1328
Oxford, 1683
Farmer's Glory, 816
Drayman, 607
Honest Tom, 1060
Brown Horse (Milton & Colley's)
!
4th Dam
Loveden Lad (Hooton's)
------------------: .......
N
co
N
Q
W
H
WAN
Diamond
Oxford, 1683
Farmer's Glory, 816
Drayman, 607
Honest Tom, 1060
Brown Horse
(Milton & Colley's)
w
H
<
DC
J
2nd Dam
Magnum Bonum, 1440
Magnum Bonum, 1439
Phenomenon, 1711
Kisher's Black Horse of Weston
7th Dam I
John Bull (Bradley's)
/
6th Dam 1 -
/
Stack Prince, 166 1
King of the Country, 1226
King of the Country, 1225
Diamond \>y lilack Prince, 152 \
j
4th Dam
Thumper, 2113
Hero, 1032
Magnum Bonum (Marshall's)
7th Dam
John Bull, 1160
6th Dam
Thumper, 2112
John Bull (Bradley's)
7th Dam
Bolingbroke (Bradley's)
5th Dam
Honest Tom, 1073
Honest Tom, 1067
England's Glory, 705
1
...
-ocr page 239-
Marfieet's Horse
Pacey's Lame HorBe, 1702
Jolin Bull, 1160
John Bull, 1169
Honest Tom (Drury's)
4th Dam
Honest Tom, 1(160
Drayman, 607
Farmer's Glory, 816
Oxford, 1683
Matchless, 1006
Lion, 1308
Dumplin (Breakspear's)
7th Dam
5th Dam
3rd
Dam
England's Glory alias the
Poynton Horse
Luck's All, 1426
Farmer's Glory, 816
Oxford, 1683
4th Dam
The Berkshire Grey Horse
(Iven's)
John Bull, 1161
" .1'eaYcey's r.reyjHorse_
7th Dam
©
B. (Bakewell's)
7th Dam
K.. (Bakewell's)
Abraham Newland, 8
S
o
1-2
Abraham Newland, 10
K. (Jake's)
Farmer's Glory, 824
England's Glory, 705
7th Dam
5th Dam
Abraham Newland, 12
Primrose (Wilmott's)
4th Dam
Q
SS
CM
Marfieet's Horse
Pacey's Lame Horse, 1702
John Bull, 1160
3rd Dam
Old G. (Hanbury's)
4th Dam
h
w
w
2
a
o
B. (Bakewell's)
K., 1191
K. (Bakewell's)
Abraham Newland, 8
Abraham Newland, 10
K. (Jake's)
Farmer's Glory, 824
Honest Tom, 1060
England's Glory, 705
itil Dam
oo
Q
Waxwork (Grey's)
Sni Dim.
Samson (Bingham's)
4th Dam
-ocr page 240-
ROYAL ALBERT (1885).
Royal Albert was a rich brown horse standing 17 hands
2 inches, with two white hind-legs and a blaze down the face.
He was bred by Mr. C. Marsden of Hatfield, near Doncaster,
in 1872, and as a foal was purchased by Mr. Walter Johnson
of the same place. In 1883 he was sold to Mr. G. Nay lor of
Newhaven, Derbyshire, who, after travelling him one season,
disposed of him to Mr. Cecil Salt of Willington, Burton-on-
Trent, where he continued in service until the early part of
1890, when he died. He was a big, powerful, and command-
ing horse, with a lot of fine quality; somewhat narrow, perhaps,
in front, but possessing a grand fore end, good feet and pas-
terns, and the most perfect hind-limbs. His legs were full of
beautiful silky hair, and big with flat bone.
Royal Albert was by Messrs. Johnson's Young John Bull,
out of a big black cart mare, whose sire was Royal Albert by
Abraham Newland. He distinguished himself more at the
stud than in the show ring, although as a two- and three-year-
old he won several prizes, notably 1st at Thorne, 1st at Snaith,
1st and silver cup at Doncaster as the " best stallion for getting
agricultural and dray horses ", and a prize of £5 at the great
Yorkshire show.
During the eleven years he was in Mr. Johnson's possession
he served at a stud fee of £2, and finished up at Mr. Cecil
Salt's, where in his later days he was well patronized at a fee
of ten guineas. He left many good mares in Yorkshire, but,
says Mr. Johnson, " He seems to have done better among the
old-fashioned Derbyshire matrons ".
It has been said that King Charming, 3166, and The Beau,
3357, were the first to bring him into prominence in 1884, but
it was more particularly in the hands of Mr. Cecil Salt that
he really distinguished himself as a sire. Here he got Albert
Edward, 5467; Willington Roan Boy, 10,792; Fear None, 4394;
Calthorpe Conqueror, 9106; Albert II, 5466; Majestic, 3208;
and Dunsmore Al, 9221.
Among the many good mares which have desended from
him, and distinguished themselves in the show ring and at
the stud, may be mentioned Lord Ellesmere's Princess Louisa,
Mr. Hanson's Flower, Mr. M'Gibbon's Bonny Jean, Lord
Wantage's Forest Queen, Mr. J. Brook's Champion, and many
others.
-ocr page 241-
177
HEAVY HORSES
so curious as the great lords and great gentry were heretofore, neither
would they be at the cost". The noble author has, however, a word of
praise for English horses, for he supplements his former observations by
saying of them: "There are none like them in the world to breed on,
but then you must choose them fit for such horses as you would breed "—
a piece of advice which must have been obvious to most of his readers.
In the course of his work, the Duke of Newcastle appears to be a little
hard on Blundeville ujaon one or two occasions, and unnecessarily so, he
being particularly unfortunate in his sneer at the drawing capacity of
the heavy horses, as he had evidently not taken into consideration the
weight of the vehicles and the badness of the roads which have been
referred to above. He denies the existence of the similarity that the
earlier writer notices between the Flemish, Almaine, and English animals,
and in fact appears to have written with some degree of hostility towards
Blundeville, for the justification of which no good reason is forthcoming.
At a still more recent period it is related that the state coach of
Queen Anne was drawn by a team of long-tailed mares of large proportions;
and then there occurs another hiatus in the history of the heavy horse;
though in the year 1796 an article in the Sporting Magazine refers to
" a large and strong breed in the more fertile and luxuriant part of the
island", and to the fact of there being no country that could produce
their equal for strength and size, " as there are instances of single horses
that are able to draw the weight of three tons". Sir Walter Gilbey
notices a writer, the well-known Arthur Young, who, in describing a
tour he made through England, alludes to there being only two varieties
of Cart-horses as deserving attention—"the large, black, old English-
born, the produce, principally, of the Shire counties in the heart of England,
and the sorrel-coloured Suffolk Punch, for which the sandy tract of country
near Woodleigh is famous ".
Another rather important link in the chain that connects the present
Shire horse with his remote ancestors is to be found in the contribution
supplied by John Scott to the Sportsman's Repository in the year
1820. This writer commences his observations by a description which
is as follows: "A capital Cart-horse should not be more than 15 hands
in height, with a brisk sparkling eye, a light well - shaped head, and
short prickled ears, full chest and shoulder, but somewhat forelow, that
is to say, heavier in his rump than his forehand. He should have
sufficient general length, but be by no means leggy, large and swelling
fillets, and flat bones. He should stand wide all-fours, but widest behind,
bend his knees well, and have a brisk action walk." From some of his
expressions, notably those referring to being lower in front and the bending
-ocr page 242-
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
178
of the knee, to say nothing of height, it appears probable that John Scott
had the Suffolk mare more in his eye than the Shire at the time he wrote.
This impression is confirmed by some of his subsequent remarks, as for
instance his admission that one or two of his points were not in accord
with opinions of " late years ", as many Cart-horses, he observes, " that
realized the highest prices, stood 17 hands at the shoulder, and also
showed the lofty forehand with the flat shoulder of the Coach-horse".
John Scott refers to the " large blacks" of the Midland counties and
the Suffolk as the chief breeds of heavy horse, and states that the great
Cart-horses of the Midlands were principally bred in Derbyshire, War-
wickshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire, and that this
variety has been reared in the lowland pastures of these shires from
Flemish and Dutch stock. He admits, however, that in " distant" times
only Belgic stallions were imported, but later, through the " systematic
activity " of Bakewell of Dishley, mares of the first size were also brought
from Flanders, and a breed of Thoroughbred horses with foreign blood
on both sides was formed. These, he further states, were so improved
that Bakewell, " about thirty years since", sent a black Cart stallion up
for the king to see, recommending him for a sire of saddle horses; but
though the horse had a light head well set on, deep shoulders, flat bone,
and the action of a pony, his majesty declined the offer thus made him
■—and no doubt acted wisely. Very probably the extract thus made as
to the opinions of John Scott may be in accord with the views of many
persons who have devoted their time to the investigation of the ancestry
of the Shire horse; but whether his statements are reliable or not, so
far as the importation of foreign mares is concerned, they may never-
theless be interesting to many. It is of importance also to learn from
Scott that the object of the breeders of the Bakewell era was to
produce horses of 17 hands, and of proportionate bulk and weight,
whilst the chief and most favoured colour was black. The larger-pro-
portioned horses were, of course, for agricultural and heavy draught, whilst
Scott adds that the inferior-sized ones were utilized for cavalry purposes
and funerals.
Having thus attempted to trace briefly the genealogy of this ancient
breed, through the long period that has elapsed since the days when the
earliest kings of this country first directed their attention to the improve-
ment and development of the native horse, it now becomes necessary
to consider the variety from the point of view in which it at present
exists. Before doing so, however, it may be desirable to cast back one's
memory to the vicissitudes through which the old War-horse has passed
—assuming that he is accepted as the direct ancestor of the modern
-ocr page 243-
179
HEAVY HOESES
Shire horse, and there appears ample ground for believing that he is. In
support of this contention, there can be no doubt that the horses which
descended from those employed for the purposes of war by the ancient
Britons were crossed with heavier animals imported into England from
beyond the seas, and it is scarcely likely that, when the horse-breeders
of a nation were encouraged by their successive sovereigns to persevere,
the strain they were at work upon would be permitted to die out.
Besides, the persuasive powers of such monarchs as King Henry VIII
could hardly fail to render his subjects complaisant instruments in his
hands, and his predecessors upon the throne, moreover, do not appear
to have belonged to the class of ruler that would allow their subjects to
stultify their royal efforts to improve the equine race, without offering
the most vigorous remonstrances applied in a highly practical form.
Therefore it is reasonable to assume that until the days of King Henry
VIII, at all events, the blood of the Old English War-horse had not been
lost, but, on the contrary, had been improved by judicious crossing.
Subsequently to that period the Great Horse had become fairly established,
and the fertile pastures of the great inland shires were the localities in
which the breed was chiefly fostered and produced. The troublesome
times which preceded the restoration of the Stuarts may very probably
indeed have affected the progress of the animal, as it is only reasonable
to infer that Cavaliers and Roundheads alike were not over-particular
as to what means they took to get possession of suitable remounts for
their cavalry, and doubtless many an excellent stud was broken up in
consequence. Probably, therefore, a temporary check to the advancement
of the breed may have resulted, but it still survived; and in spite of the
unfavourable criticisms passed by the Duke of Newcastle upon the
breeders of that period, they could not have been so incompetent after
all, for no allusions are subsequently made by later writers to the de-
preciation in value or degeneracy of the Great Horse. On the contrary,
though a lighter variety of animal was being bred as well, the big ones
were at the same time being quietly improved.
Although the horse-breeders of England during the past century do
not appear to have been benefited by any ultra-enthusiastic chroniclers
of their doings, at all events during the earlier portion of that period,
there are substantial grounds for assuming that they were working on
methodical lines, and, so far as time and opportunity would permit, were
Manufacturing a breed of native horses. John Scott alludes to the fact
m the quotation given from his writings on a former page, and confir-
matory evidence is found in the statement that an imported Flemish
stallion, which was travelling some of the shires about the year 1820,
-ocr page 244-
180
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
was the recipient of very little patronage from the farmers in those
districts, this tending to show that the English-bred animals were in
their opinion the superior.
The increase in stature made by the Great Horse, and the intelligent
desire to increase still further his proportions, likewise point to the fact
that breeders, if quiet, had none the less been working for the improve-
ment of the breed, whilst the high prices that were realized by the taller
animals point conclusively to the upward tendency of the market, which,
after all, is the chief barometer by which the popularity and position
of a variety can be discovered. It may, therefore, be accepted as a fact
that there was a supply of 17-hands horses available in the earlier quarter
of the nineteenth century for those who cared to pay for them; and this
being so, the evolution of the old War-horse from an undersized, though
willing creature, to an equine giant of huge strength and magnificent
proportions became an accomplished fact.
During more recent years, the lines of breeders of the Heavy Horse—
it would be premature to refer to the animals just yet as Shires—were
cast in pleasanter places. There was, in the first place, a ready-made
animal for them to exercise their ingenuity upon, the principles of horse-
raising and the management of stock had become far better understood,
and the facilities for arranging crosses of blood had been infinitely
increased. In suggesting that the Heavy Horse men of the nineteenth
century have laboured under fewer obstacles than those which confronted
their predecessors, there is, however, no desire on the part of the writer
to minimize the value of their work. On the contrary, had it not been
for their perseverance and intelligence, combined by a liberal expenditure
of time and money, the position of the breed would be nothing like
what it is. The perfection of any animal—and the Shire horse, as he
now exists, is on the threshold of perfection—is always a very difficult
task. Still, it is very reasonable to presume that, within the space of
a few years more, the number of misfits will be much reduced, and the
imperfections which now detract from the value of many a grand specimen
of the race will be much less frequently met with.
The present position of the Shire horse may therefore be taken to
be that of an animal that can always command a ready sale, both at
home and abroad. He possesses a whole army of influential supporters,
and is generally accepted as a most profitable animal to breed, and a
very useful one to possess by those who require the services of powerful
horses. On the other hand, it would be idle to deny the fact that the
Shire horse, like many another good animal, has his detractors, who
prefer some other breed. His enormous proportions, for instance, are
-ocr page 245-
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viSV^%^^a^nKl^1^^J^miaKf:y-,'yS^^WfF^^-r' ?*7"™ ■_______■___________ ' i, . ..r.&i
HACKNEY STALLION, POLONIUS 4931
Chestnut Horse by Wildfire 1224; dam 1301 Ophelia by Denmark 177 or Danegelt 174. Winner of numerous prizes and sire of many winners
The Property of R. Whitworth, Esq.
-ocr page 246-
HEAVY HORSES
181
objected to by some, who express the opinion that he is unnecessarily
big, oblivious of the fact that it is by virtue of the weight he can throw
into his collar that he is enabled to walk away jauntily with such a load
behind him as would have appeared incredible to his admirers of a century
ago. It is possible that in employing Shire horses for agricultural
purposes in some districts their owners are not making the most of their
strength, and that a lighter animal would do the work equally well, and
in a shorter time; but the whole aim and ambition of breeders of this
variety of stock has been to produce the most powerful horses procurable
for the purposes of heavy work, relying on the misfits, or such as do
not come up to this standard, for purposes of lighter draught. As
regards the food question, it naturally occurs that a large frame requires
a great deal of keeping up, and if size and weight be required, they can
only be maintained by the supply of a liberal amount of nourishment.
The firms that employ Shires would scarcely continue to do so did they
not find them remunerative slaves; and considering that these animals
possess no equal in size or power, and that there is no other breed that
can fulfil their duties equally well, it appears that the contentions of their
opponents savour somewhat of the hypercritical.
There remains, however, one further point upon which the detractors
°f the Shire horse are united, and that is, the amount of silky hair or
" feather" which adorns his legs. This, it is contended by some, is
absolutely prejudicial to the welfare of the horse; they assert that it is
productive of grease and other kindred ills; that a profusion of feather
presupposes a coarse skin; and, above all, that any animal that is the
possessor of much hair is totally unadapted for agricultural work, as its
legs would soon become clogged with soil if it were put to work on wet
and heavy ground. As may be readily supposed, the above objections
to the Shire horse, as promulgated by his opponents, are vigorously
combated by those who are included in the circle of his admirers; whilst,
placing aside the two first charges laid against feather, as being more
suited for consideration by the veterinary portion of this work, it may
suggested that as the labours of the very heavy feathered Shires are
more usually restricted to town than country work, the possibility of its
being clogged does not apply with any particular force. Nor can it be
supposed that the breeders of Shire horses are influenced in their desire
0 produce plenty of hair upon the legs by merely sentimental feelings,
0r this is not the case. They assert that without feather there is likely
0 be a deficiency of bone, both as regards quantity and quality, each of
nieh is essential in the composition of an animal possessing such an
enormous frame. It is only fair, therefore, to allow the breeders who
-ocr page 247-
182                                      VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
have studied the matter and thought it well out to decide what is correct
and what is not, in connection with the attributes of the breed, as it is
certain that the practical men in whose hands the variety now is, would
be the last to introduce any fancy points into the composition of an
animal in the excellence and utility of which they take so much pride,
and whose development is a source of both profit and pleasure to
themselves.
From the ancestry and uses of the Shire horses wTe pass on to notice
the general appearance and the salient features of the breed. Here
we have based our description upon the ideas of the late Mr. Sexton,
which are published in the official Stud-book of the Shire Horse Society.
It may, however, be premised that while differences may be found in
the appearance of the horses that come from different districts, it is
noticeable that during the past few years a greater uniformity of character
has been brought about through the efforts of the Shire Horse Society,
and the loyal support it has received from breeders and exhibitors in
all parts of the country. This is to be accounted for by the facilities
for interbreeding which the development of railways has provided, and also
by the strict adherence to the standard that has been set up by members
of the society and outside breeders alike, whilst the general disposition
that exists to support the same type, is in itself a resolution that has
most favourably influenced the progress of the breed during the past few
years.
As to the matter of conformation, it need hardly be said that in
the general make-up of the Shire horse the head is a very important
feature, and particularly in the case of the stallion. Here it should
be of decidedly masculine appearance, with nothing of the gelding or
"quality horse''" about it. It should be long, not too lean, but massive,
with a broad forehead, long thin ears pointing rather forwards, and
bright and fairly prominent eyes. The forehead should neither be too
prominent nor too flat. The nostrils should be capacious, and the jaw
deep and strong, with a liberal distribution of strong hairs over the skin.
It can scarcely be contended that the head-piece of a Shire horse is exactly
pretty, but when well set out and in harmony with the rest of the body it
gives finish and character to the whole. The neck is of fair length only,
but not too long, rather substantially developed, nicely arched, and well
proportioned; whilst the shoulders, which are a most important point
in connection with the development of any variety of draught horse, should
slope a little from the withers downward and forward, but not too much so.
If they are too straight the movements are clumsy, and the activity of
the horse becomes impaired; whilst on the other hand, if they slant like
-ocr page 248-
183
HEAVY HORSES
those of a Hack, they do not so well adapt themselves to the purposes
of draught, since they fail to fit the collar as is desired. The girth of the
Shire horse is, of course, enormous, but not unnecessarily so when it is
remembered that a plentiful supply of heart and lung room is desirable
in the case of most animals, and in none more so than in those
which are called upon to exercise their highest powers of draught and
to undergo long and continuous exertion. The ribs consequently should
be well sprung, and the loins wide and powerful, the back being short
and level, whilst the quarters must be long, of great strength, and as
muscular as possible. The tail should be well set up; when low down
it gives the quarters a drooping character, and spoils the top-line. The
fore-legs, which are a most important item in any draught-horse, should
be short, straight, and well set apart. The arms should be wide and
muscular, and join on to big bold knees; while the legs below should be
flat and clean, and the outline of the sinews clearly marked, the latter
point being a very essential one to secure. Strength of pasterns is a
most desirable quality, but these parts are most objectionable when
unduly long or unduly short. There is another point to be considered
in connection with the fore-legs, and that is in regard to their position
when compared with the body of the horse. They should be nicely set
under him, squarely and truly, so as to receive and support the full
weight of his frame as evenly as possible, since if out of the plumb-line
the strength of the fore-legs will be materially diminished. Scarcely of
less importance are the hind-legs, as upon the formation of these limbs
depends much of the ability to start away with and keep in motion a
heavy load, whilst in backing they are indispensable. They should be
rather inclined to be straight, a decided bend being a bad fault in a
draught-horse. The hocks require to be broad in front and deep behind,
and, of course, perfectly clean and free from any symptoms of weakness
or disease. Below the hock the canons should be heavy in bone, showing
a girth of at least 1 inch more than the corresponding part below the
knee. The joints should be large, and free from structural defect, else
the value and utility of the horse will be diminished. Both the fore-
and hind-legs should be plentifully supplied with long silky hair, ex-
tending a considerable way upwards from the ground in the direction of
the knees and hocks, and finer in quality in mares than horses. If this
is coarse in quality or curly it is a fault. Full allusion has already been
made to the question of the " feather", and it only remains to say that
without it in profusion neither sires nor dams are qualified for prizes
°r patronage. Next comes the all-important question of feet, than which
none is deserving of greater consideration on the part of breeders and
-ocr page 249-
VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
184
judges; for however grandly topped a horse may be, he is of no use to
anybody if he has not legs and feet to carry him. In this connection
it is essential to see that the fore-feet are of the same size, for often
they are not, and this, of course, will detract considerably from the value
of the animal. They should be wide and open at the heels, and of a
good size, and the horn should be dense, tough, and dark in colour. The
hind-feet should stand square with those in front, turning neither out
nor in, and be hard and durable. The height of a Shire horse should
be a good 17 hands when he is full-grown, whilst in the case of mares
less height is permissible, but 15'3 hands at shoulder is quite small
enough.
There is a considerable latitude permitted to judges in their selection of
a Shire horse so far as the question of colour is concerned, but it is notice-
able that during late years there has been a perceptible increase in the
number of chestnuts, whilst the old-fashioned blacks have proportionately
decreased. Still, if breeders were to be polled, it would probably be found
that blacks, bays, and browns were the most popular shades, grays, which
at one time were highly prized, being not so much liked as formerly,
though why it is hard to conceive. In addition to the chestnuts, a few
roans keep on appearing, in spite of there being a certain amount of
prejudice against them in some quarters.
The action of the Shire horse is not by any means an attribute of
the breed that can be overlooked, for, as may be readily imagined, a
draught - horse that is unable to get away briskly with a load behind
him is at a great disadvantage, both from the point of view of the
breeder and of the employer of horse labour. The walk should there-
fore be a fast and even one, plenty of liberty being associated with the
movements of the shoulders, whilst the hocks should be used in such a
fashion as to bring the hind-feet well under the belly of the horse. Nor
should the trot, although of a lesser importance, be overlooked, for an
animal that can discharge his load and then get back again quickly to
pick up another one is naturally of far greater value than the horse
which lacks freedom and force of action. Of recent years, a very decided
improvement has been noticeable in the trotting gait of the Shire horse,
and his value, commercially speaking, has increased in proportion to the
greater nimbleness he displays at this faster pace.
It is impossible to write of the Shire horse without reference to the
Shire Horse Society, which in recent years has done so much to improve
him. The noblemen and gentlemen who formed this body have succeeded,
it may be conscientiously suggested, beyond their most sanguine expecta-
tions in effecting an improvement in the breed to whose interests they
-ocr page 250-
LINCOLNSHIRE LAD II (1365).
Lincolnshire Lad II was a grey horse 17 hands high, and
was bred by Mr. Fred Ford, Locko Park, Derbyshire, in 1872.
He was by Lincolnshire Lad, 1196, out of Madam by Match-
less, 1506. Early in his career he was owned by William
Harriman, Wilsthorpe, Derbyshire, and William Clark, Locko,
Derbyshire, and afterwards by Mr. Kyte of Derby, of whom
Captain Heaton purchased him in 1881. He served at Worsley
and Chatteris, in Cambridgeshire, up to 1885, when he passed
into the hands of Mr. Walter Johnson of Hatfield, who tra-
velled him in the Doncaster district one season at a service
fee of two pounds, but being poorly patronized he was subse-
quently let to a society in Montgomeryshire for four years,
where he left some wonderful stock.
On his return to Hatfield he stood at a fee of five guineas
until sold to Mr. Fred Crisp about Christmas 1893. At the
Southgate stud he had two full seasons at an advanced fee
of ten guineas, and died on June 23rd, 1895, at the age of 23
years. Most of the best shire stock now in the country have
descended from this grand old horse.
Champion Harold, his best son, got more valuable shires
than any sire of the breed, and his sons and daughters continue
to keep up his name and fame by transmitting his excellent
qualities to their offspring.
Lincolnshire Lad II was also the sire of Paxton; Buckton
Harold, 11,059; Eastoft Lad; Famous Lad; Majestic; Handcuff,
4457; Lincolnshire Boy, 3188; Carbon, 3523; Lancashire Lad
II, 6031; Dunsmore Barrier, 13,011; Potentate, 12,086; The
Boy; and other famous sires and dams, from whom have
descended many of the best horses in the country.
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h
LINCOLNSHIRE LAD II, 1365
Madam
Lincolnshire Lad, 1196
2nd Dam
Matchless, 1506
2nd Dam
Lincoln (Lister's)
William the Conqueror
(Styche's)
I
Oxford, 1683
3rd Dam
K
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J
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3
:
Lion, 1368
Fanner's Glory, 816
4th Dam
1
1
: : 1
Drayman, 607
Competitor, 514
5th Dam
Drayman (Howsin's)
Dumpling (Breakspear's)
Honest Tom, 1060
6th Dam
Honest Tom, 1071
6th Dam
K. (Stephenson's)
1
1
Brown Horse
(Milton & Colley's)
Magnum Bonum, 1439
7th Dam
Honest Tom, 1066
(Boor & Bonner's)
Farmer's Glory
|
j
___
Phenomenon. 1711
England's Glory, 70S
Honest Tom. 1061
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■John Bull (Fisher's Black Horse")
Honest Tom, 1062
Derbyshire, 577
Stych's Brown Horse
7th Dam
Black Legs, 142
Mansetter (Oldacre's)
Blaze, 183
6th Dam
Leicestershire, 1321
Brown George (Arnold's)
►J
-1
5th Dam
Conqueror (Edge's)
6th Dam
William the Conqueror, 2339
Waggoner (Campion's)
4th Dam
o
CO
I
John Bull (Fisher's Black
Horse)
7th Dam
Honest Tom, 1062
Robin Hood (Cox's)
David, 565
Heart of Oak, 997
3rd Dam
3
P
Sancho, 1993
Bang-Up, 94
News' Brown Horse
Dumpling, 679
6th Dam
Bang-Up, 95
England's Glory, 705
True Briton, 2179
True Briton, 2180
5th Dam
Brown George, 309
Honest Tom, 1002
Derbyshire, 577
Black Legs, 142
Blaze, 1.83
7th Dam
Black Legs, 144
Nelson (Wagstaff's)
6th Dam
4th Dam
-ocr page 253-
WILLIAM THE CONQUEROB (2343)
A brown horse, bred by Mr. Barrs of Repton Park, Not-
tinghamshire. He was foaled in 1862, and was by Leicester-
shire (Domber's) out of a mare also bred by Mr. Barrs, but
whose pedigree is not known.
He remained in the possession of his breeder until about
1875, when he passed into the hands of Mr. Kyte of Smalley,
Derbyshire, who travelled him for a season or two and then
sold him to Lord Ellesmere. He was subsequently repur-
chased by Mr. Kyte, in whose hands he died in 1883 at
the age of twenty years.
Special attention was first directed to him as a sire by
the success of two of his sons (geldings) in the show ring,
but it was not until he became advanced in years that his
merit as a stock horse became generally recognized. He was
not a big horse, but had some wonderful legs and feet, and
when mated with sizy Derbyshire mares he produced some
excellent stock.
At the London Show in 1883 his son Esquire, sire of
Shrewsbury, Knight of the Shire, and other good horses,
took first prize as a yearling. In 1884 that good horse
Prince William, 3956, another of his get, occupied a similar
position in the one-year-old division, and Esquire again
took first in his class. Prince William was afterwards
sold to Mr. John Eowell for 240 guineas. As a three-year-
old he continued his success at London and elsewhere, and
was purchased by Lord Wantage for 1500 guineas. Since
that time he has proved as successful at the stud as he was
in the show ring.
William the Conqueror was also the sire of Staunton
Hero, 2918; Endymion, 3073; Blyth William, 4260; Eoyal
William, 4661; Carlton William; Hengest, 4452; Hitchin
Conqueror, 4458; and many others who have distinguished
themselves both at the stud and in the ring.
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HEAVY HORSES                                                 185
have pledged themselves. As a result of their exertions, the annual show
in the early spring of each year has come to be regarded as one of the
most popular exhibitions of its kind that is held in London, and it is, more-
over, the means of attracting the attention of many persons to the merits
of the Shire who would otherwise have been ignorant of, or indifferent to,
the value of this class of horse. As a proof of the higher estimation in
which Shire horses are held compared with that of only a few years ago, and
the increased value now set upon them, a little information concerning the
prices paid for some of the most representative animals of their respective
generations may be referred to. Amongst them are the following:—Sweet
William, a noted horse, was sold in 1778 for 350 guineas, whilst a few
years later a horse called Marston changed hands at 500 guineas. These
figures may be regarded as exceptionally high ones for the times, but
they offer a striking contrast to those of a more recent period. In 1882
Sir Walter Gilbey paid 800 guineas for Spark, with which horse he won
the Challenge Cup at the Society's show in 1883; whilst three years
later Lord Wantage was content to give Mr. John Eowell 1500 guineas
for his champion colt Prince William, when only two years old. These
long figures were, however, far exceeded when the Earl of Ellesmere
paid 2000 guineas for the black Vulcan, which had never been seen in
a show-ring at the time, though the judgment displayed in selecting
the horse was fully vindicated by his taking the championship at the
Shire Horse Society's show in the years 1889 and 1891. Even then,
however, the highest price to be paid for a Shire stallion was not reached,
as a year later Mr. Joseph Wainwright purchased of Mr. John Eowell
the black colt Bury Victor Chief, which had achieved supreme honours
at the above national show in 1892, for the hitherto record price of
2500 guineas, after the youngster had added to his London triumph
by securing the leading honours at the Doncaster show of the Boyal
Agricultural Society of England; and everyone was pleased when Bury
Victor Chief repaid his new owner for his enterprise by securing for
him the Challenge Cup of the Society in 1894. Such figures as the
above cannot fail to impress upon readers the enhanced value of the
Shire horse of the present day, and the important position he now occupies
m the equine world. That his popularity is likely to be still further
increased is absolutely certain, and the success which the Shire Horse
Society has achieved should stimulate the supporters of other breeds
to unite together and work amicably for the furtherance of the common
object which they have in view—namely, the development of the horse
upon which they have centred their interest, and in which their capital
xs invested.
-ocr page 255-
186                                      VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
Clydesdales.—The resemblance which exists between the Clydesdale
and the Shire horse may possibly be regarded by persons who are not
intimately acquainted with the points of heavy horses as being very close;
though, as may be seen by a comparison of the descriptions which appear in
this volume of the two varieties, the opinion would be a most incorrect one
in several respects, and notably in weight and the position of shoulders as
well as in the length and spring of the pasterns. Regarding the origin of
the Clydesdale, there is not the same explicit information forthcoming as
there is to be obtained with reference to the ancestrv of the English horse,
and even the most enthusiastic supporters of the former variety are divided
in opinion concerning the source from which it was originally obtained.
According to the authority of the Clydesdale Stud-hook, the more popular
but least satisfactory explanation is, that the breed comes of a cross between
some Flemish stallions that were imported into Scotland over two hundred
years ago by an ancestor of the then Duke of Hamilton, and the mares
that were in the country at that period of its history. The alternative, and
more reasonable, theory of the origin of the Clydesdale is, that the breed
owes its existence to the perseverance and capacity of the farmers who then
resided in the valley of the Clyde; this hypothesis being strengthened
by the impossibility of discovering any reliable data in support of the
story of the Duke of Hamilton's ancestor having imported any Flemish
stallions into the district during the seventeenth century. In fact, William
Aiton, a well-known writer on Scottish agricultural subjects, ajapears to have
made full enquiry into the truth of the story, with the result that he could
find no one at all who had ever heard of the existence of the Flemish sires,
and all they knew of them was gathered from their reading.
Suffice it, therefore, to recognize the fact that the Clydesdale horse has
existed, and been highly valued by the inhabitants of his native district as
a distinct breed, for many generations. No doubt, however, the original
horse of Scotland, wherever it may have sprung from, was like the ancient
War-horse of England, a very much smaller animal than its modern
descendant. At the same time, there is evidence forthcoming that so-called
"large horses" were recognized in Scotland as far back as the year 1352,
this information being supplied by the " safe-conduct " from Edward, King
of England, to William Douglas, Knight, of Scotland, to enter the district of
Teviotdale, then in the possession of England, with " ten grooms and ten
large horses". This "conduct" is still in existence, and unquestionably
may be accepted as evidence that even at that remote period of the world's
history there were fair-sized horses of some sort or other to be found in
parts of Scotland. Unfortunately, however, as Mr. Thomas Dykes observes,
no information is forthcoming as to the precise localities from which these
-ocr page 256-
HEAVY HORSES
187
" large horses " were brought, though it may not be unreasonable to infer
from contemporary events that they came into Teviotdale from Lanarkshire.
One other point in connection with these particular horses which is worthy
of consideration is the fact that the adoption of the word "magnos" in the
aforesaid "conduct", which was in Latin, is an unusual addition, as no
qualification of the word "equos" was added to the customary conducts
that were issued, this showing that the animals which found their way to
Teviotdale were unusually big. It is, of course, quite possible that, as their
stature seems to have been exceptionally great, they may have contained
the blood of foreign horses in their veins. Still, it does not appear that the
horse-breeders of Scotland, such as they then were, displayed anything like
the amount of interest shown by the English in the improvement of their
stock, though in the reign of King David II, who ascended the throne
in 1329, many foreign horses were imported into the country with
the object of increasing the size of the native animals. After the reign of
David II, there seems to have been no serious attempt made to increase the
value of Scottish horses until James IV ascended the throne in 1488, but
he soon began to do what he could to benefit horseflesh in Caledonia by
importing sires from Spain and Poland, though these belonged rather to the
light class of animal. King James V, however, seems to have recognized
the desirability of increasing the size and power of the native horse, and
issued a law that large-sized stallions and mares were to be kept by the
upper classes, just as in England persons of quality were expected to
maintain the position they aspired to by their patronage of the equine race,,
on lines defined by law.
What the breeding or stature of these large-sized stallions was, it is
impossible to ascertain; but it is quite reasonable to infer that they possessed
a great deal of Flanders blood, even if they were not clean-bred specimens-
of that variety, as large numbers of the blacks in question were constantly
crossing the Channel at that time in order to improve the race of English
horses, which, whatever their other great qualities may have been, were
notoriously deficient in size. Most probably the Galloway of that period
was the breed upon which the breeders who were attempting to effect an
increase of size in the draught-horse of Scotland first set to work, and of
these Galloways it was stated that they were fit for saddle, load, or draught,,
their strength and size having no doubt been increased by good breeding,
and care in the selection of stallions, as the animals from which they sprang
were certainly nothing remarkable in size, but rather the reverse. A very
possible reason for the horse-breeders of Scotland not having exerted them-
selves to produce extra heavy horses, is to be discovered in the fact that
most of the ploughing was done by oxen, whilst the unsettled condition
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VAKIETIES OF THE HORSE
188
of the country and the poverty that prevailed no doubt contributed to
the curtailment of any sort of enterprise in breeding. At the same time,
there are ample grounds for the opinion that some attempts, and satisfac-
tory attempts too, had been made to improve the race of Scottish horses,
it being more than probable that both Cleveland Bay and Flemish crosses
were utilized for the purpose. Great credit is due to the " Society of
Improvers" of Edinburgh, who, so far back as the year 1759, offered a
prize of fifteen guineas for the best draught stallion, this being won by
the bay entire horse Red Robin, the property of William Whyte, a
tenant farmer of Polmont.
Writing so far back as the year 1782, the Rev. David Ure, the minister
of Rutherglen, in his history of the parish in question, states that the horses
of Clydesdale had become famous long before that date. He adds of the
once famous Rutherglen Fair that " the market day is not now frequented,
but six fairs are held annually in the town and are famous for the best
horses in Europe". This little compliment to the value of the animals
changing hands at Rutherglen may probably have been an exaggeration, but
Mr. lire's eulogies may be accepted as valuable, for they prove two facts
conclusively—first, that the Clydesdale horse was recognized as a distinct
variety and had been for some time; and secondly, that the breed sold well
in far-off 1782, else there would have been no support forthcoming for the
six annual fairs.
The worthy minister also adds that—
" A high degree of credit is due to the farmers for their unremitting
endeavours to improve this excellent breed. They pay strict attention to
every circumstance respecting the colour, the softness and hardness of the
hair, the length of the body, breast, and shoulders of their breeders, sire and
•dam. No inducement whatever can lead them to encourage the breed of a
horse that is not possessed of the best qualities. . . . Every farm almost
throughout the extent of several parishes supports six or at least four mares,
the half of which are allowed annually to foal. The colts are mostly sold at
the Fairs of Lanark and Carnwath, and bring to the owners from five to
twenty pounds each. These are generally purchased by farmers from the
•counties of Renfrew and Ayr, where they are trained for the draught until
about five years old. They are then sold at the Fairs of Rutherglen from
twenty-five to forty pounds each, from whence they are taken to the
Lothians, England, &c, where they excel in the plough, the cart, and the
waggon."
The position of the Clydesdale may therefore be regarded as having been
•clearly recognized so far back as 1782; but writing eighteen years later in
the British Farmer's Magazine, William Aiton, referred to above, takes
-ocr page 258-
HEAVY HORSES                                                189
exception to the title of Clydesdale being conferred upon the breed, which
he refers to as the Lanarkshire, though he admits that " they are natives of
every county of Scotland south of the Tay, and therefore ought rather to be
denominated the Scottish breed of horse". Aiton, it may be added, appears
quite to have shared the Eeverend David Ure's enthusiasm for the variety,
as he described it as " the most valuable breed of draught-horse in Britain,
not only for farming business, but for every description of work where
strength, agility, and docility of temper are required". Aiton also con-
firms Mr. Ure's description of the breeding of these horses by farmers in
a small way, whilst he expresses the opinion that much of the improvement
that had been effected was due to the better feeding and treatment received
by the animals.
As there appears to be a certain amount of doubt concerning the
exact tap - root from which the modern Clydesdale originally sprang,
a description of some famous mares, all of which died out at about
the commencement of last century, may be read with interest. Some
eighty years previously, that is about the year 1715, it is stated in the
Stud-book of the Clydesdale Society, one John Paterson of Lochlyoch, in
the parish of Carmichael, went to England and purchased a Flemish
stallion, which he brought home and crossed with the North Ward mares,
the result being that the produce became known for their excellence all
over Scotland. The Lochlyoch mares, it is added, were generally browns
and blacks, with white faces and a little white on their legs. They had
gray hairs in their tails, occasional gray hairs over their bodies, and
invariably a white spot on their belly, this latter being recognized as a
mark of distinct purity of blood. It was no doubt principally due to the
influence of the black Flemish stallion of 1715 that so many of the
Lochlyoch mares were so dark in colour, as it must be remembered, as
stated above, that it was a bay stallion that won the first prize offered
by the "Society of Improvers" at Edinburgh, in 1759; bay, therefore,
must have been accepted as a correct colour of the breed upwards of a
century ago.
Before that period the history of the Clydesdale, as may be gathered
from what has been said, is obscure. In fact, there are reasons that
have been pointed out by writers upon the breed, for accepting with the
greatest caution the information that has been forthcoming from authorities
°f a later period. This information was doubtless given honestly and
m the best of faith, but it is at the same time quite within the limits of
Possibility that inaccuracies may have crept into the narratives that have
°6en told. As a case in point, allusion may be made to the case of the
*amous stallion dancer, 335 in the Stud-book of the Clydesdale Society,
-ocr page 259-
190                                      VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
which horse is there stated to have been foaled about the year 1810. The
correctness of this, however, has been impugned, as a writer in Heavy
Horses,
an authoritative work on these breeds, which is edited by Mr.
James Sinclair, who occupies a similar position on the Live Stock Journal,
draws attention to the fact that if Glancer was foaled in 1810, he must
have sired one of his most successful foals—Paton's Horse, which took
second prize at the Highland and Agricultural Society's show in 1842—
when he was five-and-twenty years of age. This, of course, was not an
impossible feat to accomplish, though it is an improbable one. Be the
date of his birth, however, what it may, there is no doubt whatsoever
that Glancer, who was also known by the designation of Thompson's
Black Horse, is the corner-stone of many a modern Clydesdale strain.
Whether the contention put forth by many breeders — namely, that
Glancer was a direct descendant of the Lochlyoch mares referred to
above—is a correct one or not, it is impossible to ascertain; but it is
generally believed that the clam of the famous black, known as the
Lampits mare, inherited the blood in question.
It was of course impossible that a breed like the Clydesdale, the merits
and value of which became generally recognized almost as soon as the
horse was known, would long remain without supporters in other districts
than that from which he derives his name. The middle of the nineteenth
century, therefore, saw the Clydesdale being bred in other parts of
Scotland, so that in course of time the Galloway Clydesdales became
recognized as a leading branch of the old tree. These animals were
possibly the result of crossing the Clydesdale stallions with the old
Galloway mares of the heavier type, which are referred to by the Bev.
S. Smith, who wrote in 1810, as being "inferior in size to the dray-
horses of many other districts, though they are capable of performing as
much labour and enduring still more fatigue, whilst they are more easily
kept and less liable to disease". The reverend author describes these
animals as being " round in the body, short in the back, broad and deep
in the chest, level along the back to the shoulders, not long in the legs
nor very fine in the head and neck: their whole appearance indicating
vigour and durability, and their eye commonly a sufficient degree of
spirit". There is also information, dating from about the middle of the
century, which refers to Ayrshire Clydesdales, and Kintyre, Aberdeen-
shire, and Cumberland strains, all three of which could trace back to the
Lanarkshire root, and cast no discredit on the good horses whose blood
they inherited.
At the same time, there are strong grounds for believing that, many
years ago, there were Shire stallions standing in Aberdeenshire, and con-
-ocr page 260-
PLATE XIX.
PACK-HORSE TRIUMPH II
By Cottager; dam by Sportsman
Photo, by Reid, Wishaw
DARTMOOR PONY STALLION, GOLDFINDER
Winner at Brent Show, S. Devon. The Property of Vero Shaw, Esq.
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HEAVY HORSES                                                191
sequently it is very possible that this blood was resorted to by breeders
of an experimental turn of mind with the object of improving their studs.
Whether the introduction of a Shire horse is a judicious act on the part
°f a Clydesdale owner is, of course, a question that each breeder must
answer for himself; but it may be stated that the late Mr. Lawrence Drew,
up to the date of his decease, in 1884, entertained the strongest opinion
upon this subject. This gentleman contended that the Clydesdale and the
Shire horse were practically one flesh, and that the most superior draught-
horses were to be obtained by crossing the two breeds. Such a doctrine
was very naturally regarded as the rankest heresy by the majority of both
Shire and Clydesdale breeders, but Mr. Drew was loyal to his convictions
to the last. The most famous animal ever owned by him was the dark-
brown Prince of Wales, 673, which was foaled in 1866, and lived until
•he was twenty-two years old. This horse, so far as his grandsires were
concerned, was of unexceptional Clydesdale blood, but the gravest doubts
were entertained by some people respecting the breeding of his grandams.
•Both of these mares, singularly enough, were grays, and it was the opinion
of Mr. Nicol Fleming, who bred Prince of Wales, and of Mr. Lawrence
Drew, who owned him during most of his career, that both of them
were Shire-bred mares. The horse is described as being rather sour in
head, and too straight at the hocks, but a marvellous mover in all his
paces; and no doubt he got some fine stock, whatever his breeding
ufight have been.
Having thus attempted to trace the history of the Clydesdale through
the varying stages of his career, it now becomes necessary to describe the
leading characters of the breed.
The head is broad across the forehead, gradually tapering towards the
ears, which are rather inclined to be long; and large; the forehead is wide
between the eyes, which should be full and lively, though free from that
hard, harsh look which disfigures the expressions of many horses. The jaws
are broad and not infrequently rather coarse about the muzzle, whilst the
uostrils are large and open. A narrow head is not to be encouraged, as
this is usually associated with an absence of intelligence, whilst small
sunken eyes are generally accompanied by a bad temper. The head should
°e correctly set on the neck, which it should meet at not too acute an
angle, the neck itself being lengthy and deep and nicely arched, very
uiassive and powerfully placed at the shoulders.
The shoulders themselves partake far more of the riding character
than those of any other draught-horse, as they should be sloping and
father long by comparison with those of the Suffolk or the Shire horse;
uilst the chest should be broad and deep, and the fore-legs, a most
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192                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
important point of the breed, should of course be short to the ground
from the shoulder. They ought to be very powerful about the arms,
showing great muscle here; with flat, broad knees near to the ground, and
with as much bone as possible below them. Below the knee, moreover,
the bone should be flat and of a good hard quality; whilst the back of the
legs from the knees downwards should be well feathered with soft silky
hair, coarse or curly feather being objected to by authorities on the
breed.
The pasterns are another point in the anatomy of the Scottish horse
in which it differs very greatly from the Shire, as in the Clydesdale
they should be rather long and sloping, in order to give springiness
to the action, which is so much desired. The feet must be of a good
size, correct in shape, strong, and absolutely sound. A malformed or
diseased foot, and indeed a small or shelly one, would be perfectly in-
capable of carrying on a week's hard work upon the stone-paved streets
of Glasgow or any other large town in which Clydesdale horses are utilized
for heavy draught purposes. The feet, therefore, should be round, wide
at the corners, the crust thick, and the heels well developed.
The middle-piece of a Clydesdale should be big and well sprung at
the ribs, a flat-sided specimen of the breed being objected to by most
judges. The back is frequently a little longer than it should be to be
quite in accordance with what is desired. A slight drop in the back is
perceptible in some of the very best horses of the breed, and so is not
to be regarded as a disqualification or even as a very serious fault,
though it is unquestionably unsightly, and should not be encouraged.
The quarters are wide, lengthy, powerful, and well let down.
The hocks are connected with the stifles by thighs well clothed with
muscle, and are themselves broad, well developed, clean, of course, and set
at a nice angle. Below the hocks, the bone should be plentiful and fiat,
the hocks being near the ground, and the legs perhaps carried a little
forward. The feather is abundant and extends upwards to the hocks.
The pasterns gently slope and the feet are sound, well shaped, and of
ample size.
The chief colours to be found amongst Clydesdales are brown, black,
and bay. Gray is admissible but is not usually encouraged, whereas
both chestnuts and roans are not recognized. Most Clydesdales are more
or less heavily marked with white, as were the old Lochlyoch mares,
the excellence of which has been referred to above. The usual and
preferable height for a stallion is about 16 "3 hands, or an inch over, the
mares, of course, standing lower at the shoulder.
The action of a Clydesdale chiefly consists of a light, springy, even walk,
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HEAVY HORSES                                                 193
his step being firm and brisk, and his feet being lifted well off the
ground. A Clydesdale's carriage has also a great deal to do with his
success under a good judge. A gay bearing of the head is much admired,
whilst in walking or standing the horse should stand level and straight
upon his feet, an inward or an outward turn being a fault, the latter,
however, being by far the worst. A free elastic walk is not the only pace
at which a Clydesdale can distinguish himself, however, as many of the
big Scottish horses are very free-actioned, and have gained quite reputa-
tions for being fast and nimble trotters. In fact, at an early Bristol
show a Clydesdale outstripped many of the light horses upon the ground;
but such a performance is, of course, exceptional.
The constitution of the Clydesdale is remarkably robust, and although
he may not possibly belong to so long-lived a variety as the Suffolk,
the north country horse can usually be relied on to withstand the effects
of cold, wet, and hard work, better than any of the heavy varieties in
existence.
From what has been written of the Clydesdale, it will be clearly seen
that though he may not have the same claims to the possession of an
ancient lineage as the Shire horse or the Suffolk, he is nevertheless an
animal of a defined type, and, as a variety, quite old enough to be relied
upon as a true breeder to that type. Moreover, it may honestly be con-
tended on his behalf that the Clydesdale supplies a want, which in his
absence it would be impossible for the employers of a certain stamp of
draught-horse to fill adequately. He is, in fact, the pony of the heavy
horses, so freely does he move, the liberty and freedom of his action
being possibly inherited from the old Galloway mares from whom he
claims to be descended. It is, in fact, impossible to conceive that a
more active horse of his weight and height could be produced, even by
successive generations of skilful breeders. No visitor to Glasgow can
fail to notice how perfectly the breed is adapted for dray and lorry work
upon granite streets of a great city. One day's experience of the Clydes-
dales attached to drays, and walking off with ponderous burdens, would
be sufficient to impress a careful observer with the immense value of
the breed for heavy draught; whilst the frequently-displayed impetuosity
°f the horse to commence his work, the swiftness with which he at once
fills his collar and steps out again after a sudden check in the streets,
his general soundness and excellent constitution, all combine to justify
bis admirers in the eulogies they bestow upon the Clydesdale, their
favourite breed of horse.
The Suffolk. — Perhaps in the eyes of the ordinary visitor to an
agricultural show there is no variety of the so-called Heavy Horse more
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VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
194
attractive than the Suffolk. The breed, moreover, comes as somewhat of a
novelty to many persons, for, in spite of the great claims possessed by the
Suffolk upon the suffrages of the agriculturist and the townsman, it is still
in East Anglia that his merits are most keenly appreciated, and, in fact, the
farmers in that part of the country prefer the Suffolk to any other breed
of heavy horse. It is, however, against the breed that the proportions of
a Suffolk do not equal those of a Clydesdale or a Shire horse, many persons
being thereby led away into a belief that the east country animals are
proportionately weaker than the others; whereas those who are best
acquainted with their merits entertain the opinion that, considering his
height—-16 hands 1 inch is the recognized limit of stature in connection
with this variety —■ the Suffolk is quite as powerful an animal as any
other breed of horse in existence.
Probably, therefore, if he were better known, the Suffolk would con-
siderably increase the circle of his supporters; but, in the face of the
patronage that is now being extended to both Clydesdales and Shires,
the development of the east country horse will be for a time retarded.
Nevertheless, he is holding his ground well abroad, and orders keep
coming in from various foreign countries, whilst good prices continue
to be realized by fair-class animals from buyers who possess practical
experience of their merits. No doubt this horse has not the weight or
power to draw, through crowded streets, heavy lorries and other such cum-
bersome vehicles when loaded to their utmost—such duties lie far more
within the province of the Clydesdale and the Shire; but in front of a
plough, with a good man behind it, a pair of Suffolks can get through a
day's work that should amply satisfy the requirements of any reasonably-
minded agriculturist. Then, too, for the lighter class of goods traffic in
towns the Suffolk is a very suitable horse, for he is so much more active
than the Shire or Clydesdale, in addition to being faster than either, that
he can get through a day's work in a comparatively light wagon far better
than they. Consequently he possesses many friends amongst the managers
of railway and other parcel delivery companies, who include amongst the
goods they have to handle large quantities of articles, which though not
weighty enough to load in their heaviest vans, are still too bulky and
cumbersome for express deliveries.
The precise origin of the Suffolk is, like that of most ancient
breeds, enshrouded in obscurity, but, at the same time, the antiquity
of this horse is absolutely beyond all question. So far back as the
year 1720, allusions to the breed in the Ipsivich Journal are so frequent
as to render it certain that it was firmly established at that remote period.
Indeed it is asserted by some that the Suffolks were cultivated as a
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HEAVY HOESES
195
distinct breed five hundred years ago by crossing the old Norman horse
with East of England mares; though it must be observed, in justice to
other breeds of less remote antiquity, that the proofs of such assertions
are insufficient. Be this as it may, the fact remains that the Suffolks
of the present day can boast of pedigrees that extend back as far as
1768, at which period there existed a notable but nameless stallion
belonging to one Crisp, a resident at Ufford, near Woodbridge. From
this animal every prominent winner at our horse shows to-day, if not
every pure-bred Suffolk, is in some way or other descended. It is
noticeable, too, that the allusions made to this horse in the Suffolk
Chronicle
and Ipswich Journal are substantiated by the writings of
persons living about the middle of the eighteenth century, who, according
to a writer in Heavy Horses, were accustomed to advertise the pedigrees
of animals which went back for two or three generations at the very least.
In stating that every Suffolk of to-day can take his pedigree back to the
nameless horse of Mr. Crisp, it must not be understood that no attempts
have been made to effect improvements in the variety by the introduction
of outside crosses; but, at the same time, these have all been made in
connection with the descendants of the old horse, and, so far as can be
gathered by persons who have interested themselves in following these
crosses out, they have not been attended with success, as all trace of them
has been lost in the course of a few generations. It is known that certain
crosses of the old Lincolnshire blood have been attempted, and the ex-
periment of crossing with a trotting horse has also been made—the latter
being possibly introduced with an idea of rendering the Suffolk more
valuable as a coacher, as it is stated that the breed was cultivated by
the owners of stage-coaches in the early days of the eighteenth century,
when the rate of progression was slower than it became later on.
It would appear probable that these crosses with alien blood were
responsible for the bay animals which formerly appeared in the breed,
but for the past half-century the Suffolk Punches have returned to the
ancient colour of their race, chestnut, and even the darker shade of this
colour has practically ceased to be seen. No doubt many persons more
or less strongly object to chestnuts, which are by some considered to be
weakly in constitution, and by others to be fretful and irritable in their
dispositions; and perhaps the Suffolks may owe to the colour of their
coats a little of their failure to gain new admirers as quickly as have
some other breeds; but the fact remains that all the original horses of the
breed concerning which descriptions are forthcoming were chestnuts, and
that the old colour came out again as strongly and as unvaryingly as
ever even in the descendants of some of the crosses which were attempted
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196                                     VARIETIES OF THE HOESE
years ago, as stated above. At the same time, it may be added, in con-
firmation of the suggestion that his colour has been in some measure
responsible for the comparative failure of the Suffolk, that American
writers have proposed that an organized attempt should be made to
introduce bay Suffolks; but, needless to say, the good sense of English
breeders has stepped in and prevented any tampering with the purity
of an old-established race, that has already proved its unsuitability for
being improved by crossing with other varieties.
Whether the introduction of alien blood is in any way responsible for
the appearance of the different shade of chestnut and the white markings
that are to be found amongst the Suffolks of the present day, is a question
that cannot be settled definitely; but probably it is not so, for, as before
observed, the crosses all proved to the highest extent unsatisfactory, and
were permitted to die out as far and with as little delay as possible, when
their inutility was proved. White markings, though permissible to a
certain extent on a Suffolk, are nevertheless very far from being liked, and
whilst animals which inherit the misfortune of possessing a bald face or
a white stocking are eligible for the stud-book, it is questionable whether
the presence of any white beyond a little on the heel, and perhaps a small
star on the forehead, would not entirely ruin the prospects of a Suffolk
in the show-ring. Of course, no colour of coat other than chestnut is
admissible in an animal that is desired to enter for the Suffolk Stud-book
Association, it being distinctly laid down that though the shade may vary,
there is no place for any horses save chestnuts on the pages of the
Society's official volume. The favourite shade of chestnut is the deep
bright hue, with mane and tail to match; whereas the mealy, soft,
smudgy-coloured animals, while being much disliked, are tolerated. Light
manes and tails are also strongly objected to by the majority of breeders,
although they need not be regarded as serious faults, much less as dis-
qualifications, and indeed some Suffolk men profess to prefer horses thus
marked to the whole-coloured animals. Silvery hairs have distinguished
many good strains of Suffolks, it must be remembered, whilst the very
dark-hued animals are considered by some breeders to be the best consti-
tutioned of any, though on this ground there are differences of opinion.
The late Mr. Hume Webster, in his pamphlet on the breed, actually
went the length of asserting that there were about seven shades of chest-
nut Suffolks, varying from the mealy to the brown-black, the extreme
colours being the least liked, whilst the hue which he refers to as " guinea-
gold" he selected as the most popular, not only in this country but
amongst American buyers.
In addition to his colour the Suffolk is distinguished from the Clydes-
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HEAVY HOESES
dale and the Shire horse by the fact that he is a clean-legged animal,
and does not possess the extreme amount of feather that is so much
sought after by breeders of these varieties. This circumstance may very
possibly be accepted as an additional reason for the slowness which has-
characterized the headway made by the Suffolk amongst agriculturists,.
for they are great advocates of hair and bone, and a general belief
prevails that if hair is absent on a heavy horse's legs, bone is certain
to be deficient likewise. This, however, is not generally accepted by
the breeders of Suffolks, who support their contentions by measure-
ments, and assert that their favourite horse—that is, when his height
at shoulder and general bulk are taken into consideration-—is fully
the equal of his heavier rivals as regards the amount of bone he-
possesses below the knee. As a case in point, Mr. Hume Webster refers
to Mr. Alfred J. Smith's champion stallion Wedgwood, who at the time
he wrote was five years old, and measured 7 feet 11 inches in girth, and
lOf inches below the knee—a very considerable measurement when it is
remembered that there is no hair included in the dimensions given, as
there would be in the case of a Clydesdale or a Shire horse. Wedgwood,
it may be stated, was foaled in the year 1886, and was the winner of
championship both at the show of the Eoyal Agricultural Society of Eng-
land, and many Suffolk county shows. The Suffolk, moreover, is credited
with a very enviable reputation for being a good horse so far as the-,
soundness of his feet is concerned, and consequently it is claimed for hiirn
that he lasts longer upon the stones of a town than any other variety
that is put to the same class of work. In fact, so far as the wear and
tear of his legs is concerned, the Suffolk affords a practical illustration
of the fact that a great deal of hair upon the legs of a horse is no indication
of special durability and soundness, for many a Suffolk will continue
working at an age at which other heavy horses become worn out.
Longevity, indeed, is one of the chief claims which Suffolk breeders insist
upon making for their horses, and if half the stories that are told of aged
animals retaining all their juvenile vigour for many years after they
should in the usual order of things be long past work, be true—and
there is no reason for doubting the numerous instances that are forth-
coming on the subject—the Suffolk's term of usefulness is certainly a
Prolonged one.
The extreme docility of the breed is another great point in its favour,
as it is something for an owner to feel that he is possessed of a strain
of horses that rarely, if ever, develop vice, but on the contrary are
Usually endowed with the sweetest of tempers and generosity. That
the Suffolk is a very willing horse is rendered quite apparent by a visit
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198
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
to any farm upon which he is employed. Unlike many chestnuts, too,
the natural gameness of the Punches is not neutralized by hot-headedness
•or vice of any kind; on the contrary, they are a somewhat phlegmatic-
dispositioned variety, though they possess an amount of courage which
■enables them to face and endure the hardest of work. The Suffolk,
moreover, possesses another great recommendation; he is an animal that
requires very little breaking, as he takes to work almost as naturally
as a duckling faces water. Above all things he is an agricultural
horse, but where pace and strength combined are required, as in the
case of town work, he is equally at home. Beyond all doubt, he is the
most nimble and active of all the so-called heavy varieties; whilst, as
lias been stated before, the Suffolk, for his size, is a very small feeder,
and will flourish and look well upon an amount of food that would be
totally insufficient for many other big horses. As an instance of the
longevity of the Suffolk horse, it is stated in the Society's Stud-book,
that at one of the earliest exhibitions held by the Suffolk Agricultural
Society, a brood mare aged thirty-seven years was amongst the com-
petitors, and at that time she was accompanied by a sucking foal. So
far back, too, as the year 1813, Arthur Young, in writing of this variety
of horse, alluded to the fact that Mr. Wright, of Eockfort Hall, had
seventeen of them in his possession, and that during the space of ten
years he had not added one to his stud except a stallion. Julian's Boxer
travelled as a stallion for twenty-five seasons; the dam of Lofft's Cup-
bearer, owned by the Kev. 0. Reynolds of Leabach, was one of the six-
teen foals which her owner had bred from her dam in sixteen successive
years; and the mare from which Rising Star, the first-prize horse at
Leeds in 1861, was bred, was twenty-two years old when the colt was
foaled. The above are a few instances of the longevity and vitality of
the Suffolk horse, and these could be multiplied many times were it
necessary to do so; but enough has probably been written to convince the
reader, if he were unacquainted with the fact before, that the variety now
under consideration is a very remarkably long-lived and fruitful one, in
addition to being a very willing worker.
The head of the Suffolk Punch shows more breeding and quality
about it than that of any other heavy horse, a very conspicuous feature
being the eye, which is full of expression, yet mild and intelligent-looking
to a degree. The neck is powerful and well formed, and the crest beauti-
fully turned. The head-piece is well carried, the shoulders, which are very
long, lie rather forward, this being desirable for the purposes of draught.
The chest is wide and deep, the girth of the middle-piece being very
considerable, whilst the body as a whole is long and substantially built.
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HEAVY HORSES                                                 199
The back is very strong, the hind quarters long and heavy, and close-
coupled with the loin; the legs standing well under the body. The fore-
legs—a very essential point, for however good an animal's top may be,
he will be worthless if he has not legs and feet to carry him—must be
short, flat, and possessed of plenty of hard bone, big at the knees and free
from feather, whilst the pasterns are short and powerful, with little hair
on them, the feet being of a good size and truly shaped. In height the
Suffolk should stand from 15 hands 3 inches to 16 hands 2 inches at
the shoulder, as if he is smaller he will lose power, and if bigger he is
likely to be deficient in that symmetry and compactness which are so
characteristic of the breed. So much space-has already been devoted to
the question of colour that it is unnecessary to refer to that question
again, beyond remarking that it is imperatively necessary that it should
be chestnut of some shade or other, but preferably the deeper ones,
and the less white the better. In general appearance the Suffolk
Punch is very happily described in the Suffolk Stud - book as being
long, low, and wide, and this summary of his outline cannot possibly
be bettered.
Considerable importance, and very properly too, is attached to the
action of their horses by the breeders of Suffolks, who for the most part
are united in decrying the presence of a high-flying action in a heavy horse.
In the words of the official description of the variety, which cannot possibly
be improved upon: " The Suffolk horse is an excellent mover, with a smart,
quick step, a true balance all round at the trot, and a capital walker". As
may naturally be supposed, an ultra-high flashy action is not desired, and it
is naively added that " a horse weighing a ton bending his knee up to his
throat latch, and striking the granite with his feet like a sledge-hammer, is
not an exhibition that the Suffolk farmer has any delight in". In fact, a
Suffolk that is heavy enough for the largest dray is seldom if ever called
upon for an exhibition of speed and high action; even if he is only up
to ordinary railway delivery-van wTork he is never likely to be wanted
u0 go more than seven or eight miles an hour, and this class of animal
^ul never scale a ton. As Mr. Hume Webster alleges, there can be no
doubt that the old variety of Suffolks were famous not only for their
Uinrbleness of action but for the honesty ol continuance with which they
^ould exert themselves at a dead pull. He also added, with pardonable
pride — for in his lifetime he was a most enthusiastic admirer of the
-Punches—that the Suffolks of his day (1891) did not belie those great
Qualities of their ancestors. They are good drawers, and will continue
o tug again and again at a dead pull without any need of the whip.
he pure-bred Suffolk needs no whip, but at a signal from his driver
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200
VARIETIES OE THE HORSE
will be almost down on his knees in a moment, and will not be beaten
by any reasonable load.
No doubt the weight and size of the modern Suffolk have been increased
to meet the requirements of the market, but they still continue to retain the
activity and action which distinguished their ancestors in the past. With
so much to recommend them, therefore, it is not surprising that, in spite of
the obstacles that oppose them owing to the established popularity of other
heavy breeds, the Punches are steadily, though perhaps slowly, making
headway amongst agriculturists both at home and abroad. The parcels
delivery companies, which require active yet powerful wear-and-tear animals
of robust constitutions for their trade, are always glad if they can get
possession of any of the lighter specimens of the breed. Whether the
Suffolk will ever reach the position of the most favoured Reavy horse is
perhaps a matter of considerable doubt, but to those who require for their
work a fast, active, good-tempered, and good-constitutioned draught-horse,
there is no gainsaying the fact that they might do far worse for themselves
than by giving a chance to the handsome and long-lived Suffolk Punch,
whose antiquity alone may commend him to their consideration.
FOREIGN BREEDS
The Arab.—There is unfortunately no room left for doubting that the
Arab horse has suffered much through the mistaken and excessive partisan-
ship of over-zealous friends. The lavish—one might almost adopt the
expression fulsome—flattery of which he has been the victim has certainly
alienated from him the sympathies of many a practical man; whilst the
hysterical and childish allusions to this, in very many respects, most
valuable horse as the " courser of the desert", the " Arab's faithful steed ",
and such like sentimentalities, are, though possibly welcomed by the
readers of improving works for the young, very far from calculated to
attract a business man who wants his horse to use and not to gush over.
In fact, had it not been for the existence of a small body of practical
supporters of the breed, who have laboured in a serious manner to benefit
the horse, there is good reason to believe that the Arab would have been
to all intents and purposes non-existent in this country by now; but even
as matters are, the position occupied by him is very different from that
which should be occupied by the horse to which the Thoroughbred is
indebted for many of his excellencies.
This admission is not exactly complimentary to the gratitude of English
breeders, but a very reasonable excuse exists for their desertion of the Arab
in the fact that the majority of his supporters appear to be so perfectly
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FOREIGN BREEDS                                               201
satisfied with him as he is, that very few of them have done anything to
improve him by selection. No attempts appear to have been made to
improve his speed, or action, by a series of inter-Arab crosses, the great
aim of his admirers having been to obtain the blood of certain families;
and having achieved this object, the majority of them seem to have been
content. It is true that the Arab has increased somewhat in stature, as
all breeds of horses do which receive the benefit of a residence in Eng-
land, the climate of which, to say nothing of the high feeding, undoubtedly
produces size; but in this respect the Arab has not been improved, in
the opinion of some authorities, though many persons possessing open
minds upon the subject entertain the belief that he might have been
made better than he is.
Notwithstanding the above remarks, the writer does not desire it to be
imagined that he is to be included in the ranks of Arabphobes, but, on the
contrary, in the category of well-wishers of the breed. The Arab, in his
proper place, is beyond all doubt a most valuable and useful horse, which
is worthy of being appreciated far more highly than he is, and which has
not exactly received fair-play from his opponents, who, quite forgetting
what he has done for horseflesh in this country, have been disposed to
depreciate his merits because he has not been proved the possessor of all
the accomplishments claimed for him by over-zealous advocates. If only
on account of the antiquity of his lineage the Arab is entitled to respect,
for, although very few persons will be found to accept the theory that this
was the breed selected by Noah as " the best" to accompany him in the
ark, there is no doubt at all that this horse has been an inhabitant of
the desert for centuries, and that his Arab owners have guarded the pure
blood most jealously. It is true, of course, that no written records are
forthcoming to prove the authenticity of early Arab pedigrees, but it must
be remembered that in the East it is the custom to accept oral evidence,
and there is no reason whatever for disbelieving such pedigrees of im-
ported horses as have been carefully investigated and enquired into by
experienced persons on the spot.
The Arab, according to all the authorities best qualified to judge,
*s descended from five mares, namely, Keheilan, Seglawi, Abeyan, Ham-
dami, and Hadban. From these, other families have sprung, but the
blood of one or other of the above mares runs in the veins of every
animal which in the remotest degree can claim to be regarded as an
Arab. No doubt the families have occasionally been interbred, but this
circumstance would not affect the right of the offspring to be regarded as
a first-class pure Arab, and prized accordingly; and when such unions
have occurred, the foal has been included in the family of its dam; thus
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202                                     VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
a colt by a Seglawi horse and a Keheilan mare would be styled a Keheilan,
and would rank as a first-class Arab of untarnished pedigree. On the
other hand, if a mare belonging to this class should be mated with a
horse of inferior blood, or in any respect other than a member of her
own rank, she and her foals are at once transferred to the second class;
whilst the third class is composed of animals which, though possessing
relationship with the highest order, are still further removed from them
in blood, mis-marked foals of good breeding, and the like. Affixes are
used to denote the best specimens of the five great families, and are also
applied to the animals of the second class. As may be supposed, sub-
families have sprung up which have taken their names from their founders,
such as the Seglawi Jedran, one of the most sought-for classes; and though,
perhaps, the Keheilans are the most numerous, the best type of Arabs is
the Nejdean, though it is becoming rare.
Many owners, of course, possess specimens of all the five great Arab
families alluded to above, and Lady Anne Blunt, in her charming work,
A Pilgrimage to JSfejd, alludes to the fact that in the stables of Ibu
Eashid at Hail, which she went over several times, there were mares of
the following families:—Keheilet el Krush, a 14 hands 1 inch chestnut;
a bay Hamdami Simri; a young Seglawi Sheyfi; a 14 hands 2 inch
dark bay Keheilet Ajaz; and a gray Seglawi Jedran, &c. These mares,
it will be noticed, all belong to the family of one of the five mares—
or " Al Kamsch", as they are termed in the desert—whilst the affixes show
the name of the breeder who founded the sub-family in which they are
included. Thus Seglawi Jedran implies that the mare is of the great
Seglawi family of Jedran's strain.
In height the mares found by Lady Anne Blunt in the stables at
Hail were certainly below that which would recommend them to English
judges of insular ideas; but, as stated above, a very great increase in
stature is observable amongst many animals of undoubtedly the purest
desert blood in this country, where Arabs of 15 hands 3 inches are not
unknown; similar cases have been reported from Hungary, where these
horses are much appreciated. It is therefore incorrect to stigmatize the
Arab as necessarily being a little horse, though many good judges prefer
him small; and it is also a libel on the breed to reproach them with
being light in bone. Of course, as in the case of all varieties, some Arabs
are not so massive as others; many appear to be far slenderer below
the knee than they really are, this fact having impressed itself very
strongly upon the mind of the writer when he, quite unknown to the
owners, some of whom he had never seen, measured the girth of the
fore-legs of the competitors at the Crystal Palace show in 1896. In
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SUFFOLK STALLION, RULER 2453
By Prince Arthur 2268; dam, Scott 2221. The Property of Messrs. Wilson, Hadleigh, Suffolk.
Winner of Numerous Prizes
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FOREIGN BREEDS
203
another respect the bone of an Arab is admittedly unsurpassed by that
of any other breed of horse, and that is in its quality, as for density,
fineness, and elasticity it is perfect, and hence, no doubt, the immense
value of an Arab cross to certain breeds which are the victims of coarse,
spongy bone. The Arab is also to be commended for his charming
temper; excitable and spirited he is, no doubt, but vicious horses are
very rare, in fact almost unknown, and a few soothing words, even from
a stranger, if he understands horses, will usually quiet the most ruffled
feelings.
It has been remarked above that few serious attempts appear to
have been made in this country to improve the speed of the Arab by
scientific breeding, Mr. Wilfrid Blunt being a notable and honourable
exception. The Arab also has seldom been subjected to a proper course
of training, and the performances of some representatives of the breed
when matched to run against Thoroughbreds at Newmarket can scarcely
have been accepted as encouraging to Arab owners to persevere with
them on the turf in this country. In India, however, Arabs run very
well, and successfully carry big weights over long distances of ground
in good company, their stamina being as pronounced as it is remarkable,
considering that the chief grain they are fed on in their native land is
barley. There are, however, many other uses for the Arab quite inde-
pendent of racing, and it is surprising in the first instance to consider
how his qualifications as a saddle horse have been ignored by the public.
Detractors of the horse take exception to his shoulders, which certainly,
as in all other breeds, are not invariably so good—that is, so long and
sloping—-as they might be; but in the case of the Arab the muscular
development at this point is very great, and this circumstance not in-
frequently causes wrong impressions regarding the form and character
of his shoulders. Moreover, those who try one generally pronounce an
Arab a good ride; and it must not be forgotten by his detractors that
he has never been subject to the degradation of leather by his owners
m the East, but has been used as a saddle horse from time immemorial.
His big quarters, well-shaped, springy pasterns, and light head specially
qualify the Arab for saddle purposes; and therefore, as he can jump
well and stay, these properties, combined with his usually perfect
manners, should cause him to be sought for as a lady's hack or light-
weight hunter.
As a cross for many other breeds the qualifications of the Arab are
undeniable. Through the male line, at all events, he has given us the
Thoroughbred, and probably the old Pack-horse, and through the latter
the Hackney, and other breeds—two of the finest movers whose names
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204
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
appear in the Hackney Horse Stud-book, namely, Movement and Magpie,
strain back on their dam's side to an Arab—and even upon these grounds
it should be impossible to ignore his merits. Nor has the Arab been
subjected to a course of treatment and training, such as that bestowed
upon the Thoroughbred, which is calculated to impair his soundness. In
the desert he is brought up hardy enough—Lady Anne Blunt reports
having seen the choicest mares of the Hail stud standing in the open
tethered by one foot to brick mangers, and covered with rugs, no shelter
of any kind being provided for them; and in this country, to their
credit, owners rarely coddle their Arabs. Consequently, when a breeder
is anxious to impart quality, stamina, and constitution to his horse, speed
and height at shoulder being secondary considerations, the Arab is more
likely to produce these, and less likely to transmit infirmities than the
Thoroughbred. As a sire of Polo ponies the Arab has done very wTell
indeed, his stock having pace, alertness, intelligence, and manners to
recommend them, whilst his first crosses with Suffolk horses have proved
themselves big-framed, neat-headed, good-quartered, very useful animals,
which look like carrying weight to hounds.
The head of an Arab is of good size so far as the upper portion is
concerned, being rather long from the ears to the eyes, and wide across
the forehead, which should be convex and not fiat, this being regarded
as a fault. The ears are fairly long, fine, and pointed; the eyes not too
full and soft in expression, but capable of showing excitement when
aroused, the face often denuded of hair for a small distance round them,
which gives them the appearance of being circled with rims of dark-
coloured skin. The lower part of the head tapers suddenly towards
the muzzle, which is very fine and imparts a blood-like appearance to
the head, whilst the lower lip projects slightly. The neck is very
powerful and nicely arched, with the throat well developed; the chest
rather narrow, but deep, with the ribs swelling out behind the forearms,
which causes the girth to be considerable; the back short, and the loins
and quarters extremely powerful. The forearms are long to the knee,
but the canons below are short; the pasterns long and springy, and
the feet deep and sound. The thighs are big, and the joints all round
should be well formed, the skin and coat being soft and silken respectively.
The tail of the Arab should be set on high, and carried, as has been
suggested, like that of a rocking-horse when at repose, but when the
animal is excited it is raised somewhat. The position and carriage of
the tail are points much considered in the East, and it is believed by
some persons that the tails of young foals are twisted into the desired
shape if they appear likely to be carried low. Colours vary in the Arab,
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FOEEIGN BEEEDS                                               205
bays, chestnuts, grays, and browns being all found amongst pure stock;
but blacks, roans, and skewbalds are tabooed. The Emir Ibu Eashid,
the owner of the Hail stud, according to Lady Anne Blunt, preferred
a bay or a chestnut, whilst many persons would rather possess a white
with black hoofs, but it is worthy of remark that of the hundred mares
at Hail forty were grays or whites, thirty bays, twenty chestnuts, and
ten brown, which may fairly be taken to represent the usual proportion
of the colours.
The Percheron.—The Percheron is the best known and most valuable
of the French breeds of horse, and is certainly of ancient extraction,
though it is doubtful whether, as some persons are inclined to believe,
the tap-roots of the variety were brought into France by the Crusaders
who returned from the Holy Wars centuries ago. It is probable, however,
that the Arab had a share in the production of the Percheron; and so
far back as the year 1760 it is suggested that the Eastern stallions were
utilized by Count Mallart for the service of mares belonging to the
Coesme stud, over which he presided. Subsequently, however, the
English Thoroughbred appeared upon the scene, and took the place of
the Easterns; but in 1820 two gray Arabs arrived in the district and
were largely bred from, and to these horses it is generally believed that
the modern Percheron is indebted for his gray colour. There is, how-
ever, reason for believing that the old blood has pretty well died out,
for the department where they originated is only a small place, and
as mares and other stock were disposed of, their places were supplied
by importations from Brittany and elsewhere, the result being that the
old strain became mixed.
The fact, too, that the Percheron exists in three types, or perhaps
grades would be the better expression — heavy, middle, and light—goes
some way towards confusing the modern seeker after information as
to what the original stock was like. It is reasonable, however, to assume
that the original Percherons were of the class of animal that was adaptable
for stage-coach work, and that as these vehicles became ousted from the
service of the public by railways, the breeders of the district applied
themselves to the production of a heavier class of animal which could
be used for van and light agricultural work. In support of this contention
there is the fact that within the past fifty years heavy mares, and stallions
too, were brought into this district from Brittany, Picardy, and Caux,
and these, no doubt, were crossed with the remaining Percherons. With
the view of stopping the further contamination of the old blood, a local
Horse Association was established, but it does not appear to have effected
much good, as the attempt made to sustain the old light type by insti-
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206                                      VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
tuting trotting competitions simply had the effect of attracting English
trotters, though it may be added that some excellent performances are
attributed to Percherons located in the department whence they take
their name. Indeed the chief merit which is claimed for the breed is the
faculty for trotting fast in front of a comparatively heavy load, while the
constitution of a Percheron is described as being most robust, his temper
excellent, and his endurance and precocity both above the average. As
regards his endurance, however, opinions differ very decidedly, as many
who can speak with authority consider that the breed is soft.
In height a Percheron ranges from 15 to 16 hands, and at the present
day he is more often to be found of the middle than of the light or heavy
type. His head is rather large, the forehead wide, the eyes rather full; his
neck is short and massive, and is adorned by a very full mane; his withers
high; and his shoulders of fair length, and set back. He is deep in chest,
and somewhat round in barrel; his back being inclined to be long, whilst
his tail is set on high. His legs are short, but the tendons below the knee
are rather weak. The prevailing colour is gray, but the opinion has been
expressed that it would be desirable to attempt to change in this respect to
bay, but how this could be accomplished without a further and possibly
fatal encroachment upon the purity of the breed, such as it is, it is difficult
to see.
It has already been stated that Percherons of the middle degree of
stature and development are the most common; but it may be added that
the light-framed type is usually to be found in the Norman portion of the
district, such as Courtomer, Moulins la Manche, and Aigle; whilst the chief
stronghold of the heavy type is in the neighbourhood of Forte Bernard,
Saint Corme, and Maniers.
The Hanoverian Horse.—Probably most persons who know that
His Majesty's Creams which are attached to his carriage on great state
occasions are of Hanoverian blood, are quite unaware that there is, or at
all events was until recently, a breed of equally valuable white horses in
the royal stables of Herrenhausen. No doubt the national emblem of
Hanover—a white horse—was derived from this ancient breed, which was
utilized for drawing the king on state occasions, just as the creams, or
" Isabels" as they are styled in their own country, were pressed at the
same time into fulfilling a similar duty to the queen. Whence these two
breeds originally came, the writer was unable to ascertain when he paid a
visit to the Herrenhausen stables, as the memory of the oldest retainer
belonging to the establishment was a blank upon the subject; but there
are very good grounds for believing that the creams are descended from
an ancient Danish breed of that colour. Their antiquity, however, is
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FOREIGN BREEDS                                               207
unquestionable, and what is more, both varieties breed perfectly true tc
colour; and a most remarkable peculiarity of the white horses—"white-
boned horses" as they are known in Hanover—is that the foals are all
thrown absolutely white, a fact which was proved by the existence of one
only a few hours old in one of the boxes at the time of the writer's visit
to Herrenhausen.
Irrespective of their unusual colour, their antiquity, and the fact that
until Hanover ceased to exist as an independent state, the whites and the
creams were respectively the horses of the king and queen, there is nothing
extremely remarkable about them. They were all tall, powerful animals,
rather inclined to coarseness, and not particularly good about the shoulders,
but no doubt serviceable if put to work, which, however, they very rarely
were. Their tails, which were squared, extended down to their heels, and
their manes were correspondingly long. They are stated to be an ex-
tremely long-lived breed, and as the founders of the sovereign of England's
stud of state horses, will always be regarded with feelings of deep interest
if not of veneration by his loyal subjects.
The Morgan Horse.—This is an American production in the shape of
a harness horse, the precise origin of which is obscure, though, according to
all accounts, it is descended back to a stallion named Justin Morgan, which
was the property of a resident in Randolph, Vermont, whose name he bore.
This horse appears to have been foaled somewhere about the end of the
eighteenth century, but the date of his being dropped and his pedigree
are alike matters of pure conjecture in spite of the many attempts which
have been made to ascertain the facts concerning him. Perhaps the
consensus of opinion tends to show that Justin Morgan originally came
from Canada; but this theory is opposed by many persons on the
grounds that the Canadians are not so easy in their action, though, on
the other hand, they possess more durable feet.
The Morgan horse is claimed to be the possessor of stamina above
the average, and is therefore described as being " entitled to the appel-
lation of a fast traveller", as a good one can cover a great number of
miles a day and keep up a good pace. As a useful harness horse, with
moderate weight, the Morgans were highly popular some forty or fifty
years ago in their native State, where they possess many admirers even
now. They are not a big breed, the usual height being from 14 to 15
hands, the prevailing colour being bay. In make, the Morgans are round
and heavy, with lean heads, wide and deep chest, the fore-legs are set
Well apart, clean and sinewy, besides being strong, and, as a transatlantic
authority on the breed observes as to make and endurance, they have
"that projection of ribs from the spine which is a sure indication of
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208
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
powerful lungs, and consequently of great wind and bottom". No
doubt about the middle of the last century the Morgan horses were
extremely popular in America, though not adapted for great speed at
short distances; but as little, if anything, is now heard of them now-
adays outside the State of Vermont, it is evident that they have not
succeeded in maintaining the reputation which they then possessed. Of
late, however, these horses appear to be receiving more attention from
American breeders.
The Oldenburgh.—This breed, which is raised in the district of
Germany from which it takes its name, may be regarded as, upon the
whole, the most valuable of all the Continental varieties of heavy carriage
horse. At all events many—far too many—scores of Oldenburghs are
to be seen in the Park every London season, as British dealers, despairing
to find the stamp of horse that is required for landau work in the home
market, are compelled to patronize the foreigners.
Without, however, laying one's self open to the reproach of being
narrow-minded and insular in one's views, the opinion may be expressed
that, showy and imposing as the Oldenburghs are, they do not possess
the bottom and the stamina of Hackneys, Cleveland Bays, or Yorkshire
Coachers. On the other hand, they fill the eye as extremely fine-looking
barouche or landau animals, for though, as a rule, they may not possess
the finish about the head of the Yorkshire Coacher or the Hackney, or
the quarters of any of the British Harness breeds, they carry them-
selves for the most part very boldly, have fine middles and plenty of
bone, and are almost invariably very good indeed in colour, a gray or a
chestnut being a rarity amongst them.
Beyond all doubt the Oldenburgh is an ancient variety of horse, indeed
it is claimed for the breed that it has been in existence for over three
hundred years, and no doubt the tap-root from which the modern Olden-
burgh has descended must have been alive somewhere and in some form
at an earlier date. This admission does not, however, go the length of
suggesting that no foreign blood has been introduced into the old strain
whatever it may have been; and the appearance of the Oldenburghs very
strongly suggests the presence of Hackney and Coacher blood. From the
former, beyond all doubt, the fine action which is characteristic of the
German horse has been derived, and it is extremely probable that the
Coacher gave him size and quality, the latter through the thoroughbred
blood the Yorkshire possesses, and very likely colour as well.
Whilst upon the subject of colour, it must be admitted with feelings
akin to shame, that Continental horse-breeders are far in advance of the
Englishman in this respect. They have from the first realized the fact
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FOREIGN BREEDS
209
that bays and browns are the colours most in request amongst those who
use big horses, and chestnut the least popular of all; and it is mainly
to the fact that our foreign rivals can supply the public with what the
latter want, that British horse-dealers can find in Germany and elsewhere
the class of animal which is so very scarce at home.
In addition to size and colour the breeders of the Continent have aimed
at the production of action and style, and these they certainly have secured;
as for his height and weight, the Oldenburgh possesses both these charac-
teristics, the latter to a marked degree. Opinions differ as to whether the
constitution of this horse is robust or not, his foreign breeders averring
that it is; but people who have experience of him in this country are by
no means unanimous on the point. Moreover, it may be repeated that,
though there are exceptions, the Oldenburgh, horse for horse, does not
possess the endurance of the British breeds from which he is descended;
but for park work he is well adapted, and hence his frequent appear-
ance in the equipages of the highest in the land.
The Holstein.—The district in which this horse is produced is easily
ascertained from, the name borne by the variety, which, beyond a doubt,
is a very ancient one. Indeed it is claimed on behalf of the Holstein that
several celebrated studs in Germany, Spain, and Italy have descended
from representatives of this breed which have been imported into these
countries, and it is practically certain that this horse was the tap-root
from which the Hanoverian breed originally sprang.
The origin of this variety, it must be candidly admitted, is obscure,
but it appears almost certain that it contains a strong strain of Eastern
or thoroughbred blood, as the head is usually particularly neat for a big
horse; whilst the middlepiece, quarters, and short legs, to say nothing of
the free action which many Holsteins possess, denote the probability
of a Hackney cross. It may also be observed that the Holstein Stud
Book can claim to be the oldest publication of its kind in Germany,
having first appeared in 1886, which fact goes some way towards proving
that the merits of the breed are highly appreciated. It must not be
understood, of course, that there were not previous registers connected
with the Holstein horse, for there were such in existence, and these
contained references to the breed which dated back for a century or
more.
As regards his appearance, the Holstein may be referred to as a horse
of good height, with bone and very fairly high action, though his dash is
inferior to that of the Hackney. He is rather breedy-looking for his
height, which fact renders him a desirable animal in the eyes of those
who admire a powerful weight-carrying saddle-horse of the Continental
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210
VARIETIES OF THE HORSE
type, though the Holstein is scarcely the average Englishman's idea of
the correct stamp of riding animal.
The Schleswig.—The Schleswig horse is a totally different class of
animal from the Holstein, inasmuch as he is distinctly of the heavy, cart-
horse type. He favours the Suffolk stamp, however, far more than he
does the Shire Horse or the Clydesdales, being clean-legged like the first,
and less bulky than either of the others. Considering his proportions
the Schleswig is an active, nimble breed; so, whilst the most useful for
the purpose of agriculturalists on light land, he is far better adapted—
assuming that he is not soft—-for such military work as the Artillery
and Commissariat Departments require, as well as for vans and omnibus
traffic.
Although there is no direct evidence to prove the correctness of the
theory, it is highly probable that the ancestry of the Schleswig horse is
connected in some way with that of the French Percheron, as the two
breeds possess several features in common.
The East Friseland.—This is a big, useful variety of Continental
horse, the home of which lies north of Oldenburgh, and is bounded by
the North Sea. The East Friseland breed may be regarded as occupying
a position in the equine world of Germany somewhat analogous to that
filled by the Cleveland Bay in this country, as he may be described as
either the lightest of the agricultural breeds or the heaviest of the light
harness varieties of his native land. He is an animal that develops very
rapidly, so much so, indeed, that many of his breeders, if they happen
to be farmers, will make use of him when he is three years old for light
work on their holdings, but when he arrives at the age of four they part
with him to dealers for landau and other such duties if he shows action
and style enough.
During the past century the old East Friseland has been fined down
a good deal by crossing with blood-horses and steppers, and hence his
value has increased in this country, where many of the best-looking
specimens of the variety are to be found in the heavy carriages of
wealthy people.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
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For a description of the Various Drugs, &c, mentioned under " Health and
Disease", and the doses to be administered, the reader is referred to the
subsequent section— " Veterinary Medicines: their Proper Employment \
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Section IV.-HEALTH AND DISEASE
1. INTRODUCTORY
Health, using the word in a definite sense, is a theoretical condition;
it implies perfect correspondence of the organism with the surrounding
conditions, and its maintenance includes perfect adaptation of any changes
which may occur in either or both. What Mr. Herbert Spencer says of life
may be paraphrased so as to apply accurately to conditions of health.
Perfect correspondence would be perfect health. Were there no changes in
the environment but such as the organism had adapted changes to meet,
and were it never to fail in the efficiency with which it met them, there
would be unimpaired and perpetual health. That these conditions do not
exist in nature is perfectly obvious, and in speaking of health various and
modifying terms are used to indicate degrees of health without suggesting
the actual existence of disease. If there were an absolute standard of
health there would be no difficulty in defining disease; but in reality there
is no distinct boundary line, and the transition from health to disease may
be so gradual that it might not be possible to say where the one ends and
the other begins.
Disease may be taken in a general sense to mean any disturbance of
the structures or functions of a living being. The derangement may be
acute when it is severe and rapid in its progress; chronic when it assumes
a lower type and is disposed to continue; sporadic when it is the result of
ordinary causes arising from without, as exposure to climatic changes,
^sufficient or impure food; epizootic when it extends to a large number of
anirnals at the same time as the result of some cause which is generally
distributed; enzootic when it affects a number of animals in a particular
locality owing to local conditions; and recurrent when it exhibits a
tendency to return after the affected animals have apparently recovered.
The science of pathology teaches that the strict meaning of the term
disease, or loss of ease, cannot consistently be retained in reference to
many morbid conditions because they do not necessarily produce any dis-
comfort, and can only be considered as disease for the reason that they are
Vol. I.                                                                        213                                                                             15
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214                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
a departure from the ordinary normal or healthy condition of the structures
or functions. Certain forms of bony tumours which occur in situations
where they do not interfere with the mechanism of the skeleton, and are
unattended with pain or inconvenience, may be referred to in illustration
of this proposition.
Pathology includes everything connected with a departure from
health, and implies, therefore, a wide range of knowledge in regard to all
the circumstances under which structural or functional changes are
developed. Etiology is a division of the science of pathology which relates
to the causes of disease. Semiology refers to symptoms or indications, or,
in other words, to the external expressions of a morbid condition. Predis-
posing
causes are those which, as the term implies, act injuriously upon the
organism and render it liable to the influence of more energetic causes.
Various circumstances of an ordinary kind, such as changes of temperature,
exertion, quality and quantity of food, the impurities in the atmosphere,
age, sex, conformation, temperament, and hereditary disposition may all be
classed.as predisposing causes of disease. Nosology is the classification of
disease. Diagnosis implies the accurate definition of a disease, its position,
nature, and localization. Prognosis relates to the probable termination of
disease, or the expression of the opinion of the observer based upon his
diagnosis; its value necessarily depends upon his experience of the course
which the disease has taken in similar cases, or upon the accuracy of his
judgment in regard to the actual morbid changes in the structures or func-
tions in the particular case under consideration.
ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE
The most obvious and at the same time the most simple and practical
classification of causes of disease is the division into Predisposing and
Exciting. This classification includes at once nearly all that can be said
on the subject of causation. Various subdivisions are for convenience
employed, but they all relate as a matter of necessity to the two primary
divisions, for example, extrinsic and intrinsic causes, in other words, causes
acting from without and those which arise within the animal body and
which may either increase the tendency to acquire the disease or may
actually cause its development. Specific causes occupy a position which
in some degree disconnects them from ordinary causes whether predisposing
or exciting. The term specific indicates that there is something peculiar
to be taken into account, and at the present day the term is limited to
those causes of disease which include some particular micro-organism
or some specific poison, which may be either extrinsic or intrinsic.
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HUNTER, TENNIS BALL
Bay gelding by Court Ball; dam Express 2589 by Delight. Winner of numerous prizes
The Property of H. M. Mackusick, Esq.
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE
215
PREDISPOSING CAUSES OF DISEASE
The predisposing causes of disease are generally subdivided under
several headings, which may begin with the hereditary constitution, which
is the most prominent and important, then temperament, age, sex, &c.—
these are all intrinsic, existing within the body independently of any
influence from without; then follow a number of extrinsic predisposing
causes, such as excitement, occupation, and conditions which induce debility.
Excitement may be looked upon as a predisposing cause of disease
when it leads to excessive development of activity in the circulatory and
nervous systems associated with general or systemic excitement—a con-
dition which may stop short of actual disease, but is especially favourable
to the action of any exciting causes which tend to set up inflammation. In
a state of general excitement the system is liable to suffer from any febrile
disease which may be at the time prevalent, or from sudden exposure to
violent changes of temperature, which may lead to an inflammatory attack.
Certain forms of local excitement lead to the determination of blood to
a particular part, which may end in the rupture of vessels, or may increase
the functional activity of a part and thus render it liable to any influence
from without or within which may induce congestion or inflammation.
Excitement may in itself result in the development of active inflam-
matory disorders without the intervention of any extrinsic cause, in which
case it would be classed among the exciting causes of disease. For the
present purpose it is only to be looked upon as acting to a sufficient degree
to render the system susceptible to disease without actually inducing it.
It is in the nature of things, in fact, that predisposing and exciting causes
very frequently approach each other so closely that it is impossible at all
times to distinguish the one from the other.
Debilitating influences, whether arising out of insufficiency of food
or feeding to excess, will both have the effect of reducing the vital energy,
and in this way diminishing the power to resist disease. Insufficient food
is the most common cause of debility acting in a perfectly intelligible way,
not only by a failure to supply a sufficient amount of nutriment to com-
pensate for the waste of the tissues, but further by inducing a feeble
condition of the digestive powers as a mere consequence of inactivity.
Excess of food induces a similar result through the medium of the opposite
conditions, the nutritive functions become impaired as the result of con-
gestion of the vessels which supply the digestive organs with blood, and
consequent overwork and derangement of the secretive and excretive
processes. Further, mischief is done by an excess of nutritive material
beyond the amount which the system is capable of appropriating, the excess
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216                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
being converted by oxidation into certain animal alkaloids and extractive
matters, which exercise a deleterious influence on the organs and functions
of the body. Next in importance to the influence of excess or deficiency of
food, bad quality may be considered, the immediate effect of which will
depend upon the particular constituents which occasion the deterioration.
Products of fermentation, growth of fungi (moulds), decomposition, which
implies the presence of septic microbes, may render food of bad quality
actively poisonous or positively pathogenic, and in such cases it would
come under the head of an exciting cause of disease; but short of being
actively poisonous or disease-producing, the changes induced in it may
merely have the effect of weakening the system without actually producing
obvious disease.
All that has been said in reference to the effects of food may be applied
to water, which, indeed, may be taken as representing a portion of the food.
Impure air exerts a remarkable influence upon the health of the
body in two directions: (l) by failing to supply the proper amount of
oxygen for the purpose of respiration and the purification of the circulating
fluid; and (2) by introducing into the system organic and inorganic sub-
stances which may gradually assist in disturbing the nutritive functions
and lowering the vitality of the body as a whole.
Exertion.—Exercise is a recognized necessity for the maintenance of
all the functions of the body, including the mental functions, wdiich are not
of first importance with regard to the lower animals. As in the case of
food, exercise may be beneficial or injurious according to its amount.
Excessive exertion is perfectly well known to be followed by exhaustion,
which is necessarily associated with loss of tone in the system and liability
to disease. Failure of circulation in various parts will induce congestion
and the accumulation of deleterious matters in the blood, and in this
condition the body becomes remarkably subject to disease. On the other
hand, want of exercise leads to a sluggish condition of all the functions,
loss of muscular power, weakness of the heart in common with other
muscular structures, feeble circulation, local congestions, inactivity of the
respiratory functions, accumulations of fat, and what is perhaps of even
more importance, an inactive state of the excretive organs which permits the
accumulation in the blood of various deleterious products resulting from
imperfect oxidation, which under a healthy condition would be rapidly
eliminated from the system.
Temperature has a marked influence on the various functions of the
body; heat causes debility by its stimulating influence upon the circulatory,
respiratory, and nervous functions, the excessive activity being naturally
followed by relaxation and exhaustion.
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE
Excessive cold produces debility by its immediate sedative influence
on the system, and the repellent effect of cold upon the surface diminishes
the circulation in the superficial vessels of the skin and leads to an accumu-
lation of blood in some of the internal structures, acting particularly upon
some parts of the digestive and circulatory system. Its influence upon
the nerve centres, whether it is direct or indirect, is shown in the rapid
diminution of the vital powers of resistance, a condition which is eminently
favourable to the action of exciting causes of disease.
Heredity.—Of the existence of a tendency to disease transmitted
from parents to offspring no doubt can be entertained; whether the pre-
disposition so conveyed be called idiosyncrasy, constitutional peculiarity,
remarkable liability, or special receptivity, or be designated by any other
form of words, the fact remains that the influence of heredity has always
been recognized, although the term itself may not have been used by the
older writers. It may be defined as the law of inheritance not neces-
sarily limited to the transmission of a tendency to disease, but applying
equally to everything which belongs to the living organism, every quality,
indeed, whether good or bad, whether relating to mental functions
or to organic structure. A modification in the character of organs due
to the manner of their employment in a former generation has often been
observed; thus large hands are inherited by people whose ancestors led
laborious lives, while small hands belong to the descendants of those who
have not been compelled to follow occupations which require manual
work. In the course of the observations made by Darwin many instances
are mentioned of the appearance of peculiarity of structure and of certain
diseases at particular periods of life in certain families, and among the
cases quoted are blindness occurring in a family and being transmitted to
twenty-seven children and grandchildren, the affection beginning always
between the fifteenth and sixteenth year, and ending in a total loss of
sight at the age of twenty-two. Also of insanity in a family affecting
grandfather, father, and son, who all became insane and committed suicide
at the age of fifty; in fact, the evidence offered by biologists in favour
of the remarkable influence of heredity in continuing a tendency to cer-
tain diseases is so complete that it is impossible to question the fact. It
is indeed perfectly well known that scrofula, asthma, rheumatism, gout,
epilepsy, blindness, and deafness run in families—not necessarily in one
continuous line, but commonly interrupted, even a whole generation being
passed over, the disease appearing in the next.
Temperament.—In dealing with the predisposing causes of disease,
certain types of temperament are defined. The sanguine temperament
refers to animals of a lively disposition with active circulation and quick
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218
HEALTH AND DISEASE
movement, a condition of system which produces a disposition to inflam-
matory diseases. The lymphatic temperament, sometimes described as
phlegmatic, is exactly the reverse of the sanguine; it is associated with
a feeble circulation, a deficiency of red particles in the blood, pallor of
the mucous membranes, and coldness of the skin, especially in the ex-
tremities, and it predisposes the individual to chronic diseases of a low
type. The bilious temperament is probably always connected with a
want of activity of the liver and other parts of the digestive organs, which
tends to depress the vitality. A nervous temperament is indicated by
excitement alternating with depression, both conditions resulting in a
predisposition to what are called nervous affections.
Age has a marked influence in developing or fostering a tendency to
special forms of disease.
It is well known that the foal suffers from diseases to which the
state of the organism and the circumstances of its life render it peculiarly
susceptible. The young animal is liable to the effects of cold, which in-
duces irritation or inflammation of internal organs. Very trifling errors
in dieting—in the sensitive state of the digestive canal—cause severe,
sometimes fatal, attacks of diarrhoea. The brain is easily excited, and
the process of teething increases the liability to various febrile and gastric
disorders.
In advanced age the horse is predisposed to rheumatic affections,
stiffness of joints from the increasing density of the ligamentous structure,
while the muscular powers are impaired from loss of the true contractile
tissue and the increase of fibrous structure, and the steady decrease of
the vital powers adds to the predisposition to diseases of a chronic type.
It may, however, be affirmed that the influence of the different age
periods in the horse in the production of predisposition to disease is not
to be compared to the changes which occur in the system of the human
subject at different periods in his far longer average life.
Sex as a predisposing cause of disease relates chiefly to the generative
system, and in the lower animals the female is predisposed to affections
due to gestation and parturition from which the male animal is necessarily
exempt; but in other respects no important difference has been observed.
Mares are not more nor less liable than horses to those affections to which
the equine race is prone.
Occupation is quoted among the predisposing causes of particular
diseases in man, and it is surely the case that horses are likewise rendered
susceptible to maladies of a kind which are incidental to their occupation,
i.e. the kind of work which they are required to perform. It is only
necessary to compare the occupation of the hunter with that of the agri-
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE                              219
cultural horse on the farm, or the work of the carriage- or saddle-horse
with that of the poor man's drudge, to realize that the position which the
animal occupies, in other words the occupation as it would be termed in
reference to man, exercises a very considerable influence on the suscepti-
bility of the system of the horse to certain forms of disease: thus, race-
horses are specially liable to sore shins; hacks, hunters, and harness-horses
to splints and spavins; and cart-horses to side bones, &c. &c.
EXCITING CAUSES OF DISEASE
Those influences which have the power of acting upon the organism in
such a way as to excite disease, especially in the system which is already
predisposed, were formerly divided into cognizable and non-cognizable:
the first section including all agencies the existence of which could be
recognized independently of their action in producing disease, such as heat
and cold; and the second referring to influences which were not recognizable,
but the existence of which was inferred from the effects produced. In this
second class all contagious and infectious influences, endemic or epidemic,
were included. The system of classification of half a century ago has
now become obsolete, but it is worth while to refer to it, because although
comparatively recent investigations have proved beyond doubt that the
cause of some of the most virulent infectious disorders are quite cognizable,,
there are other maladies which are endemic, epidemic, and in some cases,
contagious, which arise from causes the existence of which can only be
inferred from the effects produced. The causes which are cognizable or
apparent to the senses are mechanical and chemical agencies, food, exertion,,
excitement, excessive and defective secretion, defective ventilation and
drainage, and climatic changes; and it is evident that several of these
agencies, which have already been considered, are capable of acting both
as predisposing and exciting causes—exciting when they become sufficiently
intense to produce the disease to which their primary action only rendered
the organism susceptible. Thus, errors in diet, excitement without exertion,
excessive secretion, defective secretion, impure atmosphere, and changes
°f temperature may all act as exciting causes of disease. While they
are placed among the predisposing causes—in fact whether the causes are
mechanical or chemical in their character—they may be alternately pre-
disposing and exciting influences.
Exciting causes of disease which are cognizable.— Mechanical
causes are usually referred to in the first instance under the above heading,
^nd they include all agencies which immediately damage the structures or
m any way disturb the functions of an organ or any part of the body. The
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220                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
most intelligible instances of the action of mechanical causes are seen in
the effects of blows, sprains, and cuts, which at once produce derangements
of parts, described as surgical diseases; but there are other mechanical
causes acting with less intensity which may produce affections of the system
requiring medicinal treatment—for instance, pressure on any part, although
not in many cases productive of injury at the moment, may lead to con-
siderable interference with the freedom of the circulation, and if continued,
end by inducing organic disease. The cases in which this result is to be
apprehended are numerous enough in the human subject, and the horse
is by no means exempt from the consequences of undue pressure from
portions of the harness. A notable instance is furnished by excessive and
ill-regulated pressure from the saddle, which causes a condition known as
wrung withers or galled back or saddle gall, and what is more serious still,
the pressure of a badly-fitting collar, which interferes with the circulation
of blood in the large vessels of the neck, inducing congestion of the brain,
attacks of giddiness, or megrims, and even, under certain circumstances,
causing an apoplectic fit.
Pressure on important organs may also be intrinsic in its character
as a consequence of the growth of tumours or the deposit of mineral
substances, as in the formation of calculi or stones in the bladder or
bowels, &c.
Obviously, the pressure which is exerted by the formation of tumours
or the deposit of calcareous matter will produce results gradually, and it
is also evident that the importance of the disease which is induced will
depend entirely upon the function of the part which is affected by the
pressure. Tumours or abscesses in the brain, or in the neighbourhood
of nerves, or blood-vessels, or on the valves of the heart, in the respiratory
passages, the stomach and intestines, or on, or in, the vicinity of organs
the functions of which are essential to life, necessarily cause serious and
sometimes even fatal interference with vital processes. Besides the direct
mechanical effects of blows or wounds or pressure, there may be immediate
depression of the vital powers from the shock to the nervous system re-
acting on the heart, causing stoppage of the circulation, followed by fainting
and sometimes by death.
Chemical causes may act upon the interior or exterior of the body,
and they may be either extrinsic or intrinsic. The former will include
all kinds of irritants or caustics which may be intentionally or accidentally
applied to the surface of the body. The action of these, whether they are
powerful acids or caustic alkalis, or other chemicals which have the power
of destroying integrity of organic structures, has the advantage of being
easily recognized, and if discovered in time, may be considerably checked
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221
ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE
by the employment of appropriate remedies. The chemical agencies which
act as intrinsic causes of disease will include those which have just been
referred to, with the addition of all poisonous agents either belonging to
the organic or the inorganic classes, and all the deleterious products re-
sulting from deranged digestion or from imperfect oxidation. Of the effete
products which are thus converted into animal alkaloids and extractives,
the disastrous effects have already been adverted to under the heading of
predisposing causes.
Food.—In respect of the influence of solid and liquid food, the lower
animals are favourably situated in comparison with the human subject, as,
in a state of domestication, horses and other animals which are used in the
service of man are not permitted to exercise their own taste in the selection
of their diet, but are supplied by their owners with the amount and quality
of alimentary matters which are selected with the distinct intention to
produce certain desired results. It may happen, however, that in carrying
this intention into effect the food may act as an exciting cause of disease
owing to an excess of certain constituents. Thus, in the case of animals
which are kept for the purpose of being fattened, serious disturbance of
certain organs, especially of the circulatory and respiratory systems, may
be occasioned in consequence of the excessive quantity of fatty material
which is deposited in the structure of important organs such as the liver
and heart. Serious results may also follow the consumption of adulterated
alimentary matters, which are, as a matter of fact, only given in ignorance,
and may therefore be looked upon as accidental causes of disease, which
could be avoided by the exercise of care on the part of the attendant. In
the case of the horse, the food is generally of a very simple nature, consist-
ing of hay, oats, beans or peas, bran, and, incidentally, green food and
carrots. None of these articles of diet lend themselves to any process of
adulteration; but some of them, oats and hay particularly, may become
dangerous in consequence of changes which take place during fermentation,
or from the growth of certain moulds, or from accidental contact with the
virus of infective diseases. Mouldy hay, and oats which have been damaged
by water and afterwards kiln-dried, commonly produce serious and some-
times fatal effects. The condition of these articles of food is easily recognized,
and their use may consequently be readily avoided; but in the case of
accidental contamination with the infective matter of anthrax or other
contagious disorders there is little probability of the fact being discovered
until the animal exhibits indications of the disease, and even then the con-
taminated food may altogether escape suspicion. Deficiency of food is a
predisposing cause of disease, but when it amounts to extreme privation it
becomes an exciting cause. The immediate consequences are lowering of
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222                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
temperature, poverty of blood, irritation of the mucous membrane of
the stomach, sometimes solution of the walls of the organs by the
action of the gastric juice, fever and delirium—in short the ordinary
indications of starvation. This condition is, of course, extremely rare
in relation to horses, excepting as the result of accident or the presence
of some disease in the mouth or swallow which prevents the animal
from taking food.
Excessive exertion has already been considered among the predispos-
ing causes, and in order to become an exciting cause it must be pushed to
such an extent as to induce acute congestion of the vessels of the lungs or
brain or some other organ, a condition which will be quickly followed by
interference with the action of the heart and total stagnation of the cir-
culation. Short of this condition, which will necessarily be fatal, congestion
of the important organs referred to may be followed by inflammation,
which, though not necessarily fatal in its effects, is not unlikely to leave
serious structural changes in the parts which are affected. The other
exciting causes of disease of a cognizable kind are nervous excitement,
excessive or defective secretion, impure atmosphere, and climatic changes.
The action of all these has been described under the head of predisposing
causes of disease. It is easy to understand that they all of them become
exciting causes when pushed to an extreme. Thus, violent nerVOUS
excitement
may result in a fatal shock, or it may induce an attack of
apoplexy. Excessive secretion may under certain circumstances cause
fatal syncope; while deficient secretion not only impairs the function of
the organ for which it was intended, but leads to the accumulation of
poisonous matters in the system, which, if not immediately fatal, may
lead to serious organic disease. Defective ventilation, uncleanliness,
and drainage leading to the accumulation of large quantities of septic
matter in the air may occasion rapidly fatal septic poisoning or various
forms of disease, which may be commonly classed as low fevers presenting
all the indications of typhoid. Climatic changes involving sudden
transitions from cold to heat not only render the system liable to various
disorders, but are also capable of immediately producing affections of
the respiratory system from simple catarrh to bronchitis and pneumonia,
in addition to internal congestion of other important organs. The
immediate effect of extreme cold is rapidly to reduce the vital powers;
the action of heat, on the other hand, tends to cause internal congestion
of the liver and other organs, and even extreme congestion of the brain,
which may be fatal.
Specific causes of disease relate to all those maladies which only
occur under the influence of a particular virus or poison. It has been
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HARNESS HORSE
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE
223
found convenient to classify these diseases under the terms endemic, epi-
demic, and contagious or infectious. Endemic diseases, or in regard to
the lower animals enzootic, affect individuals in certain parts or districts
only where the specific cause exists and remains. Certain malarial fevers,
for instance, belong to particular parts of the world, and susceptible subjects
living in those districts are liable to be attacked repeatedly, but they do
not, on removal from the localities, carry the disease with them; the affec-
tions, therefore, of this class are clearly not contagious or infectious.
Epidemic (epizootic) differ from enzootic maladies as they do not occur
persistently in a particular locality, but prevail from time to time, affecting
large areas, passing through periods of accession and decline, and reappear-
ing at irregular intervals not necessarily in the places in which they
previously prevailed. To this class the common disease among horses,
influenza, belongs. Outbreaks of the disease occur in various parts of the
country at different times, and during its prevalence large numbers of
horses are attacked; after an uncertain period the malady gradually ceases,
only to recur in the same form, or with certain variations, probably in the
following season. The cause of these maladies is not known, no specific
virus has been detected, and the views with regard to their contagious or
infectious qualities are very conflicting.
Contagious and infectious Causes.—The two terms contagious and
infectious are by advanced pathologists looked upon as interchangeable, but,
notwithstanding, they are commonly used with the meanings which were
formerly attached to them at the time when the word contagion was
accepted as meaning transmission of disease from an affected to a healthy
subject by the actual and gross contact of the virulent matter, while
infection was held to represent the less obvious mode of transmission
through the medium of the atmosphere or by other even less apparent
means. The combined signification may now be taken to indicate the
Propagation of certain maladies through the transmission in any way of the
infecting matter of a specific to a healthy and susceptible subject. Con-
tagion or infection may be immediate or mediate. In the first case it is
necessary that there should be close association between the diseased and
the healthy, so that the transmission of infection is direct; while in the
other the infective matter must be conveyed by the agency of persons or
substances which have been in contact with, or used about, the affected
animal. Some of the contagious and infectious causes are still undefined,
while others have been demonstrated to be material and recognizable; the
cause, for example, of anthrax, glanders, and tuberculosis, foot and mouth
disease, pleuro-pneumonia, cattle plague, sheep pox, swine fever is now
Known to be in each case due to a minute organism belonging to the large
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
224
class of fungi. In the horse there are only three or four diseases which
have been shown to depend upon a disease-producing microscopic organism,
which in each case is distinguished by certain peculiarities of form and
modes of growth. The diseases are anthrax, glanders, and tuberculosis.
Strangles is the consequence of the introduction into the system of a
pus (matter) producing organism belonging to the streptococci. On the
basis of the fact that some contagious maladies depend for their existence
on a living organism, the pure cultivation of which outside the body will
produce the disease when inoculated into a susceptible subject, it has been
assumed that all contagious diseases depend on the presence of similar
living beings. This, however, remains to be proved with regard to a con-
siderable proportion of contagious maladies. Small-pox, scarlatina, rabies,
for example, and vaccinia, have not up to the present time furnished
characteristic microbes, although the search for them has been pursued for
a long time past, and is still being carried on with the utmost diligence by
experts in different parts of the world.
BACTERIA
Although disease-producing micro-organisms take their place naturally
among the exciting causes of disease, their life-history has attracted so
much attention during the last twenty years, and has been so exhaustively
studied during the last ten years, that it is imperative that they should
receive special consideration. The discovery of the microscope, which,
according to Professor Edgar Crookshank, was an event of two and a
half centuries ago, was as a matter of course followed by the detection of
organisms in animal fluids and elsewhere, the existence of which previously
could only be suspected. Shortly after the microscope was first brought
into use, it was found that small living things were abundantly present in
all decomposing substances, and Kircher believed that similar organisms
could be found in various diseases. His researches were directed to the
discovery of such organisms; but the modern microscopist would conclude
without hesitation that Kircher's chances of success were extremely remote
with the very primitive form of optical appliances which were then at his
command. The knowledge of the forms and functions of bacteria advanced
along with the progress in the development of the microscope, and a
considerable step was taken when Anthony Van Leeuwenhoek devoted his
attention to the construction of lenses, and made such improvements in the
microscope as earned for him the title of the father of microscopy. In
1675 he described, in a series of letters to the Royal Society, numerous
minute organisms in rain water, well water, infusions of pepper and hay,
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE                                 225
and also in many vegetable and animal substances. In 1683 the discoveries
were illustrated by means of wood-cuts, and Professor Crookshank, from
whose historical account in his work on Bacteriology these facts are quoted,
remarks that there can be little doubt that the drawings were intended to
represent leptothrix filaments, vibrios, and spirilla. In another communi-
cation in 1692 Kircher gives some idea of the size of these small organisms
by stating that they were a thousand times smaller than a grain of sand.
Further observations were made by Nicolas Andre in 1701, Lancisi in 1710,
and in 1721 the plague in Toulon and Marseilles was attributed to the
presence of animalcules, and the theory began to be entertained, amidst
considerable ridicule, that all diseases arose from vermicules. Scientific
knowledge of the subject was considerably advanced by the writings of
Miiller, who criticised the previous researches, which, he contended, had been
too much directed to the finding of new organisms. Miiller devoted him-
self to a consideration of the forms, movements, and other biological char-
acters of the microbes, and attempted a system of classification. At this
time the question of the origin of micro-organisms became paramount, and
the theory of spontaneous generation with its alternative, development from
pre-existing germs, was widely discussed. Many supporters were found for
the theory of spontaneous generation, but the balance of the evidence,
obtained by numerous experiments, was in favour of the germ theory.
Even as late as 1872 Bastian published an account of his experiments with
the object of proving that spontaneous generation actually took place. He
found that decoctions of turnip and cheese, which had been filtered and
boiled for ten minutes and hermetically sealed during the boiling, con-
tained micro-organisms after a time. This evidence was very soon met
by the further discovery that in milk, infusions of hay, and other sub-
stances the spores of bacilli are present, and that they are not destroyed
by boiling. Tyndall further demonstrated that if the method on which
Bastian relied was repeated two or three times, all the spores of organisms
were destroyed; and thus the last attempt to demonstrate the truth of the
theory of spontaneous generation utterly and entirely failed. During the
controversy on the subject of spontaneous generation, several investigators,
Latour, Schwann, Bassi, Henley, Davaine, Pasteur, and others, were work-
ing steadily in reference to the functions of bacteria, the various processes
°f fermentation, and production of disease. In 1850 Davaine and Payer
discovered a rod-like body in the blood of a sheep that had died of splenic
fever (anthrax); Pollender also discovered similar bodies in the same disease,
m the blood of cattle. There is no doubt that this rod-like body was the
°rganism which is now familiarly known as the bacillus anthracis. It was
not, however, until further investigations had been carried on by Davaine,
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
226
Pasteur, Burdon Sanderson, Duguid, and others, that the rod-like body,
bacillus anthracis, was accepted as the true cause of anthrax; and the
demonstration of this important fact may be looked upon as the founda-
tion of the doctrine of contagium vivum, as the origin of contagious
disease.
Morphology of bacteria. — Bacteria have been defined as minute
vegetable cells. Their claim to a vegetable origin is based upon the ex-
perimental fact that they have the power of obtaining their nitrogen from
ammonia, a property which is not possessed by animals. In form these
organisms vary considerably: the most primitive is to be found in the
extremely minute round or oval cells which are described as cocci (fig. 74),
Fig. 74.—Bacteria and Bacilli. Highly magnified
a, Cocci, singly and varying in size. 5, Cocci in chains (streptococcus). c, Cocci in masses (staphylococcus).
d
and e, Cocci in pairs (diplococcus). f, Cocci in groups of four (merismopedia). ff, Cocci in packets (sarcina). h, Bac-
terium (Septicemia hcemorrkagicw). i, Bacillus (B. subtilis). k, Spore formation illustrated by Bacillus anthracis.
the variation in size being indicated by the prefix mega for the larger and
micro for the smaller cocci, hence the terms megacocci and 'micrococci.
When two circular or oval cells are joined together they are described
as diplococci. When a number of cells are united to form a chain, the
organism is termed streptococcus. When there is a combination of four
cocci the term tetrad, or merismopedia, is applied. When the packet
consists of eight divisions a sarcinacoccus is formed. When irregular
heaps like bunches of grapes are found, the mass is called staphylococcus,
and if irregular masses of cocci are found imbedded in a gelatinous matrix
it is called ascococcus. Some micro-organisms present a rod-like character,
varying considerably in length; the very short rods with rounded ends
are described as bacteria, the longer ones as bacilli, which term is always
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ETIOLOGY—CAUSES OF DISEASE                                 227
used when the length of the rod is more than twice its diameter. There
are also other forms, distinguished by the terms vibrios and spirilla (fig.
75), and other filamentous forms.
Action of bacteria in the production of disease.—When it
was first suggested that diseases were due to the action of minute
organisms, the question as to the mode of their action naturally arose,
and various theories were promulgated. Some authorities were disposed
to refer the deleterious influence of the microbes to the mechanical
blocking-up of the vessels by accumulation of large numbers. This view,
however, was obviously insufficient to account for the phenomena which
were observed. A more reasonable view refers their baneful effects to a
fermentative process which it would appear to be their particular function
to originate. Some experiments which were made with reference to septic
infection by Dr. Hiller went far to prove that the bacteria themselves were
perfectly harmless, but were capable of inducing chemical
changes in the fluids and solids of the body which led
to the formation of animal poisons. Dr. Burdon San-
derson, in commenting on this function of bacteria,
and particularly on Dr. Hiller's experiments, remarks
that having collected a considerable mass of bacterial
material, that is, of bacteria obtained from various
fluids in advanced putrefaction, on a filter, Dr. Hiller
washed the mass, just as one washes a precipitate, a
great number of times; then diffused the material
°                                                                                                                                                                     Fig-. 75
which had been so washed in distilled water, and in- B Spiri]lum undula
jected it in repeated doses into the circulating blood x
chromatic granules.
,.         .                   m1 ...                                 . 7          . n                ,„                  2 Sap vacuoles.
oi animals. Ihe injections were entirely without effect. 3 Protoplasm.
Hiller next proceeded to inoculate himself with the c, Spirillum rubrum with
.-,,..,                                      ,                                                 polar cilia.
same material, and again without effect. The advocates
of bacteria at once objected to Hiller's experiment that the bacteria, not
being accustomed to distilled water, were so injured by the repeated
washings that they had lost their activity. The criticism, however, might
just as well have been spared, for it afforded Hiller the opportunity of
proving by experiment, which was, of course, easy enough, that the
washed bacteria were as lively and as capable of development as ever.
It would appear from these observations as to the function of bacteria in
the production of septic infection that they are really manufacturers of
poison, and that when freed themselves from the material in which they
five they are perfectly innocent. This view, which was promulgated ten
years ago, is the one which is in favour with advanced pathologists, and
!t is a remarkable development of Dr. Hiller's researches that bacteria
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228                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
are now constantly employed for the purpose of producing toxic fluids,
which are used for purposes of diagnosis and even of curing disease, as
illustrated by the present use of tuberculin for the detection of tuber-
culosis, mallen for the discovery of glanders in horses, a preparation of the
bacillus of diphtheria, modified by passing through the system of the horse,
for the cure of diphtheria in man, and the use of the modified cultivation
of the bacillus of tetanus for the cure and prevention of that disease both
in the higher and lower animals.
The action of microbes in the production of contagious diseases was
demonstrated most perfectly by Pasteur in his researches on chicken
cholera and splenic fever (anthrax). In the course of these experiments
he proved not only that pure cultivations of the microbe outside the body
would produce the disease with absolute certainty in healthy fowls, but
also the still more important fact that by modifications in the method of
growing the organism the activity of the poison would become diminished
until it finally ceased. This discovery has been taken advantage of largely
by bacteriologists, with the result of ascertaining that an attenuated or
weaker virus may be obtained not only by modifying the method of cul-
tivation in certain media, but by passing the virus through the system
of an animal belonging to a different class from the one originally attacked.
Thus the bacillus of anthrax, after being passed through the guinea-pig,
loses its fatal activity on cattle (Sanderson and Duguid); the bacillus
anthracis of whatever source, after having been passed through the white
mouse, loses its fatal activity on sheep (Klein and Roy); and the same
organism, when passed through the South American rodent biscachia,
loses its fatal activity on cattle (Roy). That this weakening or loss
of virulence does not depend upon the death of the bacilli is proved
by the fact that if they are again cultivated in the ordinary way in
nutritive media they recover all their former quality—power to injure
and to kill.
It has been asserted that there are at least three micro-organisms
which are without any pathogenic property, and which may, when grown
under certain conditions, acquire such properties. Thus the common hay
bacillus (bacillus subtilis), according to Buchner, may by cultivation be
transformed into bacillus anthracis; a common bacillus which is present
in the atmosphere may assume distinct pathogenic properties if grown in
an infusion of the seeds of abrus precatorius, and the common mould
aspergillus, when grown on alkaline material, assumes poisonous pro-
perties according to Grawitz. That these statements are absolutely with-
out foundation may be positively asserted on the evidence of numerous
experiments; and it may be affirmed, on the contrary, that in no case
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DIGESTION
229
does an innocent or benign organism acquire the power to excite a specific
form of disease under any method of cultivation which has yet been
devised.
The specific organisms which are found in contagious disease to which
the horse is subject, are referred to and illustrated in the description of
those affections.
DIGESTION
THE ALIMENTARY CANAL AND ITS APPENDAGES
The alimentary canal is a tube which, commencing at the mouth, is
continued by means of the pharynx and oesophagus to the stomach, where
it undergoes considerable enlargement. It then contracts again to form
the small intestine, which is a long and coiled cylinder. This is suc-
ceeded by the large intestine, which terminates in the rectum with its
outlet, the anus. The total length of the alimentary canal in the horse
is about ten times the length of the body, and hence may be estimated
at 100 feet, which may be thus apportioned:
Mouth and pharynx
Oesophagus
Stomach ...
Small intestine
! Caecum
0 n, rge
Colon, small
Rectum
1 foot.
3 feet.
2
72 „
26 „
104
The appendages of the alimentary canal are the lips, teeth, and salivary
glands in connection with the mouth, and the liver and pancreas in con-
nection with the small intestine. Each of these parts is deserving of a
short description.
The lips are fleshy, movable organs, possessing a high degree of
sensibility, and adapted for the prehension of food and for its retention
within the cavity of the mouth during mastication. Externally they have
a covering of hairy skin, some of the hairs being very large and long, and
Probably possessing an acute sense of touch; internally the lips are lined
®y mucous membrane, and present the openings of the ducts of many small
salivary glands.
The teeth, more fully described elsewhere, are hard, bony organs, of
lrnmense importance in cutting, bruising, and breaking down the food.
Vol. i.
16
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
230
In the male there are 40, namely 12 incisors, .4 canines, and 24 molars,
which are thus arranged in the upper and lower jaw:—
I.                          C.                         M.
3 3                  1_1                  6 6
3 3                  11                  6 6
The mare is not provided with canine teeth or tusks. The teeth are
composed of three substances of different degrees of hardness, the softest
being named cement, the next harder dentine, and the hardest of all enamel.
These wearing away with different degrees of rapidity, leave on the grinding
surface ridges and sharp edges admirably adapted for the purpose they
have to fulfil, of reducing the food, with the aid of the saliva, to a pulp.
Salivary glands (figs. 76, 77).—There are three chief pairs of sali-
vary glands, which have received the names of parotid, submaxillary, and
Fig. 76.—Salivary Glands Exposed
1 Parotid gland. 2 Molar glands. 3 Sublingual gland. 4 Parotid Duet. 5 Masseter muscle. 6 Facial nerve.
7 Jugular vein. 8 Submaxillary vein. 10 Labial glands. n Labial ducts.
.sublingual, together with several subordinate glands known as the molar,
or buccal, labial, lingual, and staphyline. They have a united weight of
about 8000 grains avoirdupois, or about 1^- lbs. The parotid gland is by
far the largest of the three principal pairs, weighing as much as four times
the two others put together. The sublinguals are the smallest. The
position of the several glands is shown in the adjoining wood-cuts.
In external appearance the salivary glands are of yellowish-white
colour, and are easily broken up into small granules named lobules. In
their structure they present a remote resemblance to a bunch of grapes
(fig. 78), and have hence been termed racemose glands, the stalks of the
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231
DIGESTION
grapes (fig. 79) being represented by the ducts, and the grapes themselves
by the follicles or secreting parts. Many such ducts meeting together
Fig. 77.—Salivary Glands
1 Submaxillary gland. 2 2 Submaxillary duct (Wharton's duct). 3 Cluster of openings of ducts of
sublingual glands. 4 Tongue. 5 Circumvallate papilla. 6 Fungiform papilla?. 7 Jugular vein.
Submaxillary vein.
form the principal salivary duct, which is single in the case of the parotid
gland, opening on the inner side
of the cheek, whilst in the case of
the submaxillary gland it opens
on either side of the tongue on
'g- 78.—Section of Salivary Gland, showing a Group
of Lobules
Secreting cells lining a lobule. 2 Central space into
Fig. 79.—Section of Salivary Gland, showing the
Connection of the Lobules with the Ducts and
their Resemblance to a Bunch of Grapes
dei»ilunes of
retion is poured. 3 Dark cells forming the
Giannuzzi.
he floor of the mouth. The ducts of the sublingual gland are numerous,
u discharge their contents into the mouth beneath the tongue.
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232                                      HEALTH AND DISEASE
A section of several of the follicles or grape-like bodies is here shown
(fig. 78), and it is seen that they are lined with cells which discharge the
saliva they secrete into a central passage, whence it passes on into the duct.
This small duct and others unite to form larger ducts that discharge
their contents into the mouth. The saliva produced by the several glands
differs considerably in its character and properties, in some, as in the
submaxillary, being thick and slimy, whence that gland is named a mucous
gland, whilst in others, as in the parotid, it is thin and watery, and this
gland is therefore termed a serous gland. Occasionally, as in the sub-
maxillary gland of man, both kinds of saliva flow from one gland. In
all instances the saliva is
poured forth in abundance
as soon as food is intro-
duced into the mouth;
and as it is a typical
example of the mode in
which secretion is effected
under nervous influence,
and that on which our
present knowledge of that
process mainly rests, it
may be advantageous to
describe in some detail,
but with as much sim-
Fig. 80.—The Nervous Mechanism of Salivary Secretion                 plicity as pOSSlble, the
events that take place.
Let us suppose a (fig. 80) represents the surface of the tongue, with the
fungiform, and B circumvallate papillae of taste upon it; c a gland opening
upon the surface, L an artery ending in capillaries D surrounding the
gland. There are three nerve centres implicated in the secretion of saliva,
each composed of many cells, here represented by one cell only. Of these
three B 9 is the glossopharyngeal, or taste centre; A 5 is the lingual branch
of the fifth pair of nerves; 7 is the facial centre, which gives branches to
the gland cells and to the artery; lastly, S is the sympathetic nerve, spring-
ing from a centre, and supplying the gland cells and artery. When the
mouth is empty, and no secretion is taking place, the sympathetic nerve
keeps the blood-vessels in a contracted state, and the gland is quiescent.
But if sugar, salt, or other sapid substance be placed on the tongue, the
nerves in the papillse conduct the impressions they receive in the direction
of the arrows to the taste centres 5 and 9. Thence a nervous impulse is
transmitted to the motor centre 7, as well as by other fibres to the brain.
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DIGESTION
233
From rr, which is a branch of the facial nerve named the chorda tympani,
it will be observed, two sets of fibres emanate, one going directly to the
cells of the gland, the other to the artery. Those to the artery cause it
to dilate and so allow a
freer current of blood to
circulate in and around the
gland; the other stimu-
lates the gland cells them-
selves to secrete, and thus
leads to an abundant flow
of saliva. These nervous
impulses ceasing with the
swallowing of the food,
the sympathetic centre re-
sumes its supremacy and
contracts the blood-vessels;
then secretion ceases, to be
resumed once more when
sapid substances are again
introduced into the mouth.
The thorough mingling
of the saliva with the food
is termed insalivation, and
the process is of great im-
portance and is very per-
fectly accomplished in all
herbivora. The horse
chews its food leisurely,
and a large quantity of
saliva is poured forth.
Observations and experi-
ments have been made
which show that this ani-
mal takes from an hour
to an hour and a half
"to eat 6 lbs. of hay, and
Fig. 81. —Abdomen Laid Open
A, Postei'ior or abdominal aorta. V, Posterior vena cava. XJ, XJ,
Ureters. R K, Right kidney. L K, Left kidney. D, Duodenum.
Pa, Pancreas. Sp, Spleen. St, Stomach. LL, Left lobe of liver.
ML, Middle lobe. EL, Right lobe.
more than half an hour
to eat the same weight of oats. It makes about two hundred boluses,
or separate masses for swallowing, of the hay; and from forty to ninety
boluses of the oats. The weight of the dry hay is increased during
mastication from 6 lbs. to no less than 25 lbs., and of the oats from
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234                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
6 lbs. to 14 lbs., the increase being entirely due to the saliva with which
they have become impregnated. The mixed saliva, or saliva resulting from
the mixture of the fluid secreted by the several glands, is an opalescent
liquid with a specific gravity of about 1005; it is alkaline to test-paper,
and contains a special ferment named ptyalin, the properties of which will
be discussed when the process of digestion of food is under consideration.
Deglutition.—After the food has been masticated it is rolled by the
tongue into a kind of ball and pressed back-
ward against the palate till it is seized by
the muscular walls of the pharynx and trans-
mitted to the oesophagus or gullet, by which
it is conducted to the stomach. In this
Peptic Gland
Fig. 82.—Stomach Laid Open
A,  l Opening through which gas-
tric juice is discharged into the
stomach; 2 divisions of the main
duct.
B,  1 Parietal cell; 2 central cells.
A, Left half. B, Right half, c, Cardiac orifice or entrance. D,
Pyloric orifice or exit. E, Duodenum. F, Bile duct and pancreatic
duct opening into the duodenum. G, Lesser curvature. H, Greater
curvature.
course there is a critical moment when the bolus is passing over the
opening of the trachea or windpipe, and the most carefully-regulated
action of many muscles is required to prevent its entry into the larynx
or trachea on the one hand and into the nose on the other.
The Stomach is a well-defined segment of the alimentary canal which
intervenes between the oesophagus or gullet and the small intestine. Seen
from behind it presents the relations shown in the adjoining wood-cut
(fig. 81), having the liver in front, the spleen to the left, and the pancreas
above. Its average capacity is 14 quarts, and it weighs about 3^ lbs. The
food enters by an opening on the left of the middle line termed the cardiac
orifice, and leaves by another on the right side called the pylorus or pyloric
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PLATE XXII.
.** i ■ a
::.il ■ . . : ■ " ■ : ■ ■ ":-:-- '::':                                  ..... ■ ~ " ■
:'                                                                               ■■■■■■' •■'■■■ "• '-:' ■'.;'" '' ■ ': ;• :'--
Mrs. Hope-Johnstone's Shetlands as they appeared in their Highland home
Photo, by Reid, Wish;
The same ponies in the hands of Mrs. Hope-Johnstone
SHETLAND PONIES
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DIGESTION                                                     235
orifice. It possesses three coats, of which the external is a thin layer of
peritoneum, the free surface of which is extremely smooth and polished,
and is kept constantly moist to permit of movement against the adjoining
viscera with the least possible friction; folds of this layer, named omenta,
keep the stomach in position and attach it to the liver and spleen. The
middle coat or layer is muscular, the outermost fibres of which run longi-
tudinally and the innermost circularly; between the two is a net-work of
nerve fibres. The muscular coat enables the stomach to contract, and by
so doing to accommodate itself to the
quantity of its contents, and it also
propels the food into the intestine.
This it accomplishes by an undulating
or worm-like motion called peristalsis.
The peculiar valve-like arrangement of
the muscular tissue near the oesophageal
opening at which the food enters, as
well as the position of this aperture,
explain the difficulty that horses ex-
perience in vomiting. The third and
internal coat is the mucous coat, which
presents a striking difference in its ap-
pearance in its right and left portions.
That of the left half (a, fig. 82) presents
a white aspect, and is covered with
flattened epithelial cells, which form a
Fig. 84.—Section through the Small Intestine
thick membrane lining the stomach,
beneath which are the numerous small
1 Villi. 2 Lacteal vessels. 3 Muscular
coat. 4 Serous coat.
prominences or papillae of the subjacent
mucous tissue. The right half, on the contrary, which commences abruptly
by a sinuous line where the left terminates, is soft, of pink colour, and
vascular, and presents the openings of many thousands of glands, named
peptic glands, which secrete the gastric juice. An example (fig. 83) of
such a gland is here shown. The duct, it will be observed, is wide at the
upper end, where it opens into the general cavity of the stomach, but soon
divides into two or more, which terminate below in blind extremities.
The gastric juice is a clear fluid of acid reaction, which is secreted in
large quantity when food is taken into the stomach. It contains very little
solid matter, the proportion of water being nearly 99'5 per cent, but there
are in it two constituents which exert a powerful influence on the process of
digestion—one a ferment named pepsine and the other hydrochloric acid.
The small intestine.—The small intestine commences at the
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
236
pylorus, which is the strong muscular ring that separates the stomach
from the intestine, and it terminates at the point where the alimentary
canal suddenly enlarges to form the large intestine. Its length is more
than 70 feet, and its width, when undistended with food or gases, about
1^ inch. It is suspended from the vertebral column by a double fold
of membrane (peritoneum), which is here named the mesentery. The
Fig. 85.—Large intestine
a, Caecum; h, c, muscular bands; d, ileum, or terminal portion of small intestine; e, e', f, /', large colon ;
g, pelvic flexure; A, single colon
blood-vessels, lacteals, and nerves of the intestine reach it by running
between these two layers of the mesentery. In structure the small in-
testine resembles the stomach in having an outer serous covering of
peritoneum, a middle layer of longitudinal and circular muscular fibres,
and an internal mucous layer. When closely examined the mucous mem-
brane of the small intestine exhibits a velvety or pile-like arrangement,
which is most conspicuous when the membrane is floating in water. This
appearance is due to the presence of an immense number of small pro-
jections about yq of an inch long, named villi (1, fig. 84), between which
are the openings of minute glands (Lieberkiihnian follicles), named after
Lieberkuhn, a Dutch anatomist, who first described them about 1745.
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237
DIGESTION
The villi number many millions, and are interesting as containing the
lacteals, a set of vessels by which the food is absorbed and conveyed into
the system. It is sufficient in this place to say that they present a central
tube, which commences with a free extremity above, and ends in a net-
work at the base of the villus in the wall of the intestine. These lacteal
vessels are each invested by a
mantle of smooth muscular tissue,
and this again by a plexus of
capillary blood - vessels. The
whole is enclosed by a trans-
parent membrane covered with
cells that project into the cavity
of the intestine. The Lieber-
kuhnian follicles are simple tubes
very closely set and lined by
columnar epithelium. The se-
cretion they pour into the intes-
tine has high digestive powers
for all kinds of aliment.
The large intestine con-
sists of three parts, the caecum,
the colon, and the rectum. The
small intestine opens into the
first part of the large intestine
by an orifice that is guarded
by a fold of mucous membrane
named the ileo-csecal valve, which
prevents the return into the
small intestine of the food which
has entered the csecum. True                            86.-La.ge intestine
villi stop abruptly at this spot,         T1              . , ,. . .,. , ,.         
1                L J L ' A, Ileum, or terminal portion of small intestine. B, Csecum.
and are not   found in the large c, e, Large colon. D, Pelvic flexure. F, Single colon. G,
i 1                                                                            Eectum. H, Anus. The arrows indicate the course taken
u " Ci.                                                                           by the food in the process of digestion.
The caecum is a greatly en-
larged portion of the intestine. It occupies the right side of the abdomen,
and has a capacity of 7 or 8 gallons. The surface is marked by four
longitudinal bands of muscle, which being shorter than the other coats,
pucker them into great bulging pouches. The upper extremity is curved
and presents two openings, one by which the small intestine terminates
m it; and the other very narrow, which communicates with the colon, or
second division of the large intestine.
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238                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
The colon is divisible into two parts—the large or double colon, and
the small or floating colon. The length of the large colon is about 12 feet,
and its capacity about 18 gallons. The length of the small colon is about
10 feet. The csecum and
both the large and small
colon have the same general
arrangement of the coats
as the other parts of the
intestine.
The rectum is a
short, straight tube ex-
tending from the last and
shortest division of the
colon. It takes a straight
course backward, and ter-
minates in the anus or
external orifice. The mus-
cular layer of this segment
of the intestine is very
strongly developed. The
orifice is surrounded by
circular fibres, which form
a tolerably well - defined
ring; to which the name
of sphincter ani has been
given. This ring keeps the
aperture closed. There is
also another muscle con-
nected with it, which pulls
the posterior part of the
bowel forward after de-
fsecation, and is known as
the retractor ani.
The liver.—This or-
Fig. 87.—Large Intestine, showing its Position in the Abdomen.
For description see Fig. 86.
gan is the largest gland in
the body, weighing from
10 to 12 lbs. avoirdupois. It occupies the fore part and right side of the
abdominal cavity, being situated immediately behind the diaphragm. It
is kept in position by strong folds of the peritoneum, which extend from
it to the diaphragm and adjoining organs. Its colour is reddish-brown.
It is divisible into three principal lobes, of which the left is the largest
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DIGESTION                                                     239
and the central one the smallest. There is, in addition, a small lobule, named
the lobulus Spigelii, connected with the posterior face of the right lobe.
The structure of the liver is highly complex, but it consists essentially
of a mass of cells separated by connective tissue into small lobules, which
are further defined and isolated by the blood-vessels and bile-ducts which
surround them.
The cells.—These are rounded masses of protoplasm without cell
membrane, but containing a nucleus and granules of various kinds, some
Fig. 88.—The Liver and Pancreas
1 Right lobe. 2 Middle lobe. s Left lobe. 4 Lobulus Spigelii. 5 Right lateral ligament. 6 Left lateral
ligament. 7 Oesophagus. 8 Posterior vena cava. 10 Ductus choledochus or bile-duct. n Pancreatic
duct. 12 Duodenum, or first portion of small intestine. B, Pancreas.
being particles of pigment, others oil globules, and others again grains of
glycogen. They are separated from one another by minute blood-vessels,
by the capillary bile-ducts, and by lymph spaces. Their functions are to
secrete bile, to store up glycogen, and to give that substance up again to
the blood when required for the purposes of the economy.
The blood-vessels.—Three blood-vessels are concerned in the circu-
lation of the liver. Two carry blood to it—the hepatic artery and the
portal vein—while the third, the hepatic vein, returns the blood which
has circulated through the gland to the posterior vena cava, which it
joins just before that vessel perforates the diaphragm to discharge its
blood into the right auricle of the heart. The hepatic artery divides and
subdivides to form capillaries which join those of the portal vein in the
lobules. The portal vein is a large trunk that contains the blood returning
from the stomach and intestines, and from the spleen and pancreas. Hav-
ing reached the inferior surface of the liver it penetrates into its substance,
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240                                      HEALTH AND DISEASE
and, as an exception to the usual behaviour of veins, instead of joining a
larger vein, which in this case would be the vena cava, it proceeds to break
up as if it were an artery, into smaller and still smaller branches, which run
between the lobules and are hence called interlobular veins (3, 3, fig. 90).
From these, minute branches are given off which enter the lobules and there
form a net-work of capillary vessels ramifying among the cells (2, 2, fig. 90),
and then, after uniting and reuniting, form a blood-vessel which runs down
the centre of the lobule and is known as the intralobular vein (1, fig. 90).
From this the blood passes out of the lobules into a set of veins beneath
it (sublobular veins), and then enters the hepatic vein. The blood as it
1 Hepatic cell. 2 Nucleus.                        1 Section of intralobular or central vein. s Its smaller
3 Granules of fat, pigment, and                   tributaries, which receive the blood from 3 and convey it to 1.
glycogen. 4 Bile capillaries.                       3 Interlobular or peripheric branches of the vena porta.
traverses this close net-work of capillaries within the lobules comes into inti-
mate relations with the gland cells which occupy the spaces between them.
The bile-ducts commence in the form of an extremely delicate net-
work of tubes which ramify over and between the gland cells in the
lobule, and take up from them the bile they have secreted. After uniting
to form larger and larger tubes they at length terminate in the common
bile-duct. This opens into the first part of the intestine just beyond the
stomach in common with the duct of the pancreas. No gall-bladder is
present in the horse.
The bile is a glairy fluid of yellow, green, or olive-brown colour,
alkaline reaction, nauseous smell, and bitter taste. It has a specific gravity
of about l-030. It has been estimated that a horse secretes about -^-g part
of its weight of bile in twenty-four hours, or about 12 or 14 lbs. The
flow of bile into the intestine increases about an hour after food has been
ingested, and the quantity continues to be large for some hours, when it
gradually declines till after the next meal.
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DIGESTION
241
Glycogen.—This substance, although especially abundant in the liver,
is rather widely distributed in the body, being a constituent of the white
cells of the blood, the muscles, and various embryonic or growing and
developing tissues. It is a white, tasteless substance resembling ordinary
starch, except that on the addition of iodine it assumes a port-wine red
instead of a blue colour. It appears that the liver can produce glycogen
either from the saccharine or from the nitrogenous group of alimentary
substances, but it is not increased when fats are given in excess. The
livers of rabbits fed on carrots, and of dogs fed on lean meat, both contain
abundance of glycogen. It is a store of easily oxidizable material, which,
after being converted into sugar, can be absorbed by the blood at the liver,
and being carried to the muscles is there burnt off, giving rise to the
liberation of muscular force and to animal heat. It disappears both in
muscles and in the liver after prolonged and violent exertion.
The pancreas.—This gland, commonly but incorrectly spoken of as
the "sweetbread", is deeply seated in the abdomen, lying above the
stomach, between it and the spine, and occupies the space enclosed by the
loop of the duodenum or first division of the small intestine. It is of
pinkish-gray colour, and weighs about 1^ lb. It is a highly important
gland, its secretion exercising a powerful digestive action on starches, oils,
and proteids.
Food.—The natural food of the wild horse is the fresh moist succulent
grasses and cereals of the temperate zones. These include many species of
the G-raminacese, and plants like the mallow, rumex, and ranunculus from
other orders. In the domesticated animals, however, whilst grass forms
part of the food for part of the year, many working horses in large towns
live on the dried stems, flowers, and fruit of the grasses, with some addition
from the seeds of the leguminous plants.
The food of an average-sized horse performing a moderate amount of
work may be taken in England at 12 lbs. of hay, 10 lbs. of oats, 2 lbs. of
crushed maize, and 8 lbs. of chaff, with five or six gallons of water, accord-
ing to the requirements of the animal.1 In considering the changes wrought
in the food during the process of digestion, it is to be borne in mind that
the main constituents of the various plants eaten by the horse, whether
in the open field or in the form of hay, corn, and beans, are reducible to a
few groups which are named proteids, farinaceous and saccharine com-
pounds, oils, vegetable acids, water, and salts.
The proteids constitute the most important of the food constituents
because they contain nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus. They are repre-
*In France, in 1885, the omnibus companies supplied each horse with 10 lbs. of oats, 8 lbs. of bruised
maize, a'nd about 2 lbs. of f everole, a sort of small bean, the product of Vicia fdba.
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242                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
sented by the gluten of wheat, the legumin of beans and peas, and the
aleuron grains of many seeds. Chemical analysis shows that they contain,
in every 100 parts, 52 of carbon, 7 of hydrogen, 16 of nitrogen, and 24 of
oxygen, with about 1 per cent of sulphur. In the animal they exist in two
conditions—in the fluid and soluble, as in white of egg, the fibrin and
albumen of blood, and the casein of milk; and in the solid and insoluble
form, as in the substance of muscle, connective tissue, and the protoplasm
of various cells.
The starches, sugars, and gum have been classed together under the
general term of the carbohydrates, since one of their constituents, carbon,
is combined with oxygen and hydrogen united in the proportion to form
water. The compositions of several varieties is represented by the formula
C12, H20, O10, of others by C12, H24, O12. The starches are very widely dis-
tributed in plants, appearing as the first evident products of assimilation,
and being formed by the decomposition of the carbon-dioxide contained
in the air and water they absorb. They are sometimes found in solution,
as in the case of various sugars, but more commonly in the form of grains
occupying the spaces in the interior of cells, and constituting a reserve of
nutriment which is drawn upon in the course of the growth and develop-
ment of the plant, but which is also a valuable aliment capable of being
assimilated by animals. Starch is abundant in many fruits, as in the banana
and fig; in seeds, as in those of all the cereals; in rhizomes, as in the
arrow-root; in tubers, as in the potato; and in stems, as in that of the sago
palm. The process of the ripening of fruit consists in large measure in the
change of starch into pectin, dextrin, and sugar, under the influence of
light and heat. The particular form of sugar, as cane, grape, beet, maple,
eucalyptus, or mushroom, depends on the special activities of the plant,
and the several forms differ inter se in their solubility, crystalline form,
chemical composition, action on polarized light, and other characters.
The oils found in plants are divisible into two groups, the fixed and
the volatile. The fixed oils are compounds formed of glycerine united with
the fatty acids; thus, palmitin is composed of glycerine and palmitic acid,
stearin of stearic acid and glycerine, olein of oleic acid and glycerine. The
process of emulsification is simply that of reducing them to fine globules
by shaking them up with any glairy fluid. Such emulsions may last
unchanged for a considerable period, but as a rule the mist of oil runs
together into droplets and these again into drops, which collect together,
and the original condition of a layer of oil is recovered. There is no
chemical alteration in emulsification. The process of saponification is, on
the contrary, attended with a profound change in the chemical composition
of the oil or fat. It is effected when the oily substance is intimately
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243
DIGESTION
mixed with an alkaline solution, as of soda or potash. The alkali displaces
glycerine and combines with the acid. Soaps, therefore, are oleates,
palmitates, margarates, or stearates of soda, or potash, or lime. These salts,
as they may be called, are capable of traversing animal membranes, which
is not readily accomplished by the oils in their natural state.
The volatile oils are very numerous, and give to different plants their
peculiar and characteristic odours. Thus the smell of new-mown hay is
due to the volatile oil (cumarin) which is contained in the Anthoxanthum
odoratum,
the odour of mint to the oil of mint, and so on; the quantity
being usually small, in mint, for example, not exceeding 1 or 2 per cent of
the dried plant.
In regard to the salts, they may be divided into two groups—those
formed by the so-called mineral acids, such as the sulphuric, nitric, phos-
phoric, hydrochloric, and silicic acids, in combination with the bases,
sodium, potassium, magnesium, lime, and others; and those formed by the
organic acids, which are combined with the same bases, and of which the
chief are oxalic acid, found in such plants as the oxalis, dock, rhubarb, and
spinach, malic acid in apples, tartaric acid in the grape, formic acid in the
nettle, acetic acid in chamomile, propionic acid in milfoil, butyric acid in the
pansy, and many others.
If we now consider the composition of the ordinary food of the horse
in the light of these preliminary remarks, we shall find that whilst such
substances as oats and maize can be analysed with great exactness, it is
almost impossible to give even an approximate account of the composition
of hay, since it varies with the soil, the species forming the herbage, and
even with the period of growth of the plants of which it is composed;
the saccharine principles being most abundant at the period of inflor-
escence, mucilage during the period of the maturation of the seed, and
the proteids, saline and bitter substances in the aftermath or later crop.
The analyses of M. Boussingault give as the average percentage compo-
sition of ordinary hay—Water, from 13 to 16 parts; proteids, 7 to 13*5;
sugars and starch, 44; woody tissue and cellulose, 24; fats, 4; ashes, 5 to 8
parts. A large proportion of the ashes consists of silex, and the remainder
is nearly all composed of the salts of calcium, potassium, and sodium. The
composition of oats is—Water, 12; proteids, 10 to 14; fats, 5 to 7; starches,
gum, and sugar, 50 to 55; woody fibre, 10; and salts, 3. Of maize—Water,
13; proteids, 10 to 15; fat, 4'5; farinaceous compounds, 68'5; woody fibre,
2'5; ashes, 1*5. It may just be added that the proportion of nitrogen to
carbohydrate in the different cereals is as follows:—wheat, 2'29 : 78-64; rye,
2-17:78-81; barley, 2-06:75-29; oats, 1-90:65-93; maize, 1-81:78-74;
rice, 1-45 : 88-01; millet, 1-95 : 76-09. In green food the quantity of water
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
244
in 100 parts is very considerable, but when it is dried the total quan-
tity of nitrogen is tolerably uniform, being in peas, 4'69; vetches, 5"57;
turnips, 4'76; carrots, 2. It must be remembered that a considerable
proportion of nitrogen is contained in other constituents of plants which
are not proteids, and that they are not all capable of undergoing digestion.
Thus, for example, more than half the nitrogen of lettuces, water-cress, and
spinach exists in the form of nitrates, which are useless as flesh-formers; and
the same holds with the amides of beet-root, potatoes, and unripe pulse.
In giving a connected account of the process of digestion in the horse
of its ordinary food, hay and oats, the first point to be noted is, that in
the mouth these substances are subjected to mastication and insalivation.
The large and uneven surfaces of the molar teeth bruise and break down the
stems and fruit of cereals, and the seeds of leguminous plants, enabling them
to be more readily acted on by the several fluids of the alimentary canaL
Simultaneously with this crushing process, the contraction of the muscles
moving the jaws, and the stimulus of the sense of taste, causes an abundant
secretion of saliva, the quantity having been ascertained by experiment to
amount to between 80 and 90 lbs. per diem, most of which is reabsorbed
in its further course down the alimentary canal. The saliva softens the
food, enables it to be rolled into a coherent mass, and facilitates its
deglutition. In addition, it exerts a powerful chemical action on the
starchy compounds, for it contains a ferment named ptyalin which has the
power of converting starch, through several intermediate stages, first into
dextrin and then into a form of sugar named maltose. This action is
termed diastatic or amylolytic, and has for its result the chemical union
of water with starch, thus changing it from an insoluble substance into a
soluble one; from starch, that is to say, which will not pass through an
animal membrane and cannot therefore be absorbed, into sugar, which
readily permeates the walls of the blood-vessels and lacteals. The ferment
is most abundant, or most active, in the saliva which flows from the parotid
gland. It has not indeed been isolated, but it is known to act far more
energetically on boiled than on raw starch. The presence of dextrin, mal-
tose and a little grape-sugar, after the addition of saliva to boiled starch, is
easily demonstrable after a minute or two; whilst with raw starch, especially
in the case of wheat starch and potato starch, a much longer time is re-
quired. The proteids and oils of the food undergo no change in the mouth.
Gastric digestion.—Having traversed the oesophagus or gullet, the
crushed and moistened food enters the stomach and is immediately sub-
jected to the action of the acid gastric juice. This is a clear fluid which is
secreted by the innumerable minute glands in response to the stimulus
imparted to the mucous membrane by the presence of food. The acidity of
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DIGESTION
245
the gastric juice is due to hydrochloric acid, which exists in the proportion
of about two parts in 100 of the juice, though occasionally the butyric or
phosphoric acid may be also present. In addition to the acid there is also
a ferment named pepsine, and the acid and the pepsine together are the
main agents in the process of gastric digestion in the adult horse. In the
foal there is a second ferment, which coagulates and acts on the casein of
milk. The action of the ferment and acid is chiefly exerted upon the
proteids or nitrogenous constituents of the
food, which it causes to swell up, dissolve,
and undergo a chemical change into soluble
peptones.
In regard to the oils, the only change
that takes place in them in gastric digestion
is that their cell walls are dissolved and the
oil set free; and although no chemical action
is exerted upon the oil, the constant churn-
ing movements to which the food is subjected
by the stomach reduces it to the condition
C-fe=E=>
of an emulsion. The starches are not acted
D-
upon by the gastric juice, but the food is so
thoroughly impregnated with saliva that pro-
bably the action of that fluid is continued in
the stomach. Solution and absorption of
peptones, salts, and sugars takes place to a
F —
certain extent in the stomach, but a portion
°f these substances mingled with the emulsi-
fied oils filter through the pyloric orifice into
the duodenum, or first part of the intestine,
towards the close of digestion the pylorus
Fig. 91.—Section through the Duodenum,
showing Brunner's Glands
A, Villus. B, Follicle of Lieberkiihn.
C, Muscularis mucosae. D, Brunner's
gland. E, Connective tissue. F, Mus-
cular coat.
or right opening of the stomach relaxes to
a greater degree, and the remains of the meal enter the intestine.
Gastric digestion in the horse lasts about three hours, but is accelerated
" water is ingested. The observations of Colin show that the successive
Portions of food swallowed retain to a considerable extent the order in
which they have been ingested, and do not mix together much if no water
*s given.
Intestinal digestion.—As soon as the chyme has passed from the
stornach into the intestine it excites the flow of bile from the liver, of pan-
creatic juice from the pancreas, and of intestinal fluid from the numerous
J-'ieberkuhnian follicles and glands of Brunner that are distributed through
tne mucous membrane. All these fluids are alkaline, and hence the reaction
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                         17
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
246
changes, so that from being acid the chyme becomes alkaline. The bile
not only neutralizes the acidity of the latter, but it aids in the enmlsi-
fication and saponification of the oils and fats. It also promotes their
absorption, and it acts as a stimulant to the muscular walls of the intestine,
causing them to contract, and assisting in this way the onward movement
of the intestinal contents. It seems to interfere with or arrest the further
action of the gastric juice on the proteids. That action, however, is recom-
menced by the pancreatic juice, which can form soluble peptones from the
insoluble proteids in an alkaline medium, just as the gastric juice did in an
acid one. The pancreatic juice is in fact the most important of the digestive
fluids. Comparatively small in quantity, coagulating into a solid mass by
heat, it is found to contain three ferments, named trypsin, steapsin, and
amylopsin. Trypsin converts proteids into soluble peptones, but in a
somewhat different way from that in which the change is effected by gastric
juice, and it can carry the change one step further by decomposing them
into leucin and tyrosin. Steapsin possesses the power first of emulsionizing
and then of saponifying the oleaginous compounds, thus aiding in their
absorption; and lastly—the amylopsin effects similar changes in the starches
to those which we have j ust seen are accomplished by the saliva.
The intestinal juice appears to have an action resembling, though less
powerful than, that of the pancreatic secretion, acting upon all the organic
constituents of the food, rendering them soluble and aiding in their
absorption.
From the small intestine the now greatly modified food mass passes
into the large intestine; and when the enormous capacity of the caecum
and colon are considered, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that a still
further effort is made to convert the materials that have hitherto success-
fully resisted the warmth, moisture, and powerful action of the several
digestive fluids secreted by the salivary glands, the stomach, liver, pancreas,
and intestinal mucous membrane, into useful nutritive substances, and at
the same time to effect their absorption. A considerable development of
infusory animalcules, as well as of micro-organisms in the form of bacilli
and micrococci, takes place in the large intestine. This subject may be
concluded by giving the results of the observations of Colin in regard to
the progress of the food through the alimentary canal. He kept the
animals fasting for twenty-four hours from solids and liquid, then fed them
with about 5-| lbs. of hay, and about 2\ gallons of water, to which must
be added an estimated equal quantity of saliva, and killed them at different
periods. Two hours after the beginning of the meal the stomach had passed
into the intestine one-half in weight of all that had been ingested; two-
fifths of the dry hay had been retained, the remaining three-fifths had
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STROXTON TOM 15871
Bay Shire Horse by Honest Tom 5123; dam, 20944 Stroxton Diamond. Winner of the Challenge Cup, S. H. S., 1903, and numerous other prizes
The Property of James Forshaw, Esq.
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DISEASES OF THE LIPS
247
entered the small intestine, but one-fifth only was contained in the small
intestine and caecum, the missing two-fifths having been dissolved and
absorbed. There was a great excess in the fluid owing to the addition
of the gastric, biliary, pancreatic, and intestinal fluids. In another horse
killed under the same circumstances, three hours after the meal a larger
proportion of the solids had been absorbed, had entered the small intestine
and had been passed on to the caecum. After five hours only half the hay
supplied could be recovered from the stomach, small intestine, and caecum,
the other half having been either dissolved and absorbed, or transmitted
to the colon to be quickly ejected as excrementitious matter. Colin found
some remains, though small in quantity, in the stomach after even so long
a period as 36 or 38 hours. It would appear, then, that very soon after
food is ingested it in part passes through the stomach and reaches the
intestine and caecum, in all of which digestion is simultaneously proceeding,
the fluid that is added to it by the glands being least in the stomach, very
large in the small intestine, and immense in the caecum, and that absorp-
tion is taking place of the dissolved material in all these cavities.
2. THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM-ITS DISEASES AND
INJURIES
DISEASES OF THE LIPS
The lips may become diseased from a variety of causes. In some
instances the disease may be of constitutional origin, in others of a purely
local character. Besides common ailments, these organs are also now and
again the seat of specific eruptions arising in the course of contagious
diseases. In addition to abrasions and other injuries, they are liable to
suffer by exposure to such substances as lime or blistering material, used
°n the limbs and other parts without adequate precaution having been
taken to prevent the animal from rubbing them with his muzzle. Vesicles
°r blisters and erosions may in this way be produced on the outer skin,
making contact with dry food painful and chewing difficult.
v esicles produced in this way generally run into one another, causing
the skin to crack and ulcerate and the tissues of the lips to become swollen,
and in this condition their mobility is more or less impaired and food is
gathered with difficulty.
Old wooden mangers, splintered by animals affected with the vice of
crib-biting, are sometimes responsible for sore lips, which are also induced
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248                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
by improper removal of warts and by indiscriminate use of caustics so
much in favour with old-world farriers. On the muzzle and lips of colts
at pasture warts will sometimes form in countless numbers, and their
proper treatment will come under consideration when speaking of diseases
of the skin generally.
The angles of the mouth are also sometimes observed to be cracked,
ulcerated, and inflamed, as a result of the use of sharp bits and the cruel
and foolish practice adopted by breakers of the more ignorant class of
placing blistering material upon them with a view to obviating "hard
mouths ". No method more calculated to defeat its object could be devised,
as the ultimate result is thickening of a permanent nature and reduction
of the sensibility of the parts. Oil of vitriol and sugar smeared upon
the bit, with the object of producing a glossy coat, is another device of
ignorant carters, resulting in sore lips.
The mucous membrane covering the inner side of the lips is liable to
become injured from without by blows forcing it against the teeth, or
from extension of inflammation from the corners of the mouth.
In certain forms of inflammation of the mouth, as well as in horse-pox,
these organs are the seat of eruptions which may occur on one side or the
other or both.
Treatment.—In this connection no great difficulty need be antici-
pated. Of the troubles we have been speaking, most can be successfully
combated by remedies with which the patient himself will assist us.
We refer, of course, to the use of warm, sloppy food, as bran mashes,
boiled meal, pulped roots, scalded bread, and like emollients, which must
necessarily be brought into contact with the parts affected and produce
a good effect before the patient can swallow them. To guard against
irritation of the injured surface, hay, corn, and chaff should be scalded
and rendered soft and easy of mastication. Nature alone will sometimes
effect repair with these simple precautions and the rest which they afford
to the inflamed parts. Medicaments of the simplest kind should be
chosen if any are needed. In alum solution we have almost a specific
for sore places of this kind, though more active agents may be requisite
where ulceration and indolent wounds require to be treated. It may be
necessary to stimulate a pale, languid sore by touching it with a solution
of nitrate of silver, or sulphate of copper (blue stone), or some other
agent of a similar character, to induce the healing process.
A liberal dressing of vaseline or lard, to soften the skin, will afford the
patient comfort, and should not be omitted in dealing with a delicate horse
which is easily deterred from feeding. The old-fashioned remedy known as
Friar's-Balsam has an excellent healing effect, and is a most suitable appli-
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INFLAMMATION OF THE MOUTH                                249
cation to lip wounds. It should be applied by means of a camel-hair brush
morning and evening.
INFLAMMATION OF THE MOUTH (Stomatitis)
Inflammation of the mouth presents itself in a variety of forms, some-
times resulting in an eruption of white raised spots on the tongue, gums,
and other parts of the cavity. In this form it is commonly spoken of
as aphthae or thrush. Another and altogether distinct variety of the
disease is marked by a more intense and deep-seated inflammation, which
soon causes death of the part attacked and ends in sloughing and deep-
seated ulceration.
Simple stomatitis may be the result of a disordered stomach, or arise
out of the administration of medicines insufficiently diluted, or the mistaken
administration of liniments or embrocations for draughts. It results occa-
sionally from the stings of wasps, as also from the irritating influence of
acrid plants. In young animals it arises in the course of natural changes
going on in the teeth, and in old ones from mechanical irritation and
laceration (wounding) which the sharp and irregular edges of their teeth
inflict on the tongue and cheeks in the act of feeding, and while the
animal is being driven with the bit tightly drawn up in the mouth.
Symptoms.—The symptoms exhibited in this form of the disease are
very characteristic. The mouth is filled with a thick ropy saliva and emits
a disagreeable odour. The membrane lining it is red, hot, tender, and
swollen, and in some cases the epithelium (outer surface) peels off from it
in thin fragments. Food is taken cautiously, or altogether refused; or it
may, after a few turns between the teeth, be cast from the mouth or, as
it is termed, " quidded ".
Cold water is eagerly sought after, and should an opportunity occur,
the patient plunges the mouth into it and finds relief in its cooling effect
on the inflamed and heated surface.
Should the irritation extend to the throat, as it sometimes will, difficulty
may be experienced in swallowing, more especially solid food.
Treatment. — Treatment of this form of the disease must depend more
especially upon the cause to which it is referred. Where it arises out of
stomach derangement a dose of aperient medicine is called for. This may
take the form of a suitable dose of aloes, to be given after two or three
feeds of soft bran.
After the physic has ceased to act, tone may be imparted to the
stomach and digestion assisted by the administration of a powder consisting
°f common salt, bicarbonate of potash, and gentian root, which should be
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250
HEALTH AND DISEASE
given in the food morning and evening. Careful dieting will also require
to be observed until the mouth resumes its natural condition, and of course
the bit must be withheld from it until this is effected.
In all cases of this disease the teeth should be carefully examined, and
where irregularities are found to exist, they must be promptly corrected by
the free use of the tooth rasp or other means, according to the nature of the
disturbance. (See "Diseases of the Teeth".)
Inflammation resulting from stings and chemical irritants calls for
physic and the application of soothing agents to the injured surface. A
suitable electuary for the last-named purpose may be compounded by
adding a little extract of belladonna to glycerine and treacle. Of this a
small portion may be put into the mouth three or four times a day, or it
may be swabbed over now and again wTith linseed-oil.
APHTHA
This form of inflammation of the mouth, occasionally seen in foals and
other young creatures, is characterized by an eruption on the tongue
and other parts of the membrane, and sometimes also on the lips.
It resembles in its main features the malady termed " Thrush" in the
human infant, and is believed to have its origin in a similar if not identical
cause, viz.: a minute fungus or microscopic plant.
In certain states of the system this organism {Oidium albicans), on
gaining access to the mouth, finds in the mucous membrane the necessary
conditions for its growth and development, as the result of which inflam-
mation is produced, at first in numerous small scattered centres, and later
over a considerable surface of the cavity. In some cases it may reach
the throat and extend to the air-passage, or pass downward along the
gullet and invade the stomach.
Symptoms.—As we have previously remarked, aphthse is a disease
of early life, and seldom seen after the suckling period. Although
characterized by an eruption in the mouth it is often attended by more
or less constitutional disturbance, in connection with which derangement
of the stomach is a marked feature. In some instances, however, it is
of a mild character and passes away without attracting particular notice.
In the more severe form it is ushered in by general signs of illness, of
which dulness, a staring coat, and looseness of the bowels are the more
conspicuous. An inspection of the mouth discloses a number of grayish-
white spots scattered over the tongue, the cheeks, and other parts. These
may be so numerous and closely packed as to run one into the other
and spread over a large surface of the lining membrane. Later the mouth
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APHTHiE
251
becomes covered with sores, saliva hangs about the lips, and the breath
becomes offensive. Where the disease invades the throat there is difficulty
m swallowing. Disordered digestion is shown by looseness of the bowels.
or diarrhoea, and straining may be present, when the dung is sour and
foul smelling. Very young foals when observed to let go the teat without
obtaining satisfaction, or when presenting a tucked-up appearance, should
be examined as to their mouth. The reader familiar with sucking colts
is of course aware that in health they make very frequent visits to the
maternal bottle, taking short intervals of rest, varied with gallops, and
returning for more nourishment in a few minutes; but a colt with a sore
mouth will probably drop his ears and shake his head while trying again
and again to lay hold of the teat.
Treatment.—In dealing with this disease it is important to remember
that any unwholesome condition of the milk of the dam will not only
predispose to it, but likewise tend to aggravate it when once it has become,
established. Attention, therefore, should be directed to the health of the-
mare, and care be taken that the food and water she receives is not only
of good quality but suited to her condition as a matron. Should she
be at all out of health a little laxative or alterative medicine should be
prescribed at once and the diet carefully selected and administered. If the
dam is being worked it would be desirable to discontinue her services and
restrict her movements to gentle exercise. In addition her teats and
udder should be sponged with a five per cent solution of carbolic acid-
morning and evening.
With regard to the foal, a small dose of castor-oil at the outset of the1
disease, in a little warm milk, will be found of considerable advantage
m cleansing the stomach and bowels from the offensive and irritating
matters they contain, and aid at the same time in subduing the existing
inflammation of the mouth. This may be followed by 10- to 30-grain
doses of bicarbonate of potash, morning and evening, in a little of the
mare's milk.
Although in slight cases the disorder in the mouth may pass off without
interference on the part of the attendant, its duration will be shortened
and the creature's comfort considerably enhanced by the judicious use
°f simple remedies—as sponging out the mouth with weak vinegar and
water, or a solution of alum, or the application of borax and honey, or
a mixture of glycerine and tannic acid, to the affected parts. Should the
disease of the mouth be severe, and continue to divert the foal from the
teat, debility and exhaustion must be guarded against by drenching the
little patient with milk from the mare, or it may be encouraged to take
small quantities from time to time off the palm of the hand. We have
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
252
known a sponge saturated with milk to prove a useful vehicle for convey-
ing it into the mouth when the teat has been refused. These artificial
means of feeding, however, should be discontinued as soon as possible, 01
the youngster may acquire bad habits and prove troublesome later on.
Weakness and prostration in these cases must be met by the administration
of small doses of brandy added to the milk and potash prescribed above.
and the little sufferer should be kept warm and protected from draught
INFLAMMATION OF THE TONGUE (Glossitis)
By glossitis is understood an inflamed condition of the substance of
the tongue. It is a disease of seldom occurrence in the horse and usually
attended with some danger, not only on account of its immediate effects,
but also in consequence of its liability to leave behind chronic impairment
of the function of the organ, with attendant difficulties of mastication
and deglutition or swallowing.
Causes.—With rare exceptions inflammation of the tongue has its
origin in some form of direct irritation applied to it from without.
Although so favourably situated and guarded it is nevertheless at times
exposed to mechanical injury. The reckless use of too severe bits, splinters
of wood, nails, and other foreign substances contained in the food, bottles
broken in the act of drenching, forcible pulling and tearing the organ
in the administration of balls and other operations are now and again
accountable for the disease. The most common, but rarely serious, injury
to the tongue is that inflicted by the edges of the molar teeth, or, as
they are termed, " grinders", which in old horses become very sharp and
irregular as the result of wear. A similar injury may befall young animals
when shedding their suckling teeth. It does not follow that general inflam-
mation of the tongue should necessarily result from any of these accidents.
Were it so the disease would be of common occurrence. When, however,
the wounds so inflicted become " poisoned ", i.e. inoculated by decomposing
organic matter—as likely occurred in the historic Orme case,—then to the
primary injury is added a septic or putrid condition resulting in diffused
inflammation of the entire organ. In some cases the sting of a bee or a
wasp may be the inducing cause, as may also chemical and corrosive
substances, accidentally or designedly given.
Symptoms.—The tongue is more or less enlarged sometimes through-
out its entire substance, and may protrude from the mouth for a con-
siderable distance. In this state it is hard, tense, and painful to the
touch. At first red in colour, it soon becomes of a dark purple hue as
the teeth close upon it and impede circulation. Thick ropy saliva, having
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INFLAMMATION OF THE TONGUE                               253
an offensive odour, falls from the angles of the mouth, the head is poked
out, and the face wears an anxious and hideous expression.
In very acute cases the throat and neighbouring glands become
swollen, as the result of which the breathing is rendered difficult and
noisy, even to danger of suffocation. The constitutional disturbance will
be in proportion to the severity of the attack. The enlarged and paralysed
state of the tongue renders feeding and drinking impossible, save in the
milder forms of the disease.
Where the disease is protracted, abscesses may form in the substance
of the organ, or the surface may become eroded and covered with sores.
Treatment.—When the case is recognized in its first stage a dose of
physic should be given at once, either as a ball or draught, while it
is still practicable. It is dangerous, however, to attempt this when the
tongue has become much enlarged or torn, but it may be possible to induce
the animal to take an aperient dose of Epsom-salts dissolved in the drink-
ing-water or mixed with a sloppy mash. Prompt application of mustard
or turpentine liniment to the sides of the throat and between the jaws will
assist in checking the progress of the disease; and relief to engorged vessels
and swollen tissues may be afforded by scarification, i.e. piercing the organ
m several places with the point of a lancet or sharp penknife. When this
operation is rendered necessary, care should be taken that the mouth is
first washed out with antiseptic solution, and that the instrument employed
!s clean, or the mischief may be seriously increased.
The mouth should now be syringed out for ten minutes with warm
water containing a little nitrate or chlorate of potash. After the lapse of
an hour ice-cold water should be substituted for warm, and the injections
should be repeated for several minutes four or five times a day. If nourish-
ment cannot be taken by the mouth, it must be given per rectum in
the form of fine oatmeal gruel and beef-tea, or raw eggs and milk.
Where suffocation threatens, an opening will require to be made in the
wind-pipe. This procedure, as well as the one already referred to, calls for
skill and judgment, and should be entrusted to a qualified veterinarian.
After the inflammation has subsided, the tongue will continue to be
stiff and sore for some time. When feeding becomes possible, therefore,
the diet should be of a soft and soothing character. Warm, sloppy mashes,
Well boiled roots, and steamed chaff are the most suitable fare until the
tongue has recovered its normal condition.
In all cases a careful inspection of the tongue and teeth should be
made at the outset for causes indicated above. Foreign agents, if found
*° exist, will require to be removed, and any dental disorder corrected
by suitable means. (See "Diseases of Teeth".)
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254
HEALTH AND DISEASE
CONGESTION OF THE PALATE (Lampas)
Lampas is a congested state of that portion of the palate situated
immediately behind the upper row of front teeth. It is mostly seen in
young animals during the period when the teeth are being changed, but
adult horses are also liable to it as the result of disorders affecting the
stomach and bowels, and as an accompaniment of fever attacks.
It is of no great consequence in itself, but has been regarded with ex-
aggerated importance for generations past, and has been the pretext for end-
less cruelty by ignorant grooms and pretenders to the art of horse surgery.
Symptoms.—In this state of the palate the act of feeding is materi-
ally interfered with, and the horse is noticed to fail in his appetite .or drop
the food from his mouth. Examination of the palate shows the membrane
to be swollen and to extend below the teeth. It is red, tense, and painful
to the touch, and not infrequently attended with slight fever and general
constitutional disturbance.
Treatment.—In large numbers of instances swollen palate is of a
temporary or passing nature, and subsides without medical or surgical
interference; but the severity and continuance of some cases call for
special attention. In these it may be desirable to scarify the palate with
a sharp, clean lancet or penknife, and remove a few ounces of blood; or,
in the case of digestive troubles, a dose of physic, followed by a short
period of dieting, will be sufficient to effect a cure.
While the pain and swelling continues, the food will be rendered more
agreeable to the patient by being damped or scalded. It need hardly
be said that the practice of burning the "bars" with a hot iron is bar-
barous and useless, and it should be generally known that such acts are
cruel and punishable by law.
INFLAMMATION OF THE THROAT (Pharyngitis)
Sore throat, as this disease is commonly termed, is an ailment of
frequent occurrence in the horse, appearing on some occasions in the
course of one or another of the contagious fevers to which this animal
is liable, and on others as an independent local affection, the result of
cold. Young horses suffer most frequently and severely, and especially
when transferred from the pure air of the open pasture to the foul
atmosphere of the stable.
The disease is usually limited to the vascular membrane lining the
cavity, and may be of the mildest description. In this case it passes
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INFLAMMATION OF THE THROAT
255
away quickly without causing much inconvenience or suffering to the
patient. In other instances, however, it extends deep into the tissues of
the throat and neighbouring glands, giving rise to the formation of abscess,
with its attendant suffering and danger.
Causes.—Sore throat often follows upon exposure to inclement
weather and sudden changes of temperature, when it appears as part
of a common cold. Spring and autumn, while the hair is being shed
and a new coat produced, are the times of greatest susceptibility to this
form of the malady, and the liability to contract it is materially increased
by the depressing influence of over-work and close, foul stables. It may
also arise from direct injury inflicted by the lodgment of foreign substances
swallowed with the food, or from chemical irritants administered by mis-
take or otherwise, and it has been suggested that the throat sometimes
becomes irritated and inflamed in the colt as the result of "teething".
It almost invariably exists to a greater or less extent associated with
" strangles", in which we experience the most severe and dangerous
examples of the disease. In certain outbreaks of influenza, catarrhal sore
throat is a special feature of the disorder, while in others it is of seldom
occurrence. It is difficult to assign a reason for this discrepancy, but
probably it may be in some way connected with atmospheric constitution.
Inflammation affecting the mouth not infrequently extends to the
throat unless kept under control.
Symptoms.—The symptoms of pharyngitis or sore throat vary with
the severity of the disease, but they are, nevertheless, very characteristic.
Difficulty or inability to swallow is the most striking feature of the affec-
tion.
The food, after mastication, is held in the mouth for a brief period
before any attempt is made to swallow, and then it is suddenly bolted,
while the head is sharply raised or jerked to one side as the effect of
pain. The throat may show some fulness, and pressure applied from
without excites pain. The glands are sometimes enlarged and tender, in
which case the head will be poked out and carried somewhat stiffly.
" here the impediment to swallowing is considerable, some of the water
returns through the nostrils in the act of drinking, carrying with it frag-
ments of masticated food.
In cases where the disease extends to the respiratory passage there
Will be coughing, especially with each attempt to swallow. In this dis-
ease the mouth contains a large quantity of thick saliva, some of which
trickles from the corners and hangs from the lips in ropy lengths.
In rare instances the inflammatory action results in suppuration and
the formation of an abscess. Here the breathing is rendered difficult and
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256
HEALTH AND DISEASE
noisy, the body temperature is raised, the pulse quickened, and marked
constitutional disturbance exists. After maturing, the abscess breaks
either outwardly or inwardly, in the latter case discharging the matter
(pus) through the nostrils, when the patient experiences immediate and
obvious relief.
Treatment.—The course to be adopted in dealing with this disease
will depend very much on the severity of the attack. In a large number
of instances a short course of warm, sloppy diet, enjoined with a few days'
rest and careful nursing, is all that is required to bring about recovery.
If, however, the attack assumes an acute character, then treatment must
be of a more active kind. Here applications to the throat, both exter-
nally and internally, will be necessary. Outwardly a mustard poultice, or
flannel bandages wrung out in hot water and frequently renewed should
be resorted to, while hot vapour is conveyed to the inflamed part by
inhalation from a nose-bag containing bran, or what is better, sawdust
saturated with boiling water. A little electuary, composed of extract of
belladonna, nitrate of potash, and treacle, should be deposited on the tongue
four or five times a day by means of a stick. The patient will suck it
in, and in this way the throat may be anointed and soothed without
subjecting him to the annoyance and excitement of drenching.
In all cases of this kind the bowels should be gently moved. For
this purpose 2 to 4 ounces of sulphate of magnesia may be given in a
feed of scalded bran, and repeated at intervals of twenty-four hours three
or four times if necessary, or it may be given in the drinking-water if the
patient prefers that mode of taking it. Where outward swelling of the
throat appears, the part should be freely fomented and poulticed. One
of two results may be expected to follow this line of treatment: either
the swelling will become resolved and disappear, or an abscess will develop
in its substance. The latter will be made known by the appearance of a
soft, moist, fluctuating spot on some part of the surface. When this state
has been reached the abscess must be laid open and its contents allowed to
escape. In the event of its " pointing " inwards the matter will, as we
have already indicated, pass out by the nostrils. In either case instant
relief will follow, and should no intercurrent drawback arise, a speedy
recovery may be anticipated.
At this stage of the disease, treatment must be mainly directed towards
improving the general condition and re-establishing convalescence, while
at the same time tone must be given to the diseased parts. In the first
connection a plentiful supply of good food will be needed, but it is most
desirable that it should be judiciously selected and prepared. Scalded
corn and chaff, with bran, and a little boiled linseed, form a suitable diet
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ABSCESS OF THE THEOAT
257
at this time. It should, however, be given in small quantities and often.
Where bodily weakness is very marked, two or three eggs may be added
to the diet as many times a day, and an ounce or two of alcohol may
with advantage be mixed with the drinking-water morning and evening.
Later on, and as the animal recovers appetite and strength, mineral and
vegetable tonics in the form of sulphate of iron and gentian will aid in
bringing about complete restoration to health.
ABSCESS OF THE THROAT
The growth of abscess in this situation is of seldom occurrence,
except in connection with strangles. Occasionally, however, it results
from the lodgment of a foreign body in the throat, as a thorn, thistle-
prick, splinter of wood, pin, fine nail, or other similar substance. Pharyn-
gitis proceeding from a severe cold sometimes terminates in the formation
of an abscess.
Symptoms. —These, in the first instance, simulate an ordinary sore
throat, and later, according to the situation and extent of the swelling,
give evidence of considerable suffering and distress. With the progress
°f the abscess swallowing becomes difficult if not altogether impossible.
When attempted, pain is denoted by the spasmodic movement of the
head to one side as the bolus enters the pharynx, or if water is being
taken much of it will return down the nostrils.
The head is extended on the neck, and, when turning, is moved stiffly
round. More or less general enlargement will appear about the throat,
and if the abscess be superficial a special prominence will be observed at
the point where it is being formed. In cases where it is deeply seated
and " pointing" inward there may be but little outward swelling to mark
its presence, and should it break internally and the matter pass down the
throat, as is sometimes the case, all evidence of its having existed will
disappear, but it will not be overlooked that the patient's pain and
suffering has suddenly disappeared with it.
The presence and disruption of an abscess will sometimes be indicated
Dy a copious discharge of matter from the nostrils and a simultaneous
8ubsidence of the acute symptoms and return of the power of deglutition.
*t not infrequently happens that these throat abscesses break during a
suarp fit of coughing, which mostly occurs from time to time during
their formation.
Slight fever will exist while the abscess is in the process of develop-
ment, but this will quickly subside after it has broken and emptied itself.
Treatment.—This must be directed towards maturing the abscess
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
258
and keeping down the fever which attends its development. The former
may be assisted by poulticing the throat continuously and allowing the
animal to inhale warm vapour from a bran mash at the bottom of a
nose-bag. A little electuary of belladonna and treacle rubbed up with
a little powdered chlorate of potash will diminish local pain. A small
quantity should be put into the mouth three or four times a day by
means of a spatula made out of a piece of stick.
A dram and a half of nitrate of potash in the drinking-water or in
sloppy bran mash may be all that is needful in the way of mediciue.
During the formation of abscess in the throat no attempt should be
made to give draughts or balls. If the fever runs high 2 ounces of
alcohol should be given in the drinking-water three or four times a day
and the body should be kept warm by ample • clothing and bandages to
the legs. Where the abscess points outwardly it should be freely laid
open by means of a clean lancet so soon as it is found to fluctuate under
pressure of the finger.
Plenty of fresh air and a clean apartment are necessary adjuncts to
medical treatment.
SALIVATION, OR PTYALISM
This disease consists in an excessive secretion of saliva, and may result
from various causes—some acting directly on the salivary organs them-
selves, others exciting their undue action by irritating remote parts.
Injuries and eruptions in the mouth, from whatever cause, will induce it.
A knowledge of this fact should lead to an inspection of the mouth on
all occasions where saliva is unduly secreted. Nor should it be overlooked
that sharp and dirty " bits" may excite the necessary irritation, as may
also some chemicals, and acrid plants. In man mercury is a common
cause, and the same results follow its repeated administration in the
horse. It is frequently present in the disorders above referred to, and
occasionally arises from indigestion and gastric irritation. On rare occa-
sions it is seen as the result of neuralgia and other forms of nervous
disturbance.
Symptoms.—Foaming at the mouth while feeding very commonly
results from salivation, and in the absence of food, the animal, if watched,
will be seen to be repeatedly swallowing, while at the same time saliva
drivels from the mouth.
Treatment.—Where the disorder is due to some mechanical or
.chemical irritant the cause should be removed. Where the edges of
the teeth are sharp, the tooth - rasp must be freely applied to them.
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CLEVELAND BAY, SPECIALITY 1562
By Merryheart 1299 out of Beatrice 932. The Property of Mr. John Lett RiUington, York
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INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLANDS
259
Indigestion must be met by a dose of physic and careful dieting, and in
any case the mouth should be irrigated twice or thrice a day with a
weak solution of chlorate of potash or alum.
INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLANDS (Parotitis)
In its local manifestations this disease resembles the human ailment
usually described as " mumps", but the two affections are quite distinct
from each other. Mumps is a specific contagious fever communicable from
person to person. There is no distinct disease of the salivary glands in
H           ■ » - -                            \'e^P
Fig. 92. —Head of Horse, showing Positions of the Parotid
Gland and Duct
A, Temporalis muscle. b, Levator palpebree. c, Orbicularis palpebrarum. D, Supernaso-labialis or Levator
laon sup. alseque nasi. E, Supermaxilo labialis or Levator labii snperioris proprius. P, Supermaxilo nasalis or
-Dilator naris lateralis. G, Orbicularis oris. H, Mento-labialis. I, Maxilo-labialis or Depressor labii inferioris.
J> Zygomaticus. K, Buccinator. L, Parotid duct. M, Masseter muscle. N, Parotid gland, o, Jugular vein.
P, Mastoido-humeralis muscle.
the horse possessing infectious properties, although they not infrequently
become inflamed in the course of infectious diseases of another sort.
Causes.—Inflammation of the parotid gland (fig. 93, p. 260), as it
occurs in the horse, is mostly a symptomatic affection arising in the course
°t an attack of strangles or influenza. In some exceptional cases it results
r°m cold, and we have known it to be induced by the entrance of foreign
Matter into the excretory duct which conveys saliva into the mouth.
Symptoms.—Parotitis may be acute, when the inflammatory action
severe and sometimes results in the formation of an abscess in the
tance of the gland, or it may pursue a chronic and abiding course
ending in permanent enlargement and induration of the organ affected.
ncucations of the disease in the former case are marked by an enlarge-
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
260
ment extending from below the ear downwards towards the throat. The
swelling is hot and painful to the touch; at first hard and resisting, but,
should suppuration take place, a soft fluctuating point appears, denoting the
formation of abscess. In this condition the head is extended and the nose
poked out (fig. 93), there is some trouble in swallowing, and the breathing
becomes difficult, and is sometimes accompanied by a loud roaring sound.
Should the abscess point inwards instead of coming to the surface, it may be
expected to break into the throat. This will be made known by an escape
of white matter down the nostrils and a sudden subsidence of the more acute
symptoms. The difficulty in swallowing will now disappear almost at once,
and any abnormal sound that may have been emitted in breathing is no
longer heard. The constitutional
disturbance which may have ex-
isted will now subside and the
general health become re-estab-
lished. In less severe attacks the
swelling of the gland is incon-
siderable, and there is no dis-
position to form matter. In
these cases the enlargement may
altogether subside, or in part re-
main permanent in the gland.
Treatment.—The object of treatment should be to subdue local
inflammation and cut short the disease, thus guarding against those
extreme structural changes involved in the formation of an abscess, as
well as that too common consequence — roaring. Hot poultices to the
throat should be promptly applied, and these may be continued without
intermission until the disease subsides. Where poulticing cannot be
thoroughly carried out, and frequent changes made, as sometimes occurs,
it is better to rely on counter-irritation. This may take the form of a mus-
tard poultice, or turpentine liniment, or a mild dressing of the oil of can-
tharides—one or the other—repeated thrice or oftener, as may be required.
Where swallowing is difficult and the formation of an abscess internally
is suspected, the ripening of the abscess will be hastened by repeated fumi-
gation of the throat with the vapour of hot water to which turpentine has
been added. This may be accomplished by means of a nose-bag containing
scalded bran, over which a little oil of turpentine has been sprinkled, or
the saw-dust of pine-wood will answer the purpose equally well. A small
quantity of belladonna electuary inserted into the mouth two or three
times a day will also assist in subduing local pain and add to the
comfort of the patient.
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FISTULA OF THE PAROTID DUCT
261
Well - scalded bran and oatmeal, with pulped roots, and a liberal
allowance of linseed gruel, will form a suitable diet, and the addition of
iron and vegetable tonics may also be required to uphold the strength
and hasten recovery. Careful search should be made from time to time
for the formation of abscess, and so soon as it is found to "point", i.e.
fluctuate under pressure of the finger, it must be freely opened and the
matter allowed to escape. All that is now required is to keep the wound
clean by sponging it with antiseptic solution, and protecting it by a pad
of cotton-wool under a bandage.
If after the wound is healed the gland still remains enlarged, a
cantharides or iodine blister ought to be promptly applied and repeated
if necessary.
FISTULA OF THE PAEOTID DUCT
The parotid duct, or duct of Stenson, is the vessel or canal by which
saliva is conveyed from the salivary gland into the mouth. On leaving the
gland the parotid duct (fig. 92, p. 259) passes along the inner surface of
the lower jaw, and then winds round its lower border in front of the great
muscle of the cheek in company with the inferior maxillary artery and
Vein, and finally opens into the mouth opposite to the junction of the
second with the third molar tooth of the upper jaw. In its course round
the jaw-bone and along the side of the face it becomes exposed to injury,
and as the result of blows from the kicks of horses and other mishaps as
well as from the ulcerating effects of calculi (stones) which sometimes form
Within it. an opening is made through its walls at the seat of injury by
which the saliva is allowed to escape instead of passing into the mouth.
J-he duct may be completely divided, as sometimes occurs from external
violence, in which case one portion of the vessel is separated from the other,
0r it may only be punctured. Obviously the former condition is the more
serious of the two, since the divided ends draw away from each other and
are with difficulty brought together under the most favourable circum-
stances; and if allowed to remain apart for any length of time that portion
connected with the mouth closes up, owing partly to no saliva being able
to enter it, but more immediately as the result of inflammation excited in
*t by the accident. Fistula of the parotid duct may also result from the
lormation of an abscess in some part of its course giving rise to ulceration
°f its walls.
Symptoms.—The existence of this disease is known when a watery
uuid is found to discharge through an opening in the skin at or near the
lower border of the jaw (fig. 94). The quantity will depend a good deal
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                             18
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262                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
upon the size of the opening and also upon the act of mastication. When
feeding, the secretion of saliva is most active and the flow is very consider-
able, but becomes comparatively slight when food ceases to be taken.
Treatment.—The indications here are to close the external wound
promptly, and by so doing cause the saliva to flow along and keep open
its proper channel and allow the rent in the vessel to heal. Success will
greatly depend upon:
1. Whether the vessel is partially or completely divided.
Fig. 94.—Fistula of the Parotid Duct
2.   Upon the period of time which is allowed to elapse between the
injury and recourse to treatment.
3.   As to the state of the duct itself.
When the duct is cut through, or its walls are involved in an ulcerative
condition, the prospects of cure are remote; when, however, the duct is
simply perforated it is more favourable.
Whatever treatment is undertaken, solid food must be altogether with-
held for three or four days, or more if necessary, and the patient supported
on liquid aliment such as thin oatmeal and maltmeal gruel mixed with
eggs, beef-tea, and milk alternately, the object being to keep the jaws at
rest and the secretion of the saliva as far as possible in abeyance.
The hair must now be removed from -about the wound and the part
thoroughly cleansed with soap and water and afterwards freely irrigated
with a solution of carbolic acid. With a small needle and catgut-thread
the lips of the wound are then to be carefully and completely drawn
together, in doing which a sufficient hold should be taken of the skin to
guard against tearing out. The part is then to be covered by a thick
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263
SALIVARY CALCULI
dressing of styptic-colloid and covered with a thick pad of antiseptic wool
or absorbent lint.
When necessary both should be renewed but not otherwise, and the
animal is to be so secured that he may not rub or otherwise disturb the
application.
By some, closure of the wound is attempted to be brought about by the
production of a scab, and for this purpose it is freely dressed with caustic,
■such as nitrate of silver, nitric acid, or the hot iron.
In old-standing cases, where the wound has become callous and that
part of the duct near the mouth closed up and impermeable, the salivary
gland should be destroyed, and the formation and discharge of saliva from
it altogether arrested. This is accomplished by injecting some irritant
along the duct into the gland. For this purpose a solution of one of the
following drugs is employed, viz.:—Nitrate of silver, caustic ammonia,
■or tincture of iodine. The immediate effect of this course is to cause in-
flammation and swelling of the gland, sometimes also the production of
an abscess; the ultimate result, however, is that the organ is spoilt, ceases
to secrete saliva, and wastes away. After this has been effected some
little defect in mastication will be observed for a short time, and it may
be that an attack of indigestion may follow, but with care in feeding and
mana
•o'-
ment this will soon cease to be a matter of concern.
SALIVARY CALCULI
Although of rare occurrence calculi are now and again met with in the
course of the salivary ducts, and more especially in that one which conveys
the saliva from the parotid gland into the mouth. Salivary calculi are
°t a grayish-white hue, very dense, and rough on one surface. When
existing alone they are rounded or elongated, but when two or more occur
together in the same duct they present a more or less irregular form owing
"to the friction they exercise upon each other during the movement of the
jaws in mastication. Some specimens are very small while others (fig. 95)
reach several ounces in weight and four or more inches in length. The
monger calculi are usually somewhat concave on the side nearest to the
tower border of the jaw over which the duct passes.
Chemically they are found to consist of carbonate and phosphate of lime
an(t a small quantity of animal matter. Carbonate of lime is the chief
constituent, and forms from eighty to ninety per cent of the whole.
The formation of these stones is provoked by any obstructive cause
yhich prevents the escape and favours the accumulation of salivary fluid
ln tue duct, or by the entrance into it of small particles of grit or other
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264
HEALTH AND DISEASE
foreign matter such as hay, straw, &c, upon which the salts contained in
the fluid will gather in a succession of superimposed layers.
Symptoms.—It is not until the stone or stones have reached a
considerable size that salivary calculi are recognized. Attention is first
directed to them by a small bulging on the lower border of the jaw, or the
groom's hand is brought into contact with them when the horse is being
cleaned. When of large size a considerable enlargement appears on the
site of the growth, which on manipulation is found to be sharply circum-
scribed and movable on
0
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:■■ ■■■'■■' ■..i;inm:iiii(i!i, i»iiin ■' ■'.'JHHi||jii|!HHHWilPl,"i >'Wi|{||||||imM ■ 'M :■.;,■ '■.; ■■'',-i'-M,t:>
the jaw.
In some instances the
skin and underlying tissue
around the growth are
considerably thickened as
the result of irritation
provoked by blows. The
escape of the salivary
fluid being interfered
with, it is made to col-
lect and distend the duct
along its course towards,
the gland.
Treatment.—Where
the stone is discovered,
while still small an at-
tempt may be made to>
Fig. 95.—Two Views of a Salivary Calculus. This calculus measured
four inches in length
force it upward along
the duct and out into'
the mouth, but this will need the greatest care and most gentle manipu-
lation. Large stones, which cannot be so expelled, must be removed
bodily.
Preliminary to an operation the hair must be removed either by close
clipping or shaving, the skin is then thoroughly washed and brushed with
soap and warm water, and afterwards dried and irrigated with a five-per-
cent solution of carbolic acid. An incision is now made through the skin,
and the duct laid open either transversely or longitudinally, just so far as.
to allow the removal of the stone. The divided edges of the duct are then
carefully brought together with catgut sutures, and having thoroughly
cleansed the wound from blood, and freely irrigated it with carbolic
solution, the edges of the skin are brought together and the part covered
with sterilized wool. After the operation is completed the patient should
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CHOKING
265
be tied in pillar reins and kept without solid food for from forty-eight to
fifty-six hours.
CHOKING
Choking results when some solid body or substance becomes fixed in
some part of the oesophagus or gullet. In this condition swallowing is
either imperfectly performed or rendered altogether impossible, according
to the size and form of the object, and in some measure also to the
position occupied by it. This mishap is of seldom occurrence in the horse,
but in the ox, whose food is but imperfectly chewed prior to rumination,
it is comparatively common.
Fig. 96.-Choking in the Throat
Various substances have been found from time to time to obstruct the
gullet. Eggs and onions, given by grooms with the idea of improving the
condition of the horse, have on several occasions resulted in choking.
-Pieces of carrot, turnip, and mangold, balls, hay imperfectly masticated and
hurriedly swallowed, thorns, pieces of stick, wire, &c, are among the more
common offenders. The situation of the obstruction varies in different
Cases. Sometimes it is high up in the throat, at others in the course of the
neck, and in some instances low down in the chest, near to the stomach.
Whether it be in one position or the other it is a state involving con-
querable difficulty and danger, and requires to be dealt with promptly
and deliberately.
Symptoms.—The symptoms of choking are not always the same, the
ifierence depending upon the seat and nature of the object causing it.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
266
Although certain well-marked signs of the accident are usually present
there are cases in which a diagnosis is difficult to accomplish.
Where the impediment is in the throat the symptoms are such as may
be mistaken for ordinary sore throat. The nose is poked out and the
head is carried somewhat stiffly (fig. 96). Kepeated attempts are made
to swallow, each effort being attended with marked pain. The jaws are
moved restlessly about, and a discharge of saliva issues from the mouth.
Food is refused, and should an attempt be made to drink, some of the
fluid will pass down the nostrils and some may enter the respiratory
passage and provoke an outburst of convulsive coughing.
Pressure on the throat causes pain and may reveal the presence of the
offending body, These symptoms are specially marked in the case of
thorns, sticks, and other pointed substances. Should the obstructing mass
be large, and cause pressure on the windpipe, the breathing will be inter-
fered with, and may be very difficult and noisy, with heaving at the flanks
and general indications of distress.
Choking in the course of the neck and in that part of the gullet which
passes through the chest is attended by violent retching and attempts to
vomit. During the paroxysms or fits, the muscles of the neck are first
violently contracted, the chin is forcibly drawn towards the breast, and
the crest is sharply arched (fig. 97). At this time the eyes stare, the face
wears a painful and anxious expression, and ultimately the muscles of the
entire trunk become more or less convulsed. Any impediment lodged
between the throat and the lower third of the neck will be readily felt,
and in cases of high choking are distinctly recognized as a bulging in the
channel of the neck. Should relief be long delayed the body becomes
swollen up with gas, and with it abdominal pain occurs as the result of
impaired digestion.
Treatment.—Here the object is clearly to remove the obstruction.
Haste and excitement are to be avoided in dealing with this as with all
other accidents, but no time should be lost in devising means for freeing
the passage from the object obstructing it. Any suspicion of trouble in the
throat must be promptly acted upon—nay, it is good practice in all cases
where doubt exists as to the seat of the stoppage to introduce the hand
into the mouth and thoroughly explore the pharynx or cavity behind.
Should the offending body be found there, careful handling usually suffices
to effect its removal. Where the impediment is seated in the neck, an
attempt should be made to move it upward or downward by gentle pressure,
first in one direction then in the other. This will be facilitated by first
giving the patient a small quantity of linseed-oil. Imperfectly chewed hay
or straw may be broken down, by careful manipulation from without, and
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SHIRE HORSE: LINCOLNSHIRE LAD II
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CHOKING                                                      267
caused to disperse, but solid substances will require to be bodily removed.
If this cannot be accomplished by the means suggested, the probang or
" choke rope" must be introduced. In performing this operation the
instrument is passed over the tongue and carefully forced along the gullet
until the obstruction is reached, when gentle and continuous pressure is
to be kept up. Violent and spasmodic movements of the instrument are
Fig. 97.—Choking in the Neck
to be strictly avoided. In some instances such a mode of procedure has
resulted in fatal wounding of the gullet.
Should all these methods fail, there is nothing left to be done save to
cut down on the obstruction when accessible and remove it.
Animals relieved of choking should be made to fast for twelve to
twenty-four hours, a little thin gruel only being allowed during that time,
and. for two or three days afterwards the food should be soft or even
Sloppy
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268
HEALTH AND DISEASE
VOMITING
Vomiting, or the ejection of the stomach's contents by the nostrils and
mouth, is comparatively rare in the horse; so much so that many persons
believe that it never occurs. In the chapter on choking we have already
spoken of apparent vomiting, which was in reality only the ejection of the
contents of the tube leading to the stomach. Two reasons are commonly
advanced for the rarity of vomition in the horse: first, an insusceptibility
to nausea; and second, a peculiar valve-like arrangement of the parts at
the entrance to the stomach. The first reason is not an entirely satisfactory
one, as nausea is often exhibited by horses; and the second needs more
proof. Without arguing the case we will pass on to the known causes and
treatment where treatment is possible.
1.   Engorgement of the stomach with indigestible food, followed by
fermentation, elimination of gases, and consequent distention. This has
been known in several instances to be followed by repeated vomition,
leaving the patient in a prostrate condition, but not always resulting in
death.
2.   When the oesophagus at its terminal portion has been permanently
dilated—an argument in favour of the valve theory.
3.   In cases of rupture of the walls of the stomach or of the diaphragm.
The late Professor Kobertson entertained a fourth reason, of which, how-
ever, we can have no proof—namely, the closure of the pyloric orifice and
consequent prevention of the contents of the stomach passing out into the
bowel. Post-mortem examinations have repeatedly proved that vomition
may occur when any of the three first-named causes exist.
ACUTE INDIGESTION
Indigestion presents itself in one of two forms—either it is acute and
attended with severe pain and suffering of short duration, or it assumes a
less noticeable but lingering and chronic character.
To the horse-owner and stableman this form of the disease is better
known by the terms "stomach staggers", "sleepy staggers", and "mad
staggers"—expressions which, if not classical, serve at least to convey a
good idea of the leading phenomena of the affection. They specially
indicate the two forms of disturbance which the brain suffers as a con-
sequence of acute stomach derangement, in the one case denoted by
severe brain disturbance resulting in actual frenzy or madness, in the
other by brain torpor or paralysis, with loss of consciousness and volition,
and imperfect control over voluntary movement.
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ACUTE INDIGESTION                                           269
Causes.—Acute indigestion is recognized by veterinarians as a result
of the stomach being gorged or over-crammed with food. In this affection
the organ becomes unduly enlarged or distended; its walls are consequently
paralysed and incapable of contracting on their contents. The food, there-
fore, becomes stagnant, and instead of being digested and passed on in the
ordinary way, remains to decompose and further distend the organ with
gas. Such a condition is in the highest degree dangerous, and frequently
ends in rupture and speedy death.
Stomach engorgement or paralysis almost invariably follows upon long
fasting, and especially when, in addition, the victim is worn down by
Fig. 98.—Sleepy Staggers
fatigue. In this state the stomach shares in the general depression and
exhaustion, and suffers at the same time by any unreasonable demand that
may be made on its powers. Horses are provoked by long fasting to eat
to excess, and the mischief is considerably augmented by the imperfect
chewing which the food at these times often undergoes.
The practice of allowing hungry horses an unmeasured quantity of
°ooked food is one not to be encouraged. Given in a small amount
Preliminary to the usual feed it is incapable of harm, but when supplied
in large rations it not infrequently becomes a means of fatal engorgement
°f the stomach. This disease is also observed to follow when horses by
aceident gain access to certain kinds of grain, as wheat, barley, and maize.
Symptoms.—It is impossible to say at the outset of an attack of
stornach engorgement what particular group of symptoms will arise in the
course of the disease. This will most likely depend on the degree of
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270
HEALTH AND DISEASE
distension and the more or less complete state of paralysis to which the
stomach is reduced. It may, however, be safely predicted that they
will begin and end in manifestation of abdominal pain, or, from the first,
disorder of the brain will appear, or the one may precede and ultimately
give way to the other.
In instances of the first kind the patient ceases to feed and presents
a dull heavy appearance. He is restless, moves from place to place, looks
languidly round to the flank, essays to lie down, and resumes an upstand-
ing posture without going to the ground. He paws with the fore-feet,
and as the pain increases in severity exhibits an anxious expression of
countenance. The body gradually enlarges as the result of fermentation
going on in the stomach, and in the fits of pain he throws himself to
the ground and rises again to repeat the same after varying intervals
of temporary repose.
Should the disease continue, patchy sweats bedew the body, the move-
ments become unsteady, the muscles of the limbs tremble, gas is belched
up from the stomach, and in rare instances attempts at vomiting are
observed, but the act is seldom accomplished save as to a little fluid
matter.
Should the stomach recover its action, as it sometimes will after a free
discharge of gas, these symptoms gradually subside, and nothing remains
beyond the weakness resulting from the attack, which, with due care, soon
passes away.
In the absence of relief rupture of the stomach and death may be
apprehended.
In those cases where the brain becomes affected a different order of
symptoms is developed, in some instances assuming the form of what
is known as "sleepy staggers" (fig. 98), in others of "mad staggers". In
the former the patient, after exhibiting signs of abdominal pain, becomes
dull, heavy, and stupid. The head is carried low, the eyelids droop, the
lips hang pendulous, and in this drowsy half-insensible condition the horse
walks round and round the box with a slow, staggering gait in which
the toes are trailed or barely lifted from the ground. After one or two
turns the head is forcibly pressed against the wall or rested on the manger,
and in this position he sinks into a profound sleep from which he is
with difficulty awoke. On being roused the same rotary movements are
repeated, and these again are followed by a deep sleep or coma as before.
Vision is much impaired and soon fails altogether, and consciousness
gradually disappears. The breathing at this time is slow and attended
with a stertor or snorting sound, and the pulse also is less frequent than
normal. The bowels are invariably torpid, and little or no faeces are
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CHRONIC INDIGESTION                                         271
passed. Such as may be expelled are hard and usually covered with a glairy
coating of mucus. The liver in these cases frequently gives evidence of
disturbance in the high-coloured urine and yellowish discoloration of the
membranes of the eyes, mouth, and nostrils.
Sooner or later in the course of the attack dulness or stupor may give
place to uncontrollable excitement and delirium (mad staggers). In this
condition the animal paws the ground violently and plunges madly about
the box. Perspiration bedews the body, and the muscles are thrown into
a tremulous agitation over the entire body. Efforts at vomiting may now
appear, and a small amount of offensive, sour-smelling fluid escapes from
the stomach. In the absence of relief, which is seldom capable of being
afforded at this stage of the disease, repeated paroxysms or violent fits
of frenzy end in exhaustion, which is frequently followed by rupture
of the stomach and speedy death.
Treatment.—The prospect of success in the treatment of stomach
engorgement will depend in a great measure on the prompt recognition
of the disease and speedy adoption of suitable curative measures.
The first and most important object is to unload the bowels and relieve
the distended stomach. For this purpose a bold dose of physic is the most
suitable means and should be administered at once. Food of every de-
scription must be withheld and water allowed in any amount.
Where the symptoms indicate abdominal pain a little aromatic spirit of
ammonia, combined with tincture of opium and peppermint-water, may be
given and repeated at intervals of two hours for two or three times. This
may be supplemented by friction and fomentations to the belly. A few
minutes' walking exercise at short intervals will prove beneficial, but the
animal must not be hurried. The rectum should be emptied of excrement
by means of the hand, after which enemas of salt and water may be thrown
mto the bowel every three or four hours. On the appearance of brain
disturbance a little blood taken from the jugular vein will afford relief to
the cerebral vessels, and arrest the progress of the disease as it affects
the head.
Ice-bags to the poll, or a cold-water douche kept up for fifteen minutes
at a time, will further assist. If the latter course be adopted, cold wet
swabs should be applied to the head in the intervals between the
douching.
CHRONIC INDIGESTION
Causes.—This form of the disease may have its origin in a variety
°f causes. Some of these refer to faults or weaknesses in the animal itself;
°thers are connected with feeding and management. In regard to the
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272                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
former, we recognize functional and organic disease of the stomach, bowels,
and liver; while in respect of the latter, we notice it to result from sudden
changes of environment, excessive labour, want of exercise, irregular feeding
and watering, hard water, bad food, imperfect mastication either from
greediness or defective teeth, excessive numbers of parasites, the habitual
use of artificial foods, and the abuse of drugs.
Symptoms.—Loss of condition is in constant evidence in this disease,
manifested in leanness, an unthrifty coat, hidebound, and dry skin. The
appetite is variable, at one time ravenous and at another indifferent or
altogether absent. Licking the walls of the stable, grinding the teeth,
an occasional cough, crib-biting or wind-sucking also mark the presence
of chronic indigestion. When of long standing, it has been observed that
the hoofs become brittle and shelly in consequence of the well-recognized
sympathy that- exists between the mucous membranes of the digestive
canal and the horn-secreting structures of the feet. The excrement emits
an unpleasant odour. Constipation is a more frequent symptom than
diarrhoea, but a looseness of the bowrels is a common accompaniment of the
disorder with horses of that particular conformation known as "washy".
A distended abdomen, and the occurrence of brief attacks of abdominal
pain, are symptoms that sometimes attract the owner's attention, though
he may have failed to attach special importance to them.
Treatment.—Before attempting remedial measures, a searching inquiry
should be instituted into every detail of the animal's feeding, watering,
exercise, and management; the food being examined and the water sub-
jected to the ordinary inspection, and, if need be, analysis. The mouth
and teeth should receive special attention, as the whole difficulty may
arise out of some disease or disorder in them which renders mastication
imperfect. The character of the fseces and urine should be noted, not
once or twice, but daily. The former may contain parasites; it may be
abnormally pale, indicating impairment of the liver, or it may be coated
■with mucous, indicating derangement of the bowTels. Although after the
most exhaustive examination and inquiry the cause may not be discovered,
yet the symptoms may be ameliorated by a careful regimen, and assistance
afforded by the administration of some of those digestive tonics which
experience has proved to be so valuable.
Though the food hitherto supplied to a subject of chronic indigestion
may be sound, and in every way suitable to another horse, change to some
other forage may be followed by early and marked improvement. In the
case of town-kept horses, long strangers to grass, the cause is often an
inactive liver, and a turn out at pasture is found to be the best remedy;
but a compromise may be effected in most large towns by the employment
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273
GASTRITIS
of green meat, beginning with the first cut of rye-grass in April, and
ending with vetches in August, or as soon as the seed-pods become
developed.
An animal that has been once the subject of chronic indigestion should
never be supplied with oats kiln-dried, or indifferently-harvested or doubt-
ful hay; and the so-called "mixtures" which often contain Indian vetches,
or " peas " as they are termed by dealers, should not be admitted into the
stable.
The want of water has been often proved to be a cause of indigestion,
as some horses will only take a very small quantity at a time, and the
groom who offers it regularly in a pail does not suspect the fact that
a horse is not getting enough. The objections to having water always
beside a horse must be made to give way in individual cases, as animals
known to be " sippers" will do well if allowed to drink in their own
way, i.e. small quantities at frequent intervals, while allowing the bucket
to pass them after taking a wholly inadequate quantity.
An occasional aperient is found to be beneficial with some animals,
and as a preliminary measure in the constipated, an aloetic or physic-
ball may be tried. In animals disposed to distension of the belly a small
dose of linseed-oil occasionally is recommended, and salt with the food
in regular quantities daily will prove beneficial. Calumba or gentian-
root powder, combined with bicarbonate of soda, is also found valuable
where flatulence exists and the appetite is indifferent. Iron in its various
forms is not advisable in those cases where constipation is a prominent
symptom, but it is a valuable adjunct to the vegetable bitters above
named for those subjects of chronic indigestion with a tendency to loose-
ness of the bowels. The detection of worms in the excrement will, of
course, point to the use of worm medicines before entering upon general
treatment intended to combat the condition brought about by their
presence. In addition to a suitable diet and medicinal- agents, the work
or exercise should be made as regular in amount as possible, and its effect
noted. If the horse too easily perspires, it may be concluded that he is
doing more than is likely to benefit him. Eemoval of a heavy winter
coat will sometimes prove helpful, while clothing and bandaging and
plenty of friction to the skin are recommended.
GASTRITIS
Definition.—Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach,
specially involving the more highly vascular or villous portion contiguous
with the intestine. It differs from mere gastric irritation or functional
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274                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
disturbance both in its severity and in the structural changes which result
from it. It may be acute or chronic.
ACUTE GASTRITIS
Causes.—Acute gastritis is not uncommonly associated with engorge-
ment of the stomach, and may result from the presence of a foreign body,
or from the action of irritant poison on the lining membrane. It is also
shown to arise sometimes in the course of one or another of the contagious
fevers. Of the irritant poisons inducing gastritis in a horse, only a few
are likely to be taken voluntarily in the food, or from a spirit of mischief
or curiosity, or to be given out of ignorance or malice by attendants
These are the salts of copper, zinc, mercury, lead, and arsenic; the last
named being the most frequently met with, as it is easily obtained in
large quantities in the form of sheep " dips " despite the arsenic acts and
pharmacy laws, which afford altogether insufficient protection to the stock-
owner. Of the poisonous plants, the leaves and shoots of the yew and
rhododendron are not uncommonly the cause of gastritis.
Symptoms.—In this disease acute abdominal pain continues without
intermission, and there is but slight diminution of intensity save for
short periods. The pulse is small and hard, the breathing quickened,
and the expression anxious and miserable. The mucous membranes of
the eyes and nose are intensely reddened, profuse sweats break out, and
the animal looks back towards the flank. These symptoms are common
to gastritis from any cause, but there are certain others special to inflam-
mation of the stomach when induced by irritant poisons. In the case of
arsenic, the most common are intense thirst and frothing at the mouth.
The lips are sometimes swollen and pendulous; there is restlessness and
excitement, hurried breathing, and a small and maybe imperceptible
pulse. The muscles quiver, and the body is suffused in sweat, and the
breath gives out a foetid odour. Paroxysms of pain recur again and again,
and death follows in great agony.
When the disease is dependent upon yew poisoning it is usually
associated with great nervous prostration and collapse, and a fatal
termination quickly follows the ingestion of the poison.
Treatment.—To arrive at the cause, if possible, should be our first
care, as upon this the treatment will greatly depend. If it is found to
result from engorgement of the stomach, or from irritation of foreign bodies
swallowed with the food, treatment will consist in the administration of
soothing and demulcent remedies, as linseed-tea, barley-water, or milk,
together with a mixture of powdered gum-arabic, bismuth, and hydrocyanic
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275
GASTRITIS
acid; the latter are particularly effective in some cases; and if the acute
symptoms abate, a long and careful regime must be observed before a
stomach thus injured can take upon itself the digestion of ordinary foods,
as hard corn and hay. A gradual upward scale of dietary, from linseed-
tea and slops, bread, meal, carrots, mashes, and green meat, may lead
to a moderate allowance of steeped or scalded corn, and finally oats and
hay.
When an irritant poison has been taken and its nature has become
known, direct antidotes should first be administered. A list of these will be
found in a subsequent chapter, where the individual in search of a remedy
has been supplied with information for his guidance until the services of a
qualified veterinary surgeon can be procured; and as cases of this descrip-
tion require special care and treatment, no time should be lost in secur-
ing veterinary aid, while such antidotes as are at hand may be profitably
administered pending his arrival. Eggs, with linseed-oil and gruel, may
be beaten up and given in the interval of waiting, or in the absence of
these, milk, linseed-tea, or a solution of gum-arabic.
The rarity of vomition in the horse, elsewhere referred to, and the all
but impossibility of exciting it artificially, deny us one of the chief aids
available to the human surgeon, who will hasten to empty the stomach of
any remaining poison either by means of an emetic or the stomach-pump.
In the case of the horse, however, we are compelled to rely on the action
of chemical antidotes to neutralize the poison, and on physiological agents
to control its action.
Abdominal pain, which is a leading feature of the affection, should be
met by the employment of hot compresses over the region of the stomach
blankets or sheets dipped in hot water (the naked elbow should be the
test of temperature) and covered with waterproofs, as loin cloths, to retain
the moisture and keep the parts continuously steamed. The intestinal
track must be cleansed of the pernicious matter, but not by any heroic
remedies; small doses of oil, linseed or castor oil, emulsified by whipping
with mucilage, will answTer the purpose.
CHRONIC GASTRITIS
Chronic gastritis is more frequently met with than the condition
Previously described. It may follow upon the acute form as a sequel to
lrritant poisoning or engorgement, or arise out of a long-continued course
°t improper feeding. Horses passing from the hands of dealers and ex-
hibitors who have forced them to a state of obesity by the employment
°* cooked food are specially liable to gastric disturbance of an abiding
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276
HEALTH AND DISEASE
nature when suddenly placed on hard, dry food. Again, coarse, innutri-
tious food, such as is furnished by poor hill pastures, consisting of scrub
and the coarser kinds of vegetation, after regular, perhaps liberal diet in
the stable, is often the determining cause of the disease. The habitual
use of drugs may also lay a foundation for chronic gastritis.
Symptoms are for the most part those of indigestion. Failure on the
part of the stomach to perform its share in the process of digestion results in
functional derangement of the bowels, which may declare itself in periodical
attacks of colic or more or less pronounced diarrhcea, wasting, and weakness.
The appetite is variable, and sometimes the animal refuses food altogether.
Treatment.—If the cause can be ascertained much may be done, but,
where it remains obscure, treatment can only be tentative and expectant.
Where dietetic errors can be distinctly traced, a complete change of food,
or the system of feeding, will often result in speedy amelioration and
ultimate restoration of the gastric function. A comparative rest to the
stomach may be afforded by giving a light- and well-selected diet, including
milk, well-boiled gruel, and other things requiring little work from the
affected organ. This may be supplemented by antacids in the drinking-
water, and the administration of gastric sedatives, as bismuth, hydrocyanic
acid, and pepsine, as an aid to digestion. When sufficient progress has
been made towards convalescence, more solid foods, as crushed oats, scalded
bran, and linseed, may be given, with a few roots.
CHEONIC DILATION OF THE STOMACH
Dilation of the stomach may arise either from physical or physio-
logical causes. In the former case it results from the slow growth of
malignant and other formations in or around the pyloric opening by which
the food is prevented from escaping into the small intestines. In the
latter—the more common form of the affection—it appears more especially
in old animals who have led a life of indolence and high living, and are
then cast away to subsist on large quantities of coarse indigestible food.
Under these circumstances the mucous membrane becomes atrophied, pale
in colour, and more or less disorganized, while the muscular coat is thin
and greatly stretched, so that the organ is two or more times larger
than it should be. Chronic dilation of the stomach and of the intestines
also is sometimes seen in old broken-winded animals.
Symptoms.—These partake of the character of indigestion, with more
or less rapid wasting. At first the appetite falls away, the skin becomes
staring and dirty, the belly increases in size, the bowels are irregular—■
at one time constipated, at another relaxed, always distended with flatus.
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277
EUPTURED STOMACH
When the disease has its origin in some obstructive disease, severe attacks
of colic appear from time to time after feeding, during which the stomach
may rupture in the violence of the struggles.
In this disease treatment is of little avail. In the majority of cases
!t is an evidence of general decay, and where it arises from causes which
obstruct the passage into the bowels, as from tumours in and about the
Pylorus, there is little to be hoped for.
EUPTUEED STOMACH
Euptured stomach is rarely met with in young horses except as a
result of extraordinary violence when the stomach has been greatly dis-
Fig. 99.—Ruptured Stomach
tended by food. In many cases the mishap is preceded by structural
changes inducing dilatation and weakness of the walls. These may have
resulted from a former gastritis, acute or chronic, or from habitual dis-
ension in overfeeding, or from the protracted use of bulky and innutritious
°°d, as is so often the case with farm-horses fed upon indifferent provender
_ nd other unsaleable products of the farm. Severe work on a full stomach
s not rarely responsible for this disease. Heavy draught-horses are the
«iore frequent subjects of this lesion, though it may, and does, occur in
orses of all classes. The work of the draught-horse is not so well-
_egulated as that of the lighter breeds, nor is his attendant, as a rule, as
judic
lous a feeder as that of the hackney or hunter.
Vol. i.                                                                                 J
19
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278                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
Symptoms.—A correct diagnosis of this lesion during life is seldom
possible, even to the most experienced practitioners, as many of the
symptoms resulting from the accident are common to rupture of other
important parts of the alimentary canal. Although vomition is often a
leading symptom, it is too frequently absent to be regarded as a reliable
indication of the disease. Experts are not in agreement as to whether
rupture of the stomach precedes or follows the act of vomition. While
some are of opinion that vomition does not occur while the viscus is intact,
others hold that a stomach, rent and permitting its contents to escape into
the abdomen, would not be capable of exercising that forcible contraction
which precedes the ejection of its contents in an upward direction. When
rupture of the stomach occurs as a sequel to engorgement, there are the
usual manifestations of acute abdominal pain, such as pawing and stamp-
ing, getting up and lying down, rolling, looking round at the flank, &c.
(fig. 99). These are soon followed by less active symptoms, when the
patient stands with haggard and anxious countenance; the breathing
becomes shallow, the extremities cold, the visible mucous membrane
blanched, and the pulse fluttering and feeble. There is now a general
appearance of impending dissolution, which those familiar with animals
may recognize readily if not describe. The temperature, which may have
run up quickly, now falls, and with it comes a trembling, tottering gait,
sighing, and perhaps sweating. In this stage of the disease the animal
soon collapses, but remains on his feet till he falls dead, or dies after a
few convulsive struggles.
COLIC OR GRIPES
There are two kinds of colic, distinguished as spasmodic colic and
flatulent colic, both of which are characterized by symptoms of abdominal
pain. Spasmodic colic results from morbid contraction or spasm of the
muscular structure of the bowel, while flatulent colic arises out of the
opposite condition, by an over-distension—or outward stretching—of the
gut with gases evolved from the fermenting or decomposing food.
Although the symptoms are pretty familiar to horsemen, very vague
notions are usually held as to the seat of pain. Stablemen are wont
to declare the horse's water is wrong, and they therefore attach undue
importance to the act of urination, and in this mistaken view administer
agents altogether unsuited to the requirements of the case.
Causes.—The disease has for its origin a variety of causes. Indigestion
is accountable for more cases than any other cause, and, as we have already
seen, assumes a variety of forms.
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COLIC OK GKIPES
279
Drinking copiously of cold water on an empty stomach when exhausted
by prolonged exertion is another cause. Some springs of water are
specially prone to produce gripes, and are avoided by horse-owners for that
reason. The presence of parasites when in large numbers, and the existence
of calculi (stones) and other concretions, are fruitful causes of the malady.
-It also results from the lodgment of foreign bodies in the bowels, and
chronic disease of the latter is sometimes its cause.
Symptoms.—These are usually very sudden in their onset. AH- at
once the horse is seized with pain, which he evinces by pawing and scraping
Fig. 100.—Spasmodic Colic (1)
the ground with his front feet, stamping and striking the belly with the
nind ones, lays back his ears and looks round to his flank. From time to
wne he shows a desire to lie down, crouching as if to do so, and again
aising himself to the upright position. He may repeat these movements
5^veral times, and then go down almost recklessly, perhaps to rise imme-
lately or roll over from side to side in a violent manner. True or
Pasniodic colic is intermittent, and in the midst of his sufferings the
Patient may get up, shake himself, and begin to feed as if nothing ailed
im. This, however, only marks a brief respite as a rule, for the symptoms
Ul again return, and often with increased violence, when the animal will
ander round the box and throw himself violently down in the fits of pain.
^animation of the faeces generally prove them to be small in amount,
rd, and not unfrequently coated with glairy mucus. It may also be that
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
280
different portions will vary in consistence, traceable to a sudden change
from soft to hard food or the reverse.
The quickened pulse and breathing observed during the paroxysms of
suffering pass away when the pain has subsided, and in the intervals show
little or no disturbance.
In favourable cases the intermissions of pain are prolonged in duration
and the symptoms less acute. If, however, the severity of the attack
increases and the intervals of ease become shorter, it portends danger.
Treatment.—The timely administration of a diffusible stimulant is
often sufficient to relieve a passing spasm, but it is more to the point in
Fig. 101.—Spasmodic Colic (2)
these cases to administer a ball of aloes without loss of time. This will
have the effect of keeping down the tendency to inflammation and remove
offending matter from the bowels. Opium in various forms, as ammoniated
tincture of laudanum alone, or in combination with ether or aromatic spirit
of ammonia, are most useful in subduing pain and controlling spasm. The
repeated administration of opium has the effect of retarding the action
of the bowels, however, and many horses have been lost from the want
of an aperient to counteract it. This the aloes ball does from the first,
enabling us to give bolder doses and to continue them over a longer time.
Where drenching is undesirable, morphia or belladonna may be injected
beneath the skin by means of a suitable syringe. Used in this manner,
morphia is said to have all the good effects of opium without its objections.
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CLYDESDALE STALLION: LORD STEWART
By Castlereagh 10324; dam, Lady Susan 11442 by Callender 4901. The Property of Seaham Harbour Stud Company
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FLATULENT COLIC
281
In an emergency, where, as sometimes happens, drugs are not to be
obtained, gin or whisky with a little ginger form a useful draught with
warm or cold water. Like the other diffusible stimulants referred to, they
serve to distribute the nerve force, which for the time is acting prejudicially
on a portion of the bowel, producing spasmodic contraction. An early
opportunity should be taken in these cases to empty the posterior bowel of
its faecal contents by passing the hand up the rectum. This should be
followed by the introduction of clysters, composed of water at about the
temperature of the body in which a little soap has been dissolved. A
considerable amount of relief may be afforded by repeating the injections at
Fig. 102.—Spasmodic Colic (3). (Horse rolling in pain.)
intervals of an hour or two, in course of which the action of the bowels may
be materially expedited if a little sulphate of magnesia or linseed-oil be
added to the soap solution. Stimulation of the abdomen from the outside
by means of friction, with wisps of straw or liniments, or rugs dipped in
hot water, should not be overlooked. Violent rolling is to be guarded
against as much as possible, and some advantage may be derived from
short spells of walking exercise, which will assist in promoting the action
of the bowels.
FLATULENT COLIC
Definition.—This is a condition in Avhich the large bowels are dis-
tended with gas brought about as a result of decomposition of the food
contained in them. It may follow upon spasmodic colic, or result from
sorne other condition by which the passage of food along the bowel is
■retarded or arrested.
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282                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
Causes.—Among these are food of an improper nature, eating too
fast and too much after long abstinence. It is also a result of intestinal
obstruction, imperfect mastication arising out of irregularity of the teeth,
and of altered structure and disordered function of one or another of the
organs of digestion. Potatoes, rapidly-grown clover, and succulent grasses
taken after a long fast will also induce it. To know which of these causes
is in operation is important, as upon it will depend the course of treatment
to be pursued.
Fig. 103.—Flatulent Colic. The x indicates the point where the trochar is introduced
Symptoms.—The most striking and characteristic symptom is the
drum-like distension of the belly (fig. 103). The manifestations of pain
are not so sudden and acute as in spasmodic colic, but come on gradually;
moreover, the pain is continuous, and attended with more danger than in
spasmodic colic. Abdominal pain is evinced by restlessness and pawing",
looking round at the flank, distressful countenance, and it may precede or
follow the drum-like condition of the belly. It must, however, be remem-
bered that individuals vary very much in their behaviour when suffering
from this form of indigestion. To the violence of some patients may be
attributed such fatal consequences as rupture of the intestine, while others
show great depression of spirits, standing with a pained and anxious look,
or wandering fitfully about the box, fearing to lie down, and, when
compelled by pain to seek a change of posture, getting down slowly and
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FLATULENT COLIC                                             283
carefully, and stretching out upon the side at full length, with only
occasional wistful looks backwards. This attitude gives an even greater-
appearance of tympany than when the animal is standing, but the pressure
on the under side of the body would appear to assist the patient in
breaking off wind. The pressure of the distended bowels in a forward
direction, and the pain experienced, cause the breathing to be quickened
and shallow, and the pulse frequent and diminished in force. The dura-
tion of this disease is variable and uncertain. In some animals relief
is speedily obtained by voluminous discharge of wind per rectum, with-
out medicinal or other agents; in others it may last for many hours,
and as long as two or three days. When flatulent colic has been caused
by succulent food, as green clover or lucerne, its duration will probably be
shorter than in a case where an animal has eaten excessively of meal or
grain or other food requiring greater digestion.
Treatment.—To break up or disperse the gases is the primary object
of treatment, and a great many drugs have been credited with these
powers. Hand-rubbing and wisping the abdomen appears to be agreeable
to the patient, and probably affords some relief. Walking the animal
about conduces also to breaking wind. The most rapid and effectual
method of giving relief is to insert a suitable instrument into the right
flank, and by tapping the distended bowel give exit to the confined gas.
This operation has not hitherto been resorted to as frequently as it should
have been, owing to what now appears to be an unfounded fear of inducing
Peritonitis. The insertion of the instrument and the withdrawal of the
trochar is followed by a free escape of gas and the rapid subsidence of
the distended belly. A marked diminution of pain and a more cheerful
expression on the part of the patient are also produced. Owing, however,
to the supposed danger of the operation it is frequently postponed until
the patient is in extremis.
The medicinal agents to be chosen are those which will chemically
decompose the gas, arrest further fermentation, and carry away the offending
lngesta. It must also be our endeavour to restore the power of contractility
to the overstretched and weakened walls of the implicated bowel.
Of the first class, aromatic spirit of ammonia and the carbonate of
ammonia have the best reputation. Linseed or other bland oil, as olive
0r cotton-seed oils, appear to disperse or arrest the further elimination
°* gas, and by their laxative qualities assist in removal of the offending
solids.
Carbolic acid and the emulsions of creasote, very largely diluted, and
weak preparations of chlorine, such as may be produced by agitation of a
aiu of chlorinated lime with a pint of water, arrest decomposition; while
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284                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
such stimulants and carminatives as turpentine and spirit of nitrous ether,
capsicums, cardamoms, ginger, and the fruits of the pepper tribe generally,
are calculated to restore tone to the affected parts. A draught consisting
of laudanum, spirit of nitrous ether, and linseed-oil has for long enjoyed a
good reputation, and is usually to be found in most large studs. Some
relief may be afforded by promptly unloading the rectum of its contents
with the oiled hand and afterwards throwing up a clyster, which may be
repeated every three or four hours.
A fatal result is sometimes precipitated by rupture of the distended
bowel or of the diaphragm by reason of the continued outward pressure
on the gut. With abatement of the symptoms abstinence for some hours
should be insisted upon, and small quantities only of food allowed until
restoration appears to be complete.
CONSTIPATION
Definition.—Constipation is a condition of the intestines in which for
various reasons the faeces are too long retained, too hard in consistence, and
voided with difficulty in inadequate quantity.
Causes.—The causes of this disorder are many and various, the more
common being continued feeding upon dry provender, insufficient and
irregular watering, woody and innutritious foods, as in the case of forest
ponies subsisting on heather, moss, and twigs of trees and bushes in
dry seasons. In addition, it is also induced by sudden changes of diet,
want of exercise, mechanical obstructions, debility, and imperfect secretion
of bile and other digestive juices. In very young foals it is often due
to plugging of the rectum with meconium which has accumulated in the
bowels during the latter part of fetal life.
Symptoms.—It is only in the most pronounced cases that attention is
drawn to this ailment—when it is noticed that the faeces are discharged
with difficulty, and after considerable straining, during which the back
is arched and the hind legs are brought under the body, the act of defeca-
tion is completed with a groan. The dung is voided in small quantities,
consisting of hard round pieces more or less glazed and dark in colour.
It is a common affection of very young foals, and the experienced
breeder or attendant, whose observation has been cultivated, will suspect
this condition if the new-born foal at frequent short intervals is found
to posture as if to pass urine; he may not arch his back in the manner
of an adult, but will evince signs of uneasiness, elevating the tail, straining,
looking back, lying down at full length and rising again as if suffering
abdominal pain.
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CONSTIPATION
285
Treatment.—Since a variety of causes contribute to induce consti-
pation, they should be fully considered before deciding upon treatment,
as the aloetic ball, which may answer well for adults with a sluggish
liver, may be quite unsuitable for other subjects. For the young foal,
where the rectum is plugged with a hard yellow substance, an oiled finger
may be introduced and the obstruction removed, with a careful avoidance
of injury to the lining membrane of the bowel by the operator's nails. A
simple enema of soap and warm water, or glycerine, or the introduction
of lard or vaseline, is usually all that is required, as with each day the
intestine is developing greater powers, and the expulsive efforts are soon
found to be sufficient to relieve the loaded bowel of its contents. If
constipation continues, a small dose of castor-oil may be given, preferably
in warm milk; and if the dam is not at grass she should be supplied with
a laxative diet, which, acting upon her, will soon be found to influence
the colt favourably. Some breeders, more careful than the average farmer,
give in-foal mares bran and middlings and pulped roots for a few days
before foaling, a practice in favour of which something can be said,
both as a milk-producer and for the special purpose to which we have
alluded.
Constipation in the stabled horse should be guarded against by the
bran mash or linseed prescribed by good horsekeepers, and an animal
predisposed to hardness of the faeces should be allowed an extra laxative
diet, rather than given drugs. Green meat made into chaff with hay
or straw, during the summer months, will serve the purpose of keeping
open the bowels in costive subjects, who would perhaps eat only the
green food if offered separately.
An aloetic ball, proportioned to the size and breed of the animal, may
be given where an early evacuation of the bowel is imperative, but as
a rule the repetition of small laxative doses of linseed-oil, or sulphate
of magnesia, is preferable to the administration of one drastic purgative,
which is apt to be followed by inaction of the over-stimulated intestines.
When debility has been a contributory cause of constipation it may be
necessary to give tonic agents and a more liberal diet, but if iron be one of
the agents selected there is a risk of further constipation, unless corrected
Dy more laxative foods. Nux vomica, in small doses, continued over
a considerable period, may prove one of the most valuable remedies in
restoring functional power to the muscular walls of the bowels.
As feeding errors are the chief cause, so will the remedy be found
111 a more suitable dietary, and each animal should be fed according to
flis requirements. The practical horseman need hardly be reminded
that horses differ so much in the effect of food upon the alimentary
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286                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
tract that the peculiarities of each should be carefully noted and treated
accordingly, instead of insisting upon any hard-and-fast rules regulated
by market prices or local prejudice.
DIARRHCEA
Definition.—Diarrhoea is the expression of an irritable condition of
the alimentary canal, sometimes resulting from an excess, or deficiency
or impaired quality of one or other of the digestive secretions. It is
marked by an increase in the quantity and fluidity of the alvine discharges,
and is accompanied by digestive disturbance, and occasionally by inflam-
matory changes involving the stomach and bowels.
CaUS6S.—The causes that give rise to diarrhoea are improper food,
sudden changes from one kind to another, gluttony, eating too fast
after long abstinence, imperfect mastication, bad water, chills, overwork,
and exposure to vicissitudes of climate. It may also be induced by
parasites, chemical irritants, and injudicious drugging, or perverted func-
tion of the liver and other organs. Besides these, excessive action of
the bowels may be caused by an effort of nature to rid the system of some
deleterious agent in the blood. This is not unfrequently seen in advanced
lung disease, or where the function of skin or kidney is arrested and
impurities which they should discharge are allowed to accumulate in the
system. When associated with other diseases, and as a sequel to inflam-
matory and wasting disorders, it is a grave condition, and may be the
prelude to dissolution; the conditions which bring about like results in
the young have often a very different origin and more frequently fatal
consequences. In some seasons and in particular situations a mucous
catarrh, extending from the mouth to the anus, and especially involving
the bowels in certain portions, is sometimes prevalent among foals. Its
cause in the majority of instances is some alteration in the character
of the milk, or functional derangement of the mare, consequent upon
unsuitable food, or it may be a sequel of difficult labour, or parturition
troubles. Anything interfering with the well-being of the dam is liable
to be reflected in the health of the sucker. A very large proportion of
the cases of diarrhoea met with in young foals are to be accounted for
by long abstinence while the mares are at work, and the overheating
and excessive exertion to which the latter are subjected at a time when
nature is making a special demand on the system in the supply of milk.
Maternal solicitude under certain circumstances renders mares restless
and excitable, and takes more out of them than the work assigned
would do at any other time. Without discussing here the propriety or
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DIAEEHCEA
287
otherwise of working mares while suckling, we may remind readers un-
acquainted with the details of farming, that foals arrive at a time of the
year when the majority of agriculturists have much need of the mare's
services, and economic considerations demand that notwithstanding her
maternal duties she must contribute to the general work of the farm,
-the practice of hand-milking the dam on return from work while she
ls allowed to fondle her foal over a gate till their mutual excitement
has subsided, would appear to reduce the liability to derangement of
the foal to some extent, and no serious objection can be made to it;
the foal will get a sufficient supply after the more objectionable portion
has been drawn off, and possibly that portion which would have proved
deleterious. Diarrhoea may be present in the first few days of the colt's
hfe, the milk apparently disagreeing with him from the first—those
sucking a foster-mother are sometimes upset by their first meal, especially
l* it happens that the orphan has been put to a mare whose foal was
born some time prior to the birth of her adopted one. Here the lacteal
secretion is altogether devoid of those aperient properties belonging
to the milk of a mare which has recently given birth to a foal, and is
consequently less suited to it at this early period of its life.
Symptoms.—Diarrhoea is characterized by frequent fluid evacuations;
where these are not actually seen the existence of the malady may be
gathered from the dirt and stains on the thighs and lower portions of
the limbs.
In the stabled horse the premonitory rumblings of the bowels and
uneasiness usually escape attention, or they may only occur when the
horse is called upon to exert himself. Some "washy" horses, whose
tseces are pultaceous or normal in the stable, begin to unload the bowel
as soon as the harness or saddle is taken down, and more or less diarrhoea
18 the result of every journey undertaken. This is unmistakably due
to nervous excitability acting upon a susceptible digestive system; and
a troublesome condition it is to deal with, since too much work may induce
exhaustion and loss of condition, while too little will add to the excitement
n each occasion of exercise. In all cases of diarrhoea the ejected material
should be examined, when the active cause of the disease may be discovered.
it be woody fibre, it will be found in the liquid matter, or occasional
Agglomerations of hardened fsecal masses of irregular shape will be observed.
when a diet of potatoes has induced purging, a very offensive odour
Companies the evacuations, and the mouth is sour and saliva tenacious,
hJle a tendency to abdominal pain may be noted in pawing and crouching
b m colic, nausea, and an expression of lassitude and dejection, with a
eakened pulse and inappetence, following upon the ordinary symptoms.
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288                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
In diarrhcea arising from intrinsic causes, general inquiry into the
previous health of the animal, or the presence of excessive quantities of
biliary matter in the stools, or the discovery of parasites in great num-
bers, &c, may be of use in directing the prescriber. In the case of the
sucking colt with the first fluid evacuations there will probably be no
general signs of illness, but with its continuation he loses his appetite
for play, and then for milk, stretches himself at full length on the ground
and remains prone for a long time, and at intervals looks round at his
flank, raising his head from the ground and allowing it to fall back
again with an appearance of extreme languor. Abdominal pain of a
more acute kind supervening, he will get up and strike at his abdomen
with the hind feet, stand with all four feet close together, frequently
evacuating offensive yellow faeces, which after a time escape almost
involuntarily, staining the thighs, and if he is confined to a building,
the atmosphere is soon rendered sour and unwholesome. If the mare
and foal are at grass and in deep pasture, the character of the evacua-
tions may escape the notice of the attendant, and not until the foal
becomes tucked up in the flank, or dull and listless, does he discover
anything amiss. Foals have not so great a power of resistance to diarrhcea
as calves, but succumb often in a very few days, with or without inflam-
mation supervening.
Treatment.—When affecting adults, or other than sucking colts, a
consideration of the cause will determine the measures to be adopted,
which in different cases may be of an almost opposite character, requir-
ing in some the use of aperients or gentle laxatives, while astringents
may be called for in others. The chilled animal, having suffered from
exposure to inclement weather, will be removed to suitable environment,
efforts being; made to restore the general circulation with stimulants and
friction, as hand-rubbing the limbs, pulling the ears, bandaging, clothing,
and the provision of a dry bed; such improved circumstances may alone
be found to have reduced the severity of the symptoms without the ad-
ministration of drugs. The determination of blood to the central organs,
which induced diarrhoea, having given place to its proper distribution, as
evidenced by increased warmth of the surface and extremities, ameliora-
tion of the symptoms will follow in due course. Too early recourse to
powerful astringents may lead to an opposite condition, diarrhoea being
often a natural method of relieving the body of some deleterious
material, and we should be content with astringent foods, as arrow-root
and wheaten-flour gruel, with the addition of a little brandy if the
pulse continues weak and the extremities cold. Where diarrhcea is
traceable
to fermented food of a hard and indigestible nature, it may be
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STJPERPUBGATION                                              289
advisable to assist its removal with oleaginous fluids, as a dose of castor-
oil in warm milk, or linseed-tea, or the distinctly acid nature of the
evacuations may point to the use of alkaline bicarbonates as a preparatory
measure. Abdominal pain will need to be combated with opium, and
cordial carminatives, as cassia, and cinnamon, and ginger, with such
diffusible stimulants as nitrous ether, which may be given in gruel. The
necessity for giving some fluid food consists in the irritable surface upon
which it will have contact, and as soon as there is good reason to hope
that the irritability has subsided a return to dry food is advised, as the
majority of horses will continue to be loose in the bowels while confined
to a diet of slops. As an intermediate diet between gruel and hard food
we may use steeped barley and scalded oats, or oatmeal, with milk and
eggs well whipped. A mixture of chalk and laudanum suspended in gum
and peppermint-water is an old and efficacious remedy, much used for
the young. In the treatment of sucking colts it will usually be advisable
to give a moderate dose of castor-oil before administering any of the
ordinary diarrhoea mixtures. Bismuth, either as a powder or added to
the chalk-and-opium mixture, is much favoured in cases of some duration.
Lime-water, or bicarbonate of soda in the drinking-water of the mare, will
often materially affect the milk and allay intestinal irritation in the foal.
SUPERPURGATION
Definition.—This term is used to describe an artificially-induced
diarrhoea by the injudicious use of purgative medicines.
Causes.—The administration of a dose of purgative medicine too
large for the patient, or its repetition in too short a time. It often
happens that an aloetic ball is given without due preparation, and failing
to have the desired effect within the usual time, the inexperienced
attendant repeats the dose, with the result that the bowels are unduly
excited. Drinking a great quantity of cold water when the ball has
been given on an empty stomach, or calling upon the patient for too
Kiuch exertion before the purgative has ceased to act, will also induce
^ in some susceptible animals. Calomel, even in small doses, will some-
times provoke superpurgation when given during an attack of influenza
■tever, as is sometimes done where bilious complications arise.
Symptoms.—Frequent and excessive evacuation of the fluid contents
°i the bowels, loss of appetite, cold extremities, weak pulse, and in
severe cases, in which there is considerable danger to life, the eyes
assume a glassy appearance, and the odour of the breath and that of the
yacuations become very offensive. There is great prostration and weak-
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290
HEALTH AND DISEASE
ness; and pain and straining, more or less severe, appear in the course of
the attack. Purging may cease on account of loss of power in the gut, or
in consequence of a complete emptying of the bowel. With an abatement
of the symptoms, laminitis, or "fever in the feet", supervenes in some
cases, and adds to the existing trouble.
Treatment.—The surface warmth should receive immediate attention,
hand-rubbing the legs, pulling the ears, bandaging and clothing with warm
rugs; perfect quiet should be maintained, and if necessary the animal
should be removed to a box away from the others. A gill of brandy, with
an egg and a pint of milk, beaten up together, may be all that is needed
in slight cases; but if abdominal pain follows, and the patient gets worse,
astringent and anodyne medicines should be given, together with stimu-
lants. Ounce doses of chlorodyne, with eggs and milk, or two ounces of
laudanum with a wine-glass or two of brandy, may be tried, and repeated
in two or three hours. Arrow-root, boiled rice, or corn-flour may be
given in frequent doses, together with eggs and brandy, or spirit of nitrous
ether. Treatment would be more successful but for the injudicious use of
linseed and boiled roots, which would seem to be a common stable practice
in some districts. In this disorder food may be dispensed with, excepting
such as is described above; the sensitive bowels need rest, and the absence
of all forms of irritation is imperatively indicated. When the abdomen
assumes a drum-like condition, a wine-glass of spirit of turpentine may
be given with milk, or an ounce of aromatic spirits of ammonia with
peppermint.
Much care is necessary in bringing an overpurged horse back to his
regular diet, if that be a strong one; he should be allowed only half-
rations for some days, avoiding new, or any, hay or corn the least
damaged. It is important, too, that the food be given in small quantities
and often. Exercise will not be necessary beyond that to be obtained
in a large loose-box.
DYSENTERY
Definition.—Dysentery is a destructive inflammatory disease resulting
in ulceration of the lining membrane of the bowel. It is attended with
more or less haemorrhage and a copious discharge of mucus with the faeces.
It differs from diarrhoea not merely in the frequency of the discharges and
in their character, but also the constitutional disturbance associated with
it. It has not been satisfactorily traced to the introduction of specific
disease germs, nor are there any decided proofs of its greater frequency
in insanitary surroundings;—more often is it attributed to causes of an
-ocr page 369-
291
DYSENTERY
exhausting character, as bad and insufficient food, and exposure to weather
without preparation, and it may also arise as a sequel to diarrhoea and as
the result of some poisonous matter in the blood. The presence of para-
sites in unusual numbers, and drinking-water in which decaying animal
matter is present, are said also to be exciting causes.
Symptoms.—In some cases profuse evacuations of a fluid consistence
mark the onset of the disease, others may exhibit preliminary fever and
excessive prostration. Elevation of temperature and rigors may be
observed in the commencement, or be continuous in the course of the
disease, accompanied by a small and irritable pulse. Abdominal pain
Fig. 104.—Dysentery-
PriOr to, or immediately following on the evacuation of faeces, is a common
8ynrptom, with hidebound, general marasmus, or wasting and loss of
aPpetite. In the faeces, though fluid, may be found hardened masses as
mdicating quite a different condition in some parts of the canal from others,
while casts of mucus, sometimes mistaken for worms, are commingled with
Jelly-like material and bloody shreds of membrane. A particularly offensive
°dour characterizes the evacuations. In fatal cases there is an increase of
abdominal pain, thirst, exhaustion, and prolonged fever. Only in the
stage of collapse is the temperature lowered, and it may then fall below
nornial. Dysentery, unlike other bowel affections, does not usually carry
°n its victims in a few hours, or days, but may continue for weeks. In
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
292
the later stages only do we see the worn and anxious countenance
associated with acute intestinal affections.
Treatment.-—More reliance is to be placed upon good nursing and
hygienic conditions than actual medicines, a suitable dietary being the
chief consideration. Given a warm, dry, well-ventilated stable, we have
next to consider the most suitable food, which must be free from irritating
properties, easy of digestion, nutritious, and soft. In eggs and milk, gruel
and meal, we have these desiderata, and they may be supplemented with
port-wine, while some would add beef-tea.
When there is much evidence of pain, opium may be given in small
and repeated doses. When the evacuations produce a foul atmosphere
and the season compels closed doors, it may be corrected to an extent
by the internal administration of carbolic acid, as well as the use of
disinfectants and deodorizers in the building. If carbolic acid is chosen
as an internal agent, it should be dissolved in glycerine, or rubbed up
with soft soap and freely diluted in water, or given in gruel. Chlorodyne
is extremely valuable in some instances, and bismuth, in powder as
trisnitrate, or subcarbonate, is recommended as a means of forming a
coating over the broken surface of the membrane. Maintenance of sur-
face warmth should not be neglected; the legs should be bandaged with
woollen, and the body clothed with warm wraps. Increased circulation
in the skin and extremities is a favourable symptom. Despite the most
assiduous care many cases terminate fatally, but the proportion of
recoveries should be an inducement to strenuous efforts and unremitting
care.
ENTEEITIS
Enteritis, or inflammation of the bowels, is one of the most frequently
fatal diseases of the horse with which we have to contend. It may affect the
large bowel, the small one, or both. It is the former in which the disease
most frequently appears. As to the exact seat of the inflammation, there is
no doubt that it commences in the lining membrane, and, with the continu-
ance of the disease, extends outward, involving the substance of the bowel.
Causes.—We are very much in the dark sometimes as to its causation.
It may be a sequel to colic and impaction of the bowel, over-fatigue and
exposure to vicissitudes of weather, wading through streams when heated
by the chase, chemical irritants, vegetable poisons, strangulation, &c.
None of these causes, however, are sufficient to account for all the cases
of which the experienced veterinarian can speak; more often does he find,
on the most careful inquiry and investigation, no clue whatever to the
sudden appearance of the disease.
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ENTERITIS                                                     293
Symptoms.—Although often described as simulating colic, there are
marked distinctions to the observant. It may be, and often is the case,
that abdominal pain, exhibited in the usual manner, first calls the
attendant's notice to the patient. Eigors, or shivering, with coat staring,
mappetence, accelerated breathing, great depression, and evacuation of
very small quantities of dung, soon follows. The pulse, which in colic
only quickens during the paroxysm of pain, is here persistently small,
quick, and hard. The membranes of the eyes and nose are red and
congested; the eyelid turned up shows the vessels to be full and standing
out. The mouth is clammy and tongue dry; the belly may be distended,
but is much more frequently contracted—its altered shape is remarkable
m a horse with whose outlines one is familiar, having the appearance of
being pressed upwards and outwards. From the stage of dull listlessness
the patient passes on to one of excitement, stamping the ground, and
striking the belly very much in the manner of colic, with occasional uneasy
watching and turning of the head towards the flank. In a great many
cases we have watched throughout the attack there has been very little
violence, more often an uneasy scraping with the front foot, the attendants
ftot being able to realize the gravity of the disease, but supposing it to
be a mild attack of gripes. There are no intervals of ease here as in colic,
and rarely any desire for food or water; the thirst which accompanies high
temperature in man is rarely present in horses. All, except in the stage
°f delirium, lie down with much caution, lowering themselves in fear, and
lri quite a different manner from the griped horse, which may throw
himself violently upon the floor of his stall before one can get out of
"is way. The skin alternates between hot and cold, and patches of per-
spiration break out from time to time. The ears are cold and the legs
Variable, one cold and another warm, or three out of four may have a
deathly coldness—deathly coldness, we have said, for the experienced
uand distinguishes quite different sensations when feeling them, and when
leering the legs of, say, a newly-clipped animal, which are cold from
exposure. The eyes become glassy and insensitive to light, the pupil
dilated, lips pendulous, ears dropped, the animal sighs, and with difficulty
etains his feet, finally staggering and falling, unable to rise again.
' °ustipation is present throughout, and we must not be deceived by the
^formation given at first, that he has had two or three evacuations. In
^e few cases that recover there is amelioration of the symptoms during
^e first few hours, the general surface-warmth is restored, and the bowels
act somewhat freely; the anxiety of countenance passes off, the patient
iiows some interest in surrounding objects, and may partake of a little
ash or other invalid diet provided.
v°l. I.                                                                                                                                      20
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
294
Treatment.—While it must be admitted that the recoveries in cases
of pronounced enteritis bear but a small proportion to the deaths, we
must spare no effort, nor cease to use palliative measures so long as the
animal is kept alive. Associated as it invariably is with constipation,
it was formerly thought good treatment to administer purgatives. There
is a common ground of agreement as to keeping down pain with ano-
dynes, and opium or its alkaloids are chosen by most practitioners
because the movements of the bowels are best controlled by them.
Opium or belladonna in balls or as draughts, or hypodermic solutions of
morphia, may be given with advantage. Warm compresses to the abdo-
men continuously applied, and enemas of warm water containing a small
proportion of glycerine thrown into the rectum now and again, will prove
serviceable, as will also small quantities of morphia mixed with lard when
inserted into the same channel. An improvement may be noted without
any action of the bowels, as they remain in a more or less torpid condition
till considerable advance towards recovery is made. It is not advisable
during convalescence to give an aperient, but to wait for restored func-
tion in the injured portion of the bowel. Soft foods, as bran mashes,
pulped carrots, and linseed should be given when the appetite returns,
and all dry forage removed beyond the patient's reach, a muzzle being
used, if necessary, to keep him from eating his bed. With regard to
bleeding, no rule can be laid down; it may be advisable in plethoric young
horses in hard condition. If it is done at all, it should be in the first
stage, for later on it will only add to the depression. Bread scalded with
milk and given nearly cold is an excellent food if the sick animal can
be got to take it, and a little sugar may be added as an inducement to
him to do so, or a sprinkling of salt may be more attractive.
The intestines after death may be found affected in any portion, small
or large, but, as we have already pointed out, the latter are by far the
most common seat of the disease; a long piece of the canal may be dis-
coloured and swollen, or patches of inflammation, with congested portions
occurring between them, may be the form in which the disease exists. In
certain forms of enteritis a jelly-like matter between the different layers
of the intestine is observed, and the latter may be readily separated with
the finger, as their natural cohesion is lost. The mortification which in
the majority of cases affects the bowel results in poisoning of the blood,
and the septic matter acting on the nerve centres causes death in a very
short time.
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ARAB MARE: BOZRA
By Pharaoh; dam, Basilisk. In the possession of Lady Blunt
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295
KUPTUKE OF THE INTESTINE
RUPTURE OF THE INTESTINE
This condition is usually brought about by external violence acting
upon a distended or overloaded bowel, or it may result from over-
distension alone. The force with wThich a horse comes to the ground
when suffering a paroxysm of colic is not unlikely to occasion a rent
in the diseased gut, and the same may be said of horses thrown for
operative purposes while their bowels are loaded with food. If the
texture of the intestine is sound it is capable of very great strain without
fracture, but in some cases of rupture it has been predisposed by inflam-
matory softening.
The Symptoms of ruptured intestine are not very definite, it being
so often a sequel of other disturbances and not the primary cause of
illness. When, as sometimes happens after a full belly, a portion of
bowel becomes torn during extra or sudden exertion, there are tolerably
certain signs of what is the matter. Here the countenance wears the
impress of shock, which differs from the mere expression of pain. There
is a look of extreme anxiety and depression, cold extremities, rapidly-
falling pulse, hurried breathing, cold, patchy sweats, and the other train
of symptoms common to abdominal pain. This accident cannot well be
confounded with colic of the spasmodic kind, where there are remissions
of pain and restoration of pulse during the intervals. In this case the
pain is continuous and severe, and the pulse fails to recover any lost
power, even though stimulants be given; all that they do is to give
temporary support to the action of the heart. An unusual calm or
resignation soon comes over the patient, which is unwilling to move, and
persistently stands till the powers of life give out and he falls, either to
die immediately or after a few fruitless struggles. This cessation from
pain following on a bout of colic, when the animal has been very violent,
is misleading to the amateur, who will often assure the professional
attendant that the patient is better, though an examination of the mem-
branes of the eye, the pulse, temperature, respiration, and handling of the
extremities prove the contrary to anyone conversant with horses in health.
Sitting on the haunches has been thought by some to be diagnostic of
ruptured bowel, but this peculiar attitude may be assumed as the result
°f pain from other causes. We have said that with rupture generally
eomes a period of relief from acute pain, but this is by no means constant;
°n the contrary, all the symptoms may be aggravated, and instead of
stupor delirium may follow.
Treatment is of course out of the question, and consideration for
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296                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
the animal's suffering, and the possible danger to attendants and other
horses in the same stable, should convince the owner of the necessity of
slaughter.
INTESTINAL OBSTKUCTION
For various reasons presently to be indicated, we do not include this
disorder under the title of constipation. Here the food, or whatever else
may be the offending body, is arrested in its course along the bowel, and
caused to block up the passage.
Causes.—The causes which bring about intestinal obstruction can
invariably be referred either to some abnormal state of the bowel itself,
or to the nature and condition
of its contents. As to the
former, it is found to follow
upon both physiological and
structural changes. The first is
exemplified in that state termed
debility of the bowels. Here
the muscular portion of the
organ fails to carry on its move-
ments with normal activity, and
allows the food to accumulate
and obstruct the canal. Such
Fig. 105.—Portion of Intestine impacted with Concretion
A, Concretion; B, divided intestine thrown back;
0, mesentery.
cases are most frequently met
with in colts which have been
ill-fed and badly nourished from
the time of weaning, and in old horses long and luxuriously fed on hard
food. It is sometimes spoken of as paresis of the bowels, and the de-
scription is not altogether inappropriate to the affection. The second
condition is seen to arise in the form of a thickening of the gut, either as
the result of inflammatory action or from the growth in or upon it of
one or another of the various forms of tumour, or the passage may be
obstructed by the gut being twisted, intussuscepted, or displaced.
Where obstruction results from matter contained in the bowels, it is
attributable to the indigestion of coarse food imperfectly masticated, or
to some foreign substance taken in with it. An equally common cause
is the formation of calculi and concretions, fig. 105, or, as they are com-
monly termed, " stones ". These are especially found in horses engaged
in town work and living exclusively on dry food.
Symptoms.—The symptoms observed in this disorder are by no
means uniform or diagnostic. They may vary from intermittent colicky
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INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION
297
pains observed in debility of the bowels, to the most severe paroxysms
of suffering exhibited in the twists and entanglements into which they
are sometimes accidentally brought. In all cases, however, the discharge
of faeces sooner or later ceases.
In order to find out the cause, it is necessary to consider every detail
in the history of the case and let in all the side-lights obtainable from
every source.
Fig. 106.—Strangulated Bowel
Treatment. — There are many causes of obstruction which yield
Promptly to purgatives and the method of treatment prescribed under the
head of constipation. This is more especially the case with those due to
unctional impairment of the bowels, but since the cause of obstruction
cannot always be definitely ascertained, treatment must sometimes be
sPeculative and the result consequently uncertain.
Oily laxatives, as castor and linseed oils, or aloes, are indicated, and
*n all cases solid food should be withheld until the obstruction is caused
give way. Some benefit will be found from the repeated injection of
^ernas of tepid water with which a little salt and salad oil has been mixed.
am must be subdued by the administration of sedatives and antispasmo-
cs- Here tincture of opium, or the extract of belladonna, or the two
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298
HEALTH AND DISEASE
combined, will be found most suitable to the case. Where acute pain
exists hot fomentations to the abdomen should be applied, or, as an
alternative, mustard or turpentine liniment.
CALCULI (STONES)
Calculi {calx, lime) are masses of crystalline matter of stony hardness
formed in the interior of hollow organs, such as the bladder, the bowels,
the pelvis of the kidney, the ducts of glands, &c. Their form, character,
and even position varies with the organ in which they are produced. As a
rule they are mainly composed of salts natural to the secretion of the organ
in which they are found. Why the salts of these fluids should crystallize
out and aggregate together to form large stones it is not easy to say, but
there is ground for the belief that they are induced to do so in part, if not
wholly, for one of two reasons—either that they are in excess of the normal
quantity, or that they are brought into contact with some kind of matter
by which they are attracted and upon which they gather, or both these
conditions may be concerned in the action.
To what extent, if any, the nature of the food conduces to the formation
of stone cannot be stated. It is not found that stone in the bladder, which
is chiefly composed of lime, is more prevalent on the chalk formation than
elsewhere, and the statement that animals "pastured where lime has recently
been laid" become the subjects of calculus requires confirmation. It may,
however, be noticed that all conditions which favour the long retention
of concentrated saline solutions in an organ predispose to calculus forma-
tion, hence it arises that stones or gravel are frequently found to occur
where paralysis exists in the bladder or other organs.
INTESTINAL CALCULI
Intestinal calculi are dense masses of earthy matter derived from the
salts of the food, and by their close texture assume the form of stones
—a term by which they are commonly known. They usually present
a gray or yellowish appearance, and a smooth surface more or less polished.
In form they are either round or angular (figs. 107, 108).
This difference depends upon the number present. Where they occur
in a solitary state they are rounded, but where two or more exist in contact
with each other, their constant movement one against the other during the
action of the bowels wears away the surfaces of contact, thereby producing
flattened facets or concavities and prominent angles. As a rule they
are found in a solitary condition, but it is by no means rare to meet with
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INTESTINAL CALCULI AND CONCRETIONS
299
several together, and the writer has removed as many as sixty from the
large bowels of a horse. Where the bowel contains a number, their
rubbing action upon each other prevents them from developing to any
considerable size, but we have known a single one to reach as much as
65 lbs. weight.
The origin of intestinal calculi is clearly shown by dividing them
through the middle with a saw, when it will be found that the centre
is occupied by a nucleus of foreign matter, such as a nail, a button, a piece
of wire, or particles of grit, &c. &c. If the cut surface of the stone be
■HBS1^
Pig. 107.—Group of Faceted Calculi
Fis\ 108.—Rounded Calculus
examined, and especially after having been roughly polished, it will be seen
to be made up of a number of layers of earthy matter placed one outside
the other in widening circles. Eadiating lines are also seen extending from
the centre to the circumference, marking out the calculus into triangular
Wocks. The outer surface is usually smooth, and in this respect they
contrast with similar formations known as " concretions". Calculi are
alraost invariably found in the large bowel, where their formation and
retention are favoured by the peculiar pouched arrangement of the organ.
-I heir composition is expressed in the following analysis by Giradin:—
Ammoniophosphate of magnesia
Calcic phosphate ...
Water ......
Animal matter
Soluble salts, &c. ...
Extractive matters
Fatty matter
Loss
48-00
19-00
14-00
•80
6-60
4-00
7-00
•60
100-00
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300
HEALTH AND DISEASE
It is generally believed by veterinarians that horses in the possession
of millers and bakers are more frequently the subjects of these formations
than those employed by other persons. Various reasons have been
rendered for this exceptional liability to stone formation. While some
attribute it to largely feeding on bran and other offal, others find an
explanation in the presence of grit in the sweepings of the mill and
bakehouse which the horses of these traders are said to receive. Before
special machinery came into use for the removal of foreign matters from
hay and chaff a considerable mortality from this cause prevailed in the
studs of railway companies, contractors, and other large proprietors.
Where this cleansing process is not adopted obstruction of the bowels
by calculi is still a common occurrence.
CONCRETIONS
These formations differ from calculi in the fact that they are made
up of masses of vegetable and earthy matter agglomerated together, while
the latter consist exclusively of salts which
have crystallized out of the fluids of the
bowels around a central nucleus.
Concretions, like calculi, are rounded in
form, but vary in composition, and also in
their structure and external character.
Two kinds of concretions are found in
the horse, known as mixed concretions or
dung balls, and oat-hair concretions. The
former are composed of earthy - looking
masses of salts, such as go to make in-
Fig. 109. -Mixed or Conglomerate Calculus testmal Calculi, loOSely incorporated with
materials of food—hay, straw, dung, the
husk of oats, &c. &c. Mixed concretions (fig. 109) have an irregular,
nodulated appearance. They are dark in colour, and much less dense and
hard than calculi. When divided they present a rough surface, of loose
texture, and in structure resemble calculi in being made up of concentric
layers, but of a much thicker and coarser character.
Oat-hair concretions are composed of the fine downy hairs which cover
the kernel of the oat, and not, as is universally stated by veterinary writers,
of the " beard of oats and other grains ".
This formation, like the others, is also rounded, but its surface is
regular, and of a soft velvety character. It sometimes occurs that the
hairy surface of the concretion becomes covered by a layer of earthy
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INVERSION OF THE EECTUM                                   301
matter, the same as that composing intestinal calculi, when like them
it is rendered smooth and polished, and presents the same outward appear-
ance. It is, however, readily distinguishable by its lightness, and by
the woolly texture it displays on section. When a minute portion of
this concretion is submitted to the scrutiny of the microscope, it is found
to be made up of small slightly curved vegetable hairs, one extremity of
which is pointed and the other broad and somewhat square.
What are the conditions which lead to the aggregation of these small
bodies, in some instances to the almost complete exclusion of other matters,
contained in the bowels, it is impossible to say.
INVERSION OF THE RECTUM
Now and again, in the course of violent paroxysms of straining, the
rectum, or posterior bowel, is forced through the anal opening, with the
inner or mucous membrane turned outward. The extent to which this
extrusion may take place varies in different cases from a few inches to
two or three feet. Old animals, brood mares in particular, are more
bable to inversion of the rectum than younger ones, and especially those
affected with habitual constipation, which appears to act as a predisposing
cause. Straining is the inducing factor in the mishap, which some-
times occurs during the pains of parturition or in the course of an attack
°f colic, or in violent efforts to empty the bladder when the urinary
passage is obstructed. It may also arise in the act of straining from
severe irritation of the bowels.
Symptoms.—Inversion of the rectum is indicated by the protrusion
°f a round fleshy-looking mass from the anus (fig. 110). At first it pre-
sents a pink or pinkish-red hue, but after having been exposed for some
time its colour is greatly heightened by engorgement of the vessels with
Wood, consequent upon interruption to the circulation. In prolonged ex-
posure the mucous membrane becomes considerably swollen, and black, and
softened by infiltration with serum. In this condition the part becomes
Painful and irritable, and unless carefully guarded the animal will
endeavour to rub it against the wall or stall-posts. Should it succeed,
the softened and inflamed gut may be irretrievably damaged.
Treatment.—When the bowel has been exposed for some time, and
*s found to be black, soft, and swollen, an attempt to return it should not
"e made until the circulation has been restored and the swelling reduced.
■7°*" this purpose it may require to be scarified with the point of a lancet,
e- punctured here and there lightly with the instrument to give exit to
ue serum which infiltrates the tissues, and at the same time relieve the
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302                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
vessels of their burden of blood. This will be rendered more effectual if,
after the operation, the protruded gut is wrapped in flannel and well
fomented with warm water.
It should be strictly observed that the lancet employed for the
purpose is thoroughly clean, and that the flannel is well soaked with
carbolic solution, and afterwards well scalded before being used. Neglect
of these precautions may provoke fatal blood-poisoning.
It will very materially assist restoration of the circulation if, as
soon as observed, the protruding mass is raised and supported on a level
with the anus by means of warm flannel.
Before attempting its return the mucous membrane should be freely
Fig. 110.—Inversion of the Rectum
anointed with carbolized oil, and the hands of the operator should be
similarly treated.
If the inversion is considerable the attempt must be commenced at
the end nearest the anus, where the bowel should be gently pushed
forward by applying the fingers on each side of the gut. When a
start has been made at this point and a fair proportion of its length
has been replaced, the doubled fist of a small hand may be applied to
the other end with gentle forward pressure, which will effect its complete
return.
This done, the hand and arm should be allowed to remain in the
rectum for a short time, after which a small quantity of warm carbolized
oil may be injected into the passage.
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DISEASES OF THE LIVER
303
A full dose of morphia given subcutaneously will prevent straining.
J-he animal should not be left alone for twelve hours, and only a small
quantity of sloppy bran should be allowed during that period. Should
the bowel be again inverted, it must be promptly returned and the
morphia repeated.
DISEASES OF THE LIVER
CONGESTION OF THE LIVER
Definition.—-When the vessels of the liver contain blood in excess
of the requirements for bile formation and the nutrition of the gland, it
is said to be congested.
Causes.—Accumulation of blood here may result from various causes.
Anything that interferes with its outflow from the gland conduces to its
congestion. This is why it so frequently coexists with disease of the valves
of the heart, which, by obstructing the onward flow of blood, causes it to
'back" into the vessels of the liver and produce engorgement; the same
tttay be said of some cases of chronic lung-disease where the blood is inter-
rupted in its course from the right to the left side of the heart. The acute
iorm of the disease commonly results from overfeeding on a too stimulating
diet, conjoined with insufficient work and too close stabling. It may also
arise in the course of an attack of influenza, strangles, and some other
febrile disorders.
Symptoms are not always of such a pronounced character as to
lender diagnosis easy to the inexperienced. The most pronounced indi-
cations of the disease are a yellow discoloration of the membranes lining
the eye, the nose, and the mouth, and also the urine. The bowels are
father constipated, or unduly relaxed, and the fseces are foul-smelling.
J-he appetite is more or less impaired, and the animal is dull and heavy
aud becomes prematurely fatigued. The tongue is furred, and the mouth
clammy and emits a sour, unpleasant odour. The pulse and temperature
^fll be increased in proportion to the severity of the attack, and in acute
cases deep pressure applied to the right side induces pain. Sometimes
there is a tendency to flatulence and an enlargement of the belly.
Treatment.—With the object of relieving the organ of its excessive
a*nount of blood, purgatives are generally employed, and of these the
ahnes are preferable, and may be given in repeated doses over a con-
aderable period. The sulphates of magnesia and soda are amongst the
uiost serviceable and safe of the class, and many horses will take them
tlier in the drinking-water or mixed with the food. Oily aperients are
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304
HEALTH AND DISEASE
to be avoided, and aloes should only be given in cases where obstinate
constipation exists. Mustard, or some more active counter-irritant, to the
right side and over the region of the liver is recommended, and especially
in those cases where tenderness in that part is evinced upon moderate
pressure. Warm clothing and bandaging, by keeping the surface warm
and the skin functionally active, should not be omitted, and gentle walk-
ing exercise for a few minutes daily even in bad cases is desirable. The
diet should consist as much as possible of green fodder, bran mashes, and
carrots, if obtainable, and so long as the disease continues food should be
very sparingly given. In the convalescent stages benefit may be derived
from the administration of nux vomica and the mineral acids, with in-
creased exercise and a slightly more liberal diet. The faeces assuming a
natural colour and consistence, and the animal's spirits returning, may be
regarded as proofs of ultimate complete recovery.
JAUNDICE, ICTERUS, THE YELLOWS
This disease is so termed from the yellow discoloration imparted to
the tissues of the body by bile, which, in consequence of some functional
or structural disorder of the liver, has been allowed to accumulate in the
blood.
Causes.—It may originate in the growth of tumours or other organic
disease affecting the liver, or, as has been observed, it may follow upon
some temporary functional disturbance. It should, however, be noticed
that jaundice may be absent in animals whose livers have suffered consider-
able structural disease, or the tissues may be deeply stained in one whose
liver, examined after death, shows no obvious change. In the latter in-
stances it may be regarded as arising out of some functional impairment
of the gland.
Symptoms.—In addition to the yellow tint imparted to the visible
mucous membranes, there is also more or less discoloration of the urine.
The faeces are pale and clay-coloured, and coated with mucus, or they
are periodically thin and watery and foul-smelling. In some patients
the urine may be stained before any decided symptoms of ill-health
are manifested. There soon appears, however, dulness, with lowering
head and indisposition to feed. The mouth is dry, clammy, and emits
an offensive odour, the skin is harsh, dry, and dirty, and the coat
" stares ". The pulse remains unchanged, or may be slower than normal,
and there is a general want of nervous energy and no disposition for
work.
Treatment will depend upon the causes out of which the disorder
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DISEASES OF THE LIVER
305
arises. If we have been led to suspect a condition of congestion of the
liver owing to dietetic errors, we shall first require to unload the bowels
by means of an aperient dose of aloes, and then readjust the daily allow-
ance of food, and afterwards submit the patient to a course of salines.
-tlere the sulphates of magnesia and soda may be given, either separately
0r combined, in doses of two ounces in the morning, in the hope of
restoring function and directing the bile into its proper channel. We may
further assist the digestive function by providing bile in the form of ox-
gall, administered in the form of balls with oatmeal, or the meal of linseed
trom which the oil has been pressed. The general health should, as far
as practicable, be sustained by judicious exercise, ample clothing, friction
to the skin, and the administration of vegetable tonics, with which may
be combined a small dose of nitrate of potash and common salt, to be
given in the food morning and evening. With a decreasing quantity of
bile in the urine the mineral acids will be found to hasten convalescence.
Animals having once suffered from this disorder should be carefully dieted,
guarded against excessive fatigue, and protected from exposure to easterly
aud north-easterly winds. Four ounces of sulphate of magnesia, given in
the food occasionally, will assist in maintaining the normal activity of the
hver and in warding off another attack.
HEPATITIS (Inflammation of the Liver)
Inflammation of the liver may assume an acute or a chronic form. In
the former it usually results in the development of one or more abscesses,
vvhue in the latter it brings about general enlargement and hardening of
he organ, and ultimately contraction and abnormal reduction of size.
ACUTE HEPATITIS
-This disease is of rare occurrence in the adult horse, and more prevalent
11 tropical climates than in Europe.
The reason for this difference is no doubt to be found in the much
Jgher temperature to which horses are exposed in the one as compared
with the other.
■In foals it is by no means rare in this country as the result of causes
Presently to be referred to.
•besides the causes named, inflammation of the liver may also arise from
\ ternal violence, as from a blow over the region of the organ; and there
n be no doubt that in rare instances it also follows upon exposure to
u, especially in animals which occupy warm stables and are overfed and
^derworked.
-ocr page 385-
306                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
Symptoms.—In acute hepatitis the patient exhibits a dull, heavy
appearance. The head hangs low, the eyelids droop, and the face wears an
expression of drowsiness. As a rule the membranes of the eye, the nose,
and the mouth are more or less yellow. The urine is dark in colour, emits
an offensive odour, and throws down on standing a dirty-looking deposit.
In some instances there is diarrhoea, and in others constipation, or both
these conditions may exist in the same animals at different times. The
motions when hard are glazed, or coated with a layer of sticky mucus.
Deep pressure in the right flank may cause the animal to wince, and
pain is further manifested by the head being occasionally turned in that
direction. The mouth is hot and clammy, and fever is present in propor-
tion to the severity of the disorder.
Causes.-—As a rule, acute inflammation of the liver owes its origin to
disease existing in some neighbouring or remote organ, from which the
blood becomes contaminated with septic or putrid matter from some
unhealthy wound or abscess. In the adult, ulceration of the bowels, or
the stomach, is the more common source of such matter, and from these
organs it is readily transferred by means of the blood-vessels into the liver,
there to irritate and inflame the gland and provoke the formation of
abscess.
In foals it is most frequently seen in connection with that destructive
malady commonly termed "joint ill".
Here the wound at the seat of the navel becomes foul and unhealthy,
and organisms of putrefaction gain entrance to the liver by following the
track of the blood-vessels connecting the one with the other.
Treatment.—Consideration of the nature and origin of the disease
affords but little encouragement to hope for the complete success of treat-
ment, whatever benefit may be derived from it, and practical experience
bears out this view of the question. At the outset it will be necessary
to promote a free action of the bowels, and this may be done by the
administration of a dose of sulphate of magnesia, to be followed by the
daily administration of a quantity sufficient to maintain a reasonable
action of the bowels. Ipecacuanha, by promoting the action of the skin
and unloading the liver of bile, will materially aid in relieving the affected
organ.
A sharp blister over the right side of the belly should be promptly
applied, and the body should be warmly clad in rugs and bandages.
To withhold all food for twenty-four hours will be a distinct benefit to
the patient, and so long as the acute symptoms continue he should be
restricted to a soft or liquid diet.
-ocr page 386-
HACKNEY MARE, OPHELIA
Sire, Denmark 177; dam, Jenny Bother 'em by Fireaway 249. The Pioperty of F. J. Batchelor, Esq
-ocr page 387-
DISEASES OF THE LIVER                                    307
CHRONIC INFLAMMATION—CIRRHOSIS
These terms are employed to describe a condition we cannot with any
certainty determine during life. It is one of abiding inflammatory irrita-
tion of the connective tissue which unites the ducts and secreting lobules
of the gland wherein changes of structure occur of a gradually progressive
and permanent character. It is more frequently met with than the acute
form of inflammatory action already alluded to. At first the liver is
increased in volume, as the result of an abiding congestion of its vessels
and an excessive growth of connective tissue, which later on undergoes
contraction, resulting in wasting and destruction of the gland. As the
organ shrinks it becomes hard or cirrhotic, and in this condition its
function is greatly impaired.
In the more extreme cases of the disease, ascites or dropsy of the belly
ttiay result from the contracted state of the liver interrupting the flow of
blood from the abdominal organs.
Causes.—It is mostly found in aged horses, after a long spell of
luxurious living and indolence combined. It is also seen in association
with the presence of parasites, especially the Echinococcus veterinorum.
-out there are many cases which cannot be referred to either of these
causes, and for which no special reason can be assigned.
Symptoms.—These are mainly concerned with the digestive function,
which for some time before the disease has been suspected will have ex-
hibited indications of increasing impairment. The insufficient and irregular
supply of bile furnished by the gland is accountable for the varying state
°i the bowels, which at one time are constipated, at another unduly relaxed,
and now and again the seat of pain, as manifested by symptoms of colic.
J-he mucous membranes, as those of the eyes, nose, and mouth, may or may
not present yellow discoloration as a constant condition, but where this is
not the case observations made from time to time will sooner or later detect
ttiore or less bile-staining, not only of the mucous membranes but also of
the urine. Evidence of a disordered digestion is further shown by clammi-
ness of the mouth, and sour breath, flatulency, and thirst. In addition, the
Patient is dull, unthrifty in appearance, and soon exhausted under work,
-lameness of the right fore limb may also be present. In extreme cases
ropsy of the belly results from the impediment which the disease has put
to the circulation of the liver.
, Treatment in the majority of established cases is not very hopeful,
_ ut as the extent of the disorganization can never be accurately measured
the living animal, and comparative health may be enjoyed by horses in
-ocr page 388-
308
HEALTH AND DISEASE
whom a limited portion of the liver has ceased to be of any functional
value, we should not condemn a case as hopeless until some remedial
measures have been tried. A course of saline medicine, preferably sulphate
of magnesia, followed by nitrohydrochloric acid and vegetable tonics,
should precede a long holiday in a good pasture. By these means there
is reason to suppose that the disease is sometimes arrested in its progress,
and a period of usefulness may ensue. The symptom of dropsy in the
young is not so formidable as in the stabled animal that has seen service,
and with a suitable dietary, medicaments may in such cases prove service-
able in restoring the function of the liver and exciting absorption of the
fluid which distends the abdomen. Fresh tops of the broom (Scopam
cacumina)
have the reputation of carrying away abdominal ascites, and
failing the plant we may use the decoction prepared according to the British
Pharmacopoeia. Tonics, by improving the general health, will afford assist-
ance in relieving the local ailment and of preventing further escape of fluid
into the belly. Absorbent and diuretic remedies undoubtedly carry away
existing accumulations, and should not be overlooked. Here iodide of
potassium and nitrate of potash may be employed either separately or
together. Tapping the abdomen and removing the fluid bodily is some-
times resorted to, but it is seldom of much use beyond affording temporary
relief, unless the liver trouble can at the same time be relieved.
FATTY LIVER
Definition.—Some amount of fat is always to be found in the cells
of the healthy liver, but the term fatty liver is used to express a morbid
state in which the cells have either accumulated large quantities of fat
within themselves from the blood (fatty infiltration), or in which the cell-
contents (protoplasm) have become changed into fat (fatty degeneration)
(fig. 111).
Causes.—Fatty liver has no constant relation with any specific disease,
but it has sometimes been noted to follow on those profound congestions
which so frequently attend influenza fever. It is more commonly due
to unnatural conditions of life. It is not among the poor and overworked
that we look to find it, but in the pampered pet, kept artificially warm,
overfed on highly stimulating food, and insufficiently exercised. Brewers
horses, for some reason or other, are specially liable to it. It is a condition
antecedent to and favouring rupture and apoplexy, and in its degenerative
form is always to be found in cirrhosis of the liver to a greater or les
extent. The indiscriminate use of condiments and spices are indirectly
responsible for many cases of this disease in the pampered show animal.
-ocr page 389-
DISEASES OF THE LIVER
309
Symptoms.—It is only when the disease is far advanced that any
tell-tale signs appear. In this stage the belly gives evidence of undue
distension after feeding, and a good deal of gas is discharged per anum
as the result of impaired digestion. As structural alterations proceed,
tne appetite is liable to fail, and the animal passes through short periods
°i dulness and becomes prematurely fatigued by work. The faeces are at
times offensive and soft, and on these occasions frequently pale in colour.
Treatment.—Where idleness is concerned this may often be summed
up in one word—work, which should not be violent and unmeasured, but
a gradual change from idleness to activity, from the pernicious use of cattle
spices and condiments and artificial stimulation of appetite for rich foods
t° a simple diet, in amount and quality only sufficient for the muscular
exertion required. The frequent em-
ployment of purgatives is not to be
recommended, but unless the food is
Judiciously regulated an occasional
aPerient is most desirable. Epsom-
salts, given in 4-ounce doses for two
Recessive days, is perhaps the best
agent to employ. Salt with the food
           a                                B
should be attended with good results.                     Fi§- m.—Fatty Liver
*n speaking of other affections of the A> Healthyliver eells- B>Liver cells containing fat
ll'vo               &         i                                                                   globules, the result of disease.
wer we have advocated grass, and it
niay again be recommended here, but a short rather than a deep pasture,,
here the patient will require to take exercise in obtaining it, is most
aesirable. By this means the tendency to store up fat in the internal
°rgans is overcome.
Pathology.—The accumulation of oil-globules in the cells of the liver
s the effect of interfering with their functional activity. The size of the
er is not necessarily increased, though such is generally the case, and
ay be to an enormous extent. Instead of the natural chocolate colour
the healthy gland it is of a light fawn hue. The edges become round
d the organ generally is soft, and if cut into, the tissue imparts a greasy
ehng to the finger when touched.
RUPTURE OF THE LIVER
Definition. —This condition may involve the gland structure alone,
*t may also extend through the fibrous capsule enclosing it.
It is usually attended with more or less internal bleeding. More when
capsule is torn than when it remains intact.
Vol. i.                                                                                                                                      21
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310                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
Causes.—These, with the exception of rare examples resulting from
external violence, may be said to originate in degenerative changes, by
which the gland is rendered soft as the result of its being partly con-
verted into fat from repeated attacks of congestion and other causes.
Symptoms.—Rupture of the liver and capsule is attended with more
or less considerable bleeding. This will be evidenced by the pale, bloodless
appearance of the lining membranes of the eye, the nose, and the mouth-
Moreover, the eyes present a bright, glassy appearance, and the pupil is
widely dilated; the pulse is quickened and feeble, and ultimately becomes
indistinct. The skin and extremities become cold, and later on the animal
breaks out into patchy sweats. The upper lip is raised from time to time,
the patient sighs, obstinately stands, and later becomes unsteady in his
movements. The muscles of the limbs quiver, and ultimately fail to
support him, and he falls and dies.
Treatment.—Treatment is of little avail in these cases. We may,
however, prescribe such agents as gallic acid, acetate of lead, and per-
■chloride of iron, turpentine, &c, in the hope of arresting haemorrhage,
which is not impossible if the breach has not extended through the
capsule. Post-mortem examinations prove that these ruptures may take
place without fatal results when the investing membrane of the organ
is not broken, and the escaped blood is prevented from passing into the
abdominal cavity.
ABDOMINAL ASCITES—DROPSY
Definition.—An accumulation of serous or sero-fibrinous fluid within
the abdominal cavity.
Causes.—Although an occasional sequel to peritonitis of a chroni°
type, it is in most instances wholly unconnected with it. Young animals,^
when pastured on low-lying marsh land through the cold months ol
winter, and compelled, as some are, to live exclusively on the poor,
innutritious herbage which such soil affords, are frequently the subjects
of dropsy. The deleterious effects of such living are materially aggr&'
vated by the absence of shelter and the cold, wet ground on which they
lie. These cases are the result of a disproportion between the fluid ana
solid constituents of the blood, the ingestion of succulent innutritious
food for a long period causing an excess of the former over the latter. ±n
addition to this, a dropsical belly may be the result of chronic disease
going on in other organs, as the heart, the liver, and the kidneys. In ^
heart it indicates some obstructive disorder interfering with the passag
of blood from the right to the left side, when the blood is thrown back o
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311
ABDOMINAL ASCITES—DROPSY
the abdominal organs. In the liver and the kidneys it follows upon
degenerative changes in their structure. Moreover, any pressure upon or
obstruction in the vessels of the liver by which the blood is interrupted
ln its onward flow may become a cause of abdominal ascites. In old
brood-mares it is said to be due to the continued pressure of the gravid
uterus upon the large veins of the abdomen.
Symptoms.—Until enlargement of the abdomen is apparent, there
18 little that is diagnostic of fluid accumulating within. The first indi-
cation of existing disease has reference to the animal's general condition,
the decline of which is marked by dulness, a want of animation, a
staring coat, tightness of the skin, and general debility. There will be
wasting of the muscles, particularly those along the back, and a diffused
swelling may appear beneath the belly. At this time the latter may
show more or less general enlargement, and a tendency to drop and
become pendulous. On a more minute examination we find the pulse
to be small and weak, and a blanching of the visible membranes.
With the progress of abdominal dropsy the limbs not infrequently
become enlarged, but vary in size from time to time. Palpitation of the
heart may exist either as a sign of great weakness or of heart disease;
too much importance, therefore, must not be attached to this symptom
until its cause has been satisfactorily made out. We are directed to the
uver when the urine becomes loaded with biliary matter and the visible
Mucous membranes present a yellow discoloration. Indigestion, inappe-
tence, a clammy mouth, and bad-smelling faeces are also prominent among
the symptoms of dropsy resulting from changes in the liver. The presence
°t albumen in the urine suggests changes in the kidney. Some idea of
the extent of the dropsy or quantity of fluid within the abdominal parietes
7lay be obtained by palpation. We cannot take our patient, unless it
is a very small pony, as we would a dog, and with hands on either
Hank feel the impact of a wave set in motion on one side by a blow
0ri the other, but this test can be applied in a more or less satisfactory
"lanner when an assistant is directed to push the right flank smartly
°Wards the left, on which our own hand is placed, or vice versa.
Treatment.—From the previous remarks, in which we have endea-
°ured to state some of the many causes of abdominal ascites, it will be
Pparent that without a correct diagnosis as to the causation of the
aiady we cannot hope to benefit our patient, only so far as may result
01X1 placing him under favourable hygienic conditions.
I-he half-starved colt will profit by a more liberal dietary, which will
estore to the blood its solid constituents, and to this may be added pre-
parations of iron and diuretics. The former help to build up red blood
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312                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
corpuscles and enrich the circulating fluid, while the latter impart func-
tional energy to the kidneys and cause the removal of the effused fluid.
Much judgment is needed in the apportionment both of rations and medi-
cines; a sudden change from semi-starvation to plenty being dangerous,
and the exhibition of iron having a tendency to occasional constipation,
this should be corrected by laxative foods.
In the dropsy of matured and aged animals, where we suspect heart
weakness, or where disease of the valves of that organ is made out by
auscultation, the treatment will be directed towards regulating the hearts
action, and general tonics will be prescribed to strengthen the system-
In those patients in which albumen is being voided in the urine, much
stimulation of the kidneys with diuretics is to be avoided, and doses of
iron, preferably the perchloride in form of tincture, will be found bene-
ficial. When dropsy is associated with liver disease, in which the gland
becomes hard and contracted, or other structural changes interfere with
the hepatic circulation, there is little to be done. Iodide of potassium m
three-dram doses twice a day may be tried, with careful dieting, and a
three-ounce dose of sulphate of magnesia now and again to regulate the
action of the bowels.
Paracentesis, or what is properly known as " tapping ", is sometimes
resorted to, but is of very doubtful value. When the ordinary measures,
as outlined above, wholly fail, it may be assumed that some structural
change in one or other of the organs indicated places the case beyond
treatment.
SPASM OF THE DIAPHKAGM
The diaphragm is a muscle which, with its broad central tendon,
separates the chest from the abdominal cavity. Under some circum-
stances it is excited to violent contraction, which is repeated at shorter
or longer intervals, and sometimes continues for several hours. The
contractions are sudden and spasmodic, and so forcible as to shake the
entire body from end to end. The morbid action is accompanied by a
thumping noise, which might be mistaken for palpitation of the heart,
were it not that the sound emanates from a more backward position in
the animal's body, and the flanks are considerably agitated at the same
time. Moreover, the contractions of the diaphragm and the stroke oi
the pulse do not occur simultaneously. The heart, however, is more or
less sympathetically affected, but in no case should there be any difficulty
in distinguishing between derangement of the one organ and of the other,
and especially if the moment of the heart's beat be carefully noted an
compared with that of the contraction of the diaphragm.
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PARASITIC DISEASES OF THE LIVER
313
The cause of this morbid action is not very clearly understood, It
!8 known to have followed severe exertion, as after a good burst of speed
m the hunting-field, but the writer has known it to occur in the stable
after days of idleness, and on one occasion to usher in an attack of colic.
The suddenness of its onset and disappearance, and its behaviour while
Present, seem to mark it out as a neurotic affection, in which the pneumo-
gastric nerve is most likely specially concerned.
Treatment.—Diffusible stimulants with anodynes, enjoined with warm
clothing to the body, are measures most likely to subdue the morbid
activity of the muscle. These should be followed by a dose of aperient
Medicine and a short period of careful dieting.
PARASITIC DISEASES OF THE LIVER
These happily are not numerous in the horse. The chief offenders are
the " distomes " or flukes, and the " cestodes " or bladder-worms. Of the
former the Distoma hepaticum, fig. 112,
ls the particular species which infests the
hver of the horse. Of the latter the
■bchinococcus veterinorum, fig. 113, the
cystic or bladder phase of development
01 the Taenia echinococcus of the dog,
ls the principal, if not the only hydatid
Parasite infesting the liver of this animal.
The Distoma hepaticum in its em-
ryonic condition gains access to the body
y means of food and water, and, having
cached the small bowels, enters the liver
by way of the biliary duct. Here it
akes up its abode, and in the course of
s growth and development excites irrita-
l0n in the bile-ducts, leading to thicken-
g and disorganization of their walls,
. 0cking up of the biliary channels, and
A                                 B
Fig. 112.—Common Liver Fluke (Distoma
hepaticum)
A, Showing anatomical details. E, Natural
size, c, Ciliated embryo or young distome.
terruption to the proper discharge of the
ne into the alimentary canal. When the parasites exist in consider-
e numbers the structural changes extend beyond the ducts into the
Parts around, where an active growth of connective tissue is induced.
. 8a c°nsequence of this the blood-vessels are compressed, the circulation
interfered with, the glandular tissue suffers impairment of nutrition,
llcl its destruction sooner or later follows. Should this destructive
-ocr page 394-
314
HEALTH AND DISEASE
process continue, the function of the liver becomes impaired, and the
supply of bile for the purpose of digestion is both insufficient in quan-
tity and indifferent in quality.
In these circumstances the general health gives way, there is loss of
strength, swelling of the legs, an unthrifty appearance, and gradual
wasting of the body.
These symptoms offer no evidence of the seat and nature of the
disease, and it may be that re-
liable indications of the organ
affected will not appear until
the last stages of the malady
have been reached. The bowels
now become irregular, the fseces
pale in colour and offensive in
odour, the membranes lining
the eyelids and the nose assume
a yellow appearance, and the
urine is similarly discoloured.
The difficulty of diagnosing
the existence of parasites in the
liver is in some measure a dis-
advantage, but experience has
amply shown that nothing can
with safety be given to our
patient that will dislodge
these distomes from their
stronghold. In view of this
fact, the great object of treat-
ment should be to uphold the
animal's strength by the ad-
Fig. 113.—Liver infested with Echinococcus
A, Liver studded with echinococetis cysts. B, Tumia echinococcus,
tape-worm of the dog. c, Embryo or young taenia. D, Hooklet.
ministration of vegetable and
mineral tonics in a plentiful
supply of good nutritious food.
A small quantity of common salt may also be given daily, and with
these measures good nursing and healthy surroundings should be enjoined.
If the damage inflicted on the liver is not great, the parasites will in the
ordinary course quit the organ, and a return to health may be anticipated.
Echinococcosis of the liver, as it is termed, is the result of the invasion
of that organ by the embryo of a tape-worm (Tcenia echinococcus) which
infests the intestines of the dog. As in the case of the distomes just
noticed, the mode by which the parasites gain access to the body *s
-ocr page 395-
HEENIA OE EUPTUEE
315
through the medium of food and water. The dog having discharged with
his excrement the segments of the tape - worm, charged with eggs, the
latter will sooner or later be set free and become accessible to horses and
other animals in their food or water. Deposited on pasture land the ova
of the parasite would be taken up in grazing, and, having reached the
intestine of the equine host, would then hatch out.
It is believed that at this point the embryo enters the liver by way
of the biliary duct, and, having taken up its position in the structure of
the gland, proceeds to develop a cyst (fig. 113), or, as it is sometimes
called, a bladder-tv or m. After a period of five months it is said to
reach the size of a walnut, and may still continue to increase until it
becomes as large as an orange.
Water forms the chief contents of the cysts, but from the internal
surface new broods of embryo tape-worms are being formed which, should
they escape and reach the intestines of the dog, will there mature into
the tape-worm Taenia echinococcus, from the eggs of which the cysts were
originally derived.
One or two, or even more, of these bladder-worms may exist in the
substance of the liver without in any way upsetting the balance of health,
but where large numbers crowd the organ and forcibly compress the
blood-vessels, much of the gland structure is broken up and its functions
correspondingly impaired. In the former case the hydatids perish, and
become resolved into small pasty or mortar-like masses. In the latter
they enfeeble and slowly destroy their host, when many of those which
survive, if consumed by the dog, will develop into tape-worms.
The symptoms occasioned by these parasites are such as are met with
when the liver becomes infested with flukes, and seldom afford any clue
to the precise cause of the disease. For a long time they may but faintly
uidicate the organ attacked. The measures of treatment therefore recom-
mended in the one case may also be followed in the other.
HERNIA OR RUPTURE
Definition.—Hernia is the protrusion of an organ, or part of an
0rgan, from its proper cavity, whether as the result of a rent in the
tissues, as when the belly is broken, or an escape through a natural or
lrflperfectly-closed orifice, as in inguinal and umbilical hernia.
It is convenient to divide ruptures into two classes, viz., congenital
and acquired: in the one the defect is present at the time of birth; in
lle other it is brought about afterwards, by accident or disease. The
Causes of this latter form of the malady are severe straining, as in heavy
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316                                      HEALTH AND DISEASE
draught, jumping, rearing, rolling, and kicking, or it may follow upon
some form of external violence, as kicks from other horses, horning by
cattle, or blows inflicted upon the abdomen in various other ways.
Hernia is described as reducible and irreducible. It is reducible when
it can be returned into its proper place by simple external manipulation
or taxis. It is irreducible when its return cannot be effected without a
surgical operation.
A rupture is said to be strangulated when the orifice through which
it passes becomes too small to accommodate the extruded organ without
imparting to it considerable pressure, in which case the circulation is
interfered with, the blood gathers in the vessels of the escaped viscus,
and sooner or later provokes swelling and inflammation in it, which may
end in mortification and death of the part.
EXOMPHALUS OR UMBILICAL HERNIA
Definition.—An enlargement of the floor of the belly caused by the
extrusion of a portion of bowel or omentum through the navel opening.
Fig. 114.—Trass for Umbilical Hernia
In foals it is either congenital or occurs very shortly after birth, in con-
sequence of the umbilicus being still pervious or imperfectly closed. In
older animals it is usually provoked by blows, some form of severe exer-
tion, and especially jumping, rearing, and kicking when at play. It seldom
occurs after the age of one year.
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HERNIA OR RUPTURE
317
Treatment.—Umbilical hernia very frequently disappears altogether
without being subjected to treatment of any kind. This spontaneous
removal of the gut from its pouch is believed to arise in many instances
from a natural shortening of the membrane (mesentery) by which the
intestines are suspended from the spine. It may also occur as a result
of the opening becoming closed, the bowel being thus dislodged from
its sac and restored to its proper cavity.
Where these natural means of cure do
not come into operation, the early recourse
to and frequent application of blisters over
Fig. 115.—Clamp for Umbilical Hernia
the seat of enlargement will often suffice to
fill in the aperture and restore the parts to a normal condition, especi-
ally if at the same time the patient be put on a spare diet and kept in
quiet confinement. It is most important to the success of any treatment
that distension of the bowels be avoided, since increase of the pressure
from within tends to force them through the opening and prevent its
closure.
Trusses are very difficult to keep adjusted in foals, but when this can
be done they are very helpful if applied over a pad of tow the day
aMWISjrer
Pig. 116.—Treatment of Umbilical Hernia with a Clamp
tollowing the application of a blister. The form and adjustment of a
Citable truss are shown in fig. 114.
Many foals are successfully operated upon by a simple method of
clamping the skin after pushing back the hernia. Before treatment is
e°mmenced the animal is prepared for the operation by abstinence from
°od for twelve hours, and then cast and secured upon his back. By a little
Careful manipulation the extruded parts are returned, the skin over them
ls then pinched up into a fold and held in the fingers by an assistant,
wtiile a clamp of wood or steel (fig. 115) is placed upon it as close as
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318                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
possible to the abdomen, and tightly compressed and secured in position
by string or a screw.
The instrument is allowed to remain, when in the course of ten or
twelve days, the inflammatory action excited in the subcutaneous tissue
will have closed the opening in the abdominal wall, and the clamp with
the dead compressed skin will fall away, leaving behind a dense firm scar.
In adjusting the clamp care must be taken not to use so much pressure as
to cut the skin or cause its too speedy death, lest it should fall away
before the orifice is filled in.
Another method having the
same end in view is the intro-
duction of two metal skewers, or
strong needles, beneath the skin
of the part, cross-ways (fig. 117),
after which a ligature is tightly
bound round the skin above
Fig. I17.-Treatment of Umbilical Hernia with Needles them> and allowed to remain Until
the integument and skewTers fall
away. In performing this operation the greatest care should be observed
that the skin and the instruments to be passed through it are thoroughly
clean and disinfected, and above all that the sac is completely emptied
of its contents before the skewers are introduced.
INGUINAL HEKNIA—BUBONOCELE
These terms are used to indicate the escape and lodgment of some
of the abdominal contents in the inguinal canal. Although a common
form of rupture in man, it is of rare occurrence in horses, owing chiefly
to the horizontal position of the abdomen in the latter, and the slope
of the belly throwing the weight of the viscera forward towards the
diaphragm, instead of bearing down upon the inguinal region, as in the
former. This particular rupture, both in man and beast, is more likely
to occur in males than females. In geldings the operation of castration,
by inducing wasting of the spermatic cord and contraction of the opening
by which the belly communicates wTith the inguinal canal, renders the
occurrence much rarer in them than in stallions.
Causes.—The predisposition to both inguinal and scrotal hernia is
no doubt hereditary, and as a congenital condition it is well known to
veterinary surgeons and castrators.
The very rare occurrence of this form of hernia in geldings seems to
furnish a clue to its more common occurrence in stallions, for while in the
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HERNIA OR RUPTURE                                       319
former the abdominal ring through which escape of the gut or omentum is
effected is very small, in the latter it is very large. This, however, is not
the only reason for the greater liability observed in the one as compared
with the other. The habitual upright posture which the stallion assumes
in the act of copulation, by relaxing the abdominal muscles and causing
the intestines to gravitate towards the inguinal region, favours, as in man,
their entrance into the inguinal canal, and especially so when the digestive
organs are distended with food. The less frequent causes are severe efforts
at draught in deep ground, slipping, rolling, rearing, and kicking.
Symptoms.—The inguinal canal being situated in the region of the
groin, and practically out of view, the presence of inguinal hernia may
be overlooked unless conditions arise in it to provoke pain and draw
attention to the affected part. It is by no means a rare occurrence for
Veterinary surgeons and castrators to find a portion of omentum or "kell",
and even a piece of intestine, in the scrotum while removing the testicles,
which was not suspected to exist before the purse was laid open; and one
or the other of these structures may be lodged in the inguinal canal at
the time of operation, and descend and protrude from the scrotal wound
after the testicles have been removed and the animal has been allowed
to rise. It would appear, therefore, that both inguinal and scrotal hernia
tttay sometimes exist without occasioning symptoms or any inconvenience
to the animal whatever. There is no doubt, too, that portions of omentum,
and maybe intestine also, which find their way into the inguinal canal
during the descent of the testicles, return again spontaneously into the
abdominal cavity as the foal acquires strength and age advances.
STRANGULATED INGUINAL HERNIA
It is more especially in stallions advanced in years, and who have been
much used at the stud, that inguinal hernia calls for active treatment.
Here the internal abdominal ring having become enlarged, a knuckle of
'•intestine is permitted to enter the inguinal canal. If in this confined
space it becomes distended with food and gas, as is most likely to occur,
the pressure from within and the resistance from without, by interfering
With the circulation, ends in swelling and strangulation of the gut at or
about the internal abdominal ring. It is under these circumstances that
symptoms are developed which draw attention to the disease. The animal
18 restless, pawTs the ground, stretches himself out, and gives evidence of
abdominal pain by looking back at the flank, crouching and lying down,
0r he sits on his haunches like a dog. The hind-limbs are moved
somewhat stiffly in progression, and the testicle on the affected side in
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
320
particular rises and falls. Unless relief is afforded inflammation attacks
the extruded parts, the pain becomes more severe and persistent, the
scrotum and flank are bedewed with perspiration, the pulse is increased
in frequency, and the breathing becomes quick and panting.
The occurrence of some or all of thesej symptoms in a stallion should
always excite suspicion, and no time should be lost in the application
of appropriate means of diagnosis. If inguinal hernia exists, the spermatic
cord by which the testicle is suspended will be found to be more or less
swollen, but the most reliable indication of the disease is afforded by
passing the greased hand well into the rectum. If, when this has been
done, the hand is directed downward and outward, it will be brought
into contact with the internal abdominal ring, where, if present, the
imprisoned gut will be felt.
Treatment.—From the previous remarks it will be gathered that the
treatment in inguinal hernia is not necessarily required save when the
hernia is strangulated, or the operation of castration is to be performed.
Before resorting to extreme measures, it is always desirable to attempt to
extricate the bowel from its abnormal position by ordinary manipulation, in
which case the rectum is first emptied of its fsecal contents, and then the
hand, having been well anointed with vaseline or oil, is introduced into
it and carried as directed above to the internal abdominal ring. By a little
careful traction on the imprisoned gut it may sometimes be liberated with-
out further trouble. If it cannot be done so, the horse must be cast
and put under the restraining influence of chloroform. In this condition
he is placed on his back, the hind-quarters are raised by underpacking with
straw, and the hind-leg on the side of the hernia is drawn slightly forward
and away from the body. In this position the food contents of the dis-
placed gut are encouraged to return into the more depending part of the
bowel, and by reducing the volume of the hernia its withdrawal from the
inguinal canal is facilitated. One hand should now be introduced into the
rectum and gentle traction again made on the imprisoned bowel. At
the same time an assistant will appose the palm of his hand or hands to
the hernia, and while applying gentle downward pressure to the base, will
carefully manipulate the neck with the fingers in such a way as to cause
the food and gas confined within it to pass out, and by still further re-
ducing the size of the imprisoned mass hasten its return.
Promise of success will be indicated if the enlargement diminishes
in size and the bowel shows a disposition to yield to the traction from
within. If, however, no change is perceptible in these respects after
reasonable effort, the attempt should cease until the imprisoned gut has
been released by surgical operation.
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HERNIA OR RUPTURE
321
Where strangulation is known to have existed for some time this should
be resorted to at once without delay.
Under such circumstances the intestine will be inflamed, swollen, and
soft, and may be easily torn or fatally damaged in any attempt to relieve it
by taxis.
the
The operation referred to (herniotomy) consists in enlar
rging
internal abdominal ring in order to remove
the constriction and allow the gut to pass
back into the belly.
For this purpose the patient must be
kept under the influence of chloroform and
strict antiseptic methods observed. The skin
and underlying membrane (dartos) are cut
through and carefully dissected from the
peritoneal sac (tunica reflexa) in which the
gut is contained. A small opening is now
made into the sac, and the finger passed
along it in the direction of the internal ring
m search of the constricted spot. When this
has been found the herniotome is passed into
the opening, and, following the finger, is
brought to the seat of strangulation; the
back of the instrument is then turned towards
the bowel, and the blade towards the outer
part of the ring. It is now brought into
Fig. 118.—Inguinal Hernia
A A, Intestine. B, Internal abdominal
ring, c, Inguinal canal. D, Knuckle of
intestine. E, Testicle, and F its enclosing
sac.
action by opening the handles. A very slight
mcision is sufficient to set free the strangu-
lated bowel, unless, as a result of inflamma-
tion, it has become adherent to the sac.
Should this be found to be the case the adhesions must be carefully
"token down with the finger and the parts returned.
Castration by the " covered operation" should follow liberation of the
§ut. In this method the tunica vaginalis reflexa and the spermatic cord
are securely included between a pair of clamps, which must be adjusted as
filgb up above the testicles as possible. After the wound has been freely
Pressed with some antiseptic dressing the patient is allowed to rise.
Williams, in his Principles and Practice of Veterinary Surgery, in
eierring to this operation, observes: "I consider this method a very
undesirable one, and calculated to be succeeded by very unsatisfactory
results; and even if it were always successful, I fail to see the advantage
dissecting the skin and dartos muscle from the tunica vaginalis, and
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322                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
making a wound that is sure to suppurate profusely, when a much more
simple method, namely, that of including the scrotum in a plain clamp,
can be more easily performed". He recommends, then, that when a hernia
is present the intestine should be " returned into the abdomen, and the
scrotum and its contents on the side of the hernia included in a strong
wooden clamp (not a caustic clamp) placed as close to the external ring
as possible, and the whole mass allowed to slough".
While this destructive process is going on on one side of the instrument
a constructive one is going on in the vicinity of the inguinal canal, where
the structures above the clams are being united together, and the aperture
closed against a recurrence of the mishap.
It is most important that measures should now be taken to prevent any
recurrence of the accident. Before the animal returns to his stable pro-
vision should be made in the stall for raising the hind-quarters by under-
packing with peat or straw, or both, so that the bowels may be inclined
forward, and so directed away from the enlarged ring. Nothing but gruel
should be given for the first twelve hours, and the diet for the subsequent
forty-eight hours must contain but little solid matter. Bran scalded with
linseed-tea or oatmeal-gruel, and given as sloppy mashes, is the most
suitable aliment, to which may be added a little salt and malt meal.
SCROTAL HERNIA
This form of the disease exists when, instead of being arrested in
the inguinal canal, the displaced gut or mesentery descends through it
into the scrotum or purse.
Scrotal hernia, like inguinal hernia, is sometimes congenital, and
especially in weakly foals, in which case it may either gradually disappear
as the animal acquires strength or assume a chronic state.
It has been observed in many instances to increase in volume during
the first few months of the foal's life and then to diminish gradually,
the alteration being more or less coincident with weaning, and the substi-
tution of food less disposed to distend the abdomen than summer grass.
If the abnormality is not naturally remedied during the first eighteen
months of the horse's life it may be regarded as established or chronic.
Animals affected with congenital scrotal hernia may continue to work
for years, and even to the end of their lives, without suffering any un-
toward result, but in those cases where it occurs in aged horses the
liability to strangulation of the imprisoned gut is greatly increased.
This description of hernia is not always detected at birth, but may
become noticeable a few days or weeks afterwards.
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HERNIA OK RUPTURE                                              323
As an acquired disease it is most frequently seen in aged stallions,
when as a result of progressive relaxation and enlargement of the internal
abdominal ring and the inguinal canal the entrance of the bowel into the
scrotum is facilitated.
It is in this latter form of disease that trouble is to be feared, much
ttiore so than where the malady occurs early in life and exists as a chronic
congenital disorder.
Symptoms.—The presence of scrotal hernia is marked by an increase
1]i the size of the scrotum on the affected side, but inasmuch as the volume
°f this sac may be augmented by other causes than that of hernia, a careful
Manipulation of the part and nice discrimination will be required in order
to arrive at a correct diagnosis. The presence of a portion of bowel in the
purse will be indicated (i) if the enlargement varies in size from time
to time, or wholly disappears and returns again; (ii) if the swelling is
springy and elastic to the touch, like confined air, or if it is soft and pits to
Pressure of the finger, or if these conditions are alternately present at
different times; (iii) if pressure applied to the scrotum produces a gurgling
sound, and at the same time a reduction in the size of the scrotum; (iv) if
when the patient is made to cough by compressing the throat the enlarge-
ment increases.
Any opinion formed from external manipulation must be confirmed by
Passing the hand into the rectum and examining the internal abdominal
tlVlg as directed for inguinal hernia.
Treatment.—In some cases of this disease the hernia will in part
°f altogether disappear, and especially after a roll or a long period of
tasting, but only to return again. If the escaped gut becomes inordinately
distended with food compression and strangulation may result, where
syrnptoms indicative of suffering, such as were described in speaking of
lriguinal hernia, will be manifested.
Here again in the matter of treatment taxis must precede surgical
interference. An attempt must be made to relieve the bowel through
the medium of the rectum and by manipulation of the hernia as advised
111 the preceding article. For this purpose the horse is cast, chloroformed,
^ttd placed on his back, and underpacked in the manner described for
lnguinal hernia.
Should this fail, then it will be necessary to liberate the gut by dividing
the point of constriction. This having been done the animal must be
Castrated by the covered operation, and after free irrigation of the parts
Wlth antiseptic dressing he is allowed to rise. If symptoms of acute pain
°How the operation, a bold dose of opium may be administered and hot
°ths applied to the region of the scrotum.
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324
HEALTH AND DISEASE
In the matter of feeding and general management the patient should be
dealt with as prescribed in inguinal hernia.
VENTRAL HERNIA
In speaking of umbilical hernia we pointed out that the escape of
the abdominal contents took place through a natural opening (navel or
umbilical opening). In ventral hernia it is otherwise. Here the muscular
and fibrous structures of the belly are ruptured by some form of violence.
Fig. 119.—Ventral Hernia
The more common causes of this accident are kicks, horning by cattle,
falling on to blunt stakes or posts while jumping, sudden and forcible
compression in passing through narrow gates, straining in the act ot
parturition, or when cast in a drain.
Ventral hernia may occur in any part of the abdomen, and will vary i°
size in accordance with the extent of the rupture. It may be no larger
than a cricket-ball, or it may extend from the groin towards the girt*1
for a considerable distance. The contents of the sac usually consist ot
intestine or omentum, or both may be present at the same time.
Symptoms.—When of recent occurrence the enlargement may be
much in excess of the actual size of the hernia, owing to the inflammatory
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IRREGULARITIES AND DISEASES OF THE TEETH                 325
swelling excited in the injured tissues at the time of the accident. The
contused part is hot and painful to pressure, and if the structures have
been seriously damaged further enlargement may take place in the course
of the formation of an abscess. The writer has known several quarts
of matter to form around the hernial sac in the region of the flank.
It is not until this extraneous swelling has been removed that the precise
extent of the rupture may be determined. In an old hernia, when the
inflammatory tumefaction has passed away, the hole in the belly may
generally be felt by deep pressure along its circumference. When com-
posed of intestine it will be found to fluctuate to pressure, and to vary
m size from time to time according as the escaped bowel may contain much
or little food.
Treatment.—Small ventral hernia, like umbilical hernia, may dis-
appear spontaneously, or undergo more or less reduction in size.
When dealt with at the time of its occurrence, the first indication of
treatment is to reduce the inflammatory action and swelling by hot fomen-
tations and physic, and prevent further escape of abdominal contents by
the application of a compress, which may be extemporized out of a thick
pledget of tow, and a long broad bandage made out of an old rug. As the
inflammatory swelling subsides, the compress should be drawn tighter round
the body. At this time, and throughout the treatment, the patient should
oe kept on half-rations, which should consist of sloppy bran. Large
Quantities of bulky food will tend to force the bowels through the opening
and prevent its closure. If the rupture is situated backward, the hind-
quarters of the animal must be raised by underpacking with litter to
Oisplace the weight of the abdominal contents forward. So soon as the
inflammation has dispersed, a blister should be applied over and round
the enlargement, and repeated again and again. The compress must be
allowed to remain on while the blister is acting, and until it is repeated.
Old hernia must be reduced by either clams or ligature, as in the case
°t umbilical hernia, and under the same precautionary measures. Where
^ey do not interfere with the animal's services they should not be inter-
red with.
IRREGULARITIES AND DISEASES OF THE TEETH
Since the advent of so-called horse-dentists, and the prominence given
(° the subject in connection with the illness of the Duke of Westminster's
Urnie ", the horse-owning public has been awakened to the importance
the teeth as affecting health, and more particularly digestion, in horses.
"ue not endorsing; all the extravagant pretensions of the dentists, we
vol. I.                           e                                           &            F                                                                   >
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326                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
are inclined to think that insufficient attention and even neglect of the
teeth may be held to account for many of those obscure cases of failure
in general health which are seen from time to time in our horse patients.
Dentition in relation to age is considered in another part of this
work, and we wish here only to call attention to those diseases or abnormal
conditions which interfere with the proper mastication and insalivation
of food, or cause pain and inconvenience to the animal.
Fig. 120.—Lower Jaw of Horse, showing Numerical Excess of Molars on the Right Side
Irregularities of the teeth may have reference to the process oi
shedding, to numbers, to growth, and to wear. The majority of colts
cast their primary teeth without assistance, and it is only when they are
seen to dribble or drop their food that they receive any special attention-
The inflamed gums or Lampas elsewhere referred to may have its
origin in the pushing up of the new tooth while the primary one stiW
retains a loose hold upon the gum. In these cases the fang is already
absorbed, and the offending crowrn may usually be removed with ease
and without danger. This is done by means of dental forceps. It 1
a simple operation, requiring only that the neck of the tooth be seize
by the instrument, while sufficient care is taken not to injure tn
growing tooth beneath, or the socket of the jaw in which they are co
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SPECIAL DEFECTS OF THE MOLAR TEETH                       327
tamed. Lancing the tumefied gums is sometimes resorted to with good
results.
Numerical Excess and Deficiency of Development of Teeth.
—Many instances occur in which the teeth are too numerous. When this
is so they are usually crowded together or appear out of their proper place.
This irregularity of numbers may occur in the incisor teeth or the
Molars, or both. We have known as many as ten of the former to be
present in the upper row instead of six, and we have seen as few as two.
Seven molar teeth instead of six on one side of the jaw is not of rare
occurrence (fig. 120), and we are aware of an instance where only one
Molar tooth appeared in each jaw. When numerical excess leads to over-
crowding, a good deal of pain is the result; and much inconvenience
invariably occurs where the supernumerary teeth spring up, as they some-
times do, in the middle of the palate, or immediately within or without
the naturally placed row. In the former position they interfere with the
tongue, and in the latter with the cheeks, and in both they render masti-
cation difficult, and in some cases almost impossible.
Where the number of teeth is deficient, grazing and mastication are
tendered troublesome in proportion to the extent of the loss.
SPECIAL DEFECTS OF THE MOLAK TEETH
Disparity Of Length.—In this connection the most common defect
ls that which results when the first and last molar teeth in the upper and
lower row do not exactly
Cover each other. The
hpper row may extend
a little farther back than
Qe lower one, when a
Portion of the last tooth
01 the former, and a por-
tioQ of the first tooth
of the latter, will be out
the line of wear (fig.
Fig. 121.
l21), with the result
above from want of Contact
hat the unused parts of
e^ teeth will grow of inordinate length, and sooner or later give rise to
. Acuity of mastication, and maybe to injury of the gum, or even the
w-bone. To remedy this defect the projecting portions of the teeth
Ust either be removed with the rasp, or chiselled off with one or other
the various chisels devised for the purpose.
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328
HEALTH AND DISEASE
Marginal Irregularity.
— The commonest irregu-
larity of the molar teeth is
that in which the outer edge
of the upper molars, and the
inner margin
of the lower
ones,
become ragged and
protrude beyond the corre-
sponding margins above and
below respectively (fig. 122).
Fig. 122.—Undulating Irregularities of Molars
A,   Right side of upper
jaw, showing (1) excavation
of the bone and abnormal
wear of the inner surface of
the teeth.
B,    Lower jaw, showing
corresponding teeth simi-
larly worn on the outer
side as in fig. c, and exca-
vation of the jaw (1) by the
downward projection of the
upper molars.
aggsesi;
Fig. 123.—Marginal Irregularities of Teeth
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SPECIAL DEFECTS OF THE MOLAR TEETH                       329
In quite young horses the tables of the molars are practically level,
but in course of time they gradually take the direction of inclined
planes. The reason why the edges are not kept down by wear is said
to be that the upper jaw is wider than the lower one. It has been
observed that individuals acquire a habit of grinding their food with a
movement almost exclusively from right to left, and irregular wear of
Fig. 124.-Tooth-Rasp
the teeth naturally follows as a consequence. When, from the presence
of a decayed or malformed tooth, the motion of the jaw is limited and
altered from its normal direction, irregularity is often observed to result
at the edges.
The lower molars invariably wear away faster than the upper, but
Jt will be remembered that they are smaller to begin with; those in the
middle of the jaw are sometimes worn quite low, while those at either end
appear to have escaped a fair amount of work and remain prominent, the
surface altogether presenting an undulating character.
Fig. 125.—Tooth-Shears
We cannot alter the animal's manner of eating, but we can reduce
the sharp edges of his teeth from time to time, and remove parts that
Project unduly. The former operation is accomplished with an instrument
Known as a tooth-rasp (fig. 124), and requires a considerable expenditure of
energy 0n the part of the operator to perform it effectually. The latter
may
require the use of tooth-shears. Easping may often be done without
a §ag, by simply drawing out the tongue on the opposite side to that
pon which the rasp is to be applied. Many horses submit to the pro-
eeding with less opposition, when secured in this simple manner, than
ey would do if twitch and gag were called into requisition. When
e tooth-shears (fig. 125) are to be used, the animal will require to be
uer more thorough restraint, and is most favourably placed for the
°Peration when cast.
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330                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
FRACTUEE OF THE TEETH
The incisor teeth are sometimes broken by external violence, and the
same accident may result to the molar teeth from being brought forcibly
together while a piece of stone, or a nail, or some other hard substance
is interposed between them.
Fracture of the incisor teeth commonly results from the animal falling
forcibly on the mouth. The breakage here is usually in a transverse
direction, while in the molars it extends from the crown towards the
fang. Much less importance attaches to the one than to the other.
Fracture of the latter causes severe toothache, and seriously interferes
with mastication, while at the same time it permits the food to enter
the alveolus, or socket, which gives lodgment to the fangs, and lays
the foundation for further mischief.
In all cases where a tooth is fractured vertically, so as to interfere
with the fang, it should be removed, or failing this, in case of an incisor,
it should be broken off short so that the gum may overgrow the stump.
(See " Minor Operations ".)
Fractured teeth may be recognized by the blackish-yellow discolora-
tion which they undergo, and the offensive odour they give out, as well
as by the accumulation of food in the line of the crack.
CARIES
Decayed teeth are comparatively infrequent.
be
The causes are said to
external injury, and
chronic inflammation of
contiguous structures, as
gums inflamed by lodgment
of food in the interdental
spaces. It has been observed
that caries is more frequent
in horses having the teeth
abnormally wide apart. De-
cay may commence at the
^-
fang, the neck, or the crown;
the neck is perhaps the com-
Fig. 126.—Caries
monest seat of the disease.
Among the symptoms of this disease are difficult mastication, quidding
the food, slobbering at the mouth, enlargement of the jaw, which may be
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331
PARROT MOUTH
seen and felt from the outside, and in the case of upper molars a discharge
of a fetid nature sometimes takes place through the nostrils. The fourth
uiolar is said to suffer more frequently from caries than any other.
If disease begins at the fang, the life of the tooth is generally short,
as nutrition is entirely cut off after a little while. Such a tooth has a
dead look, is not quite so high as its fellows, and may be found to be
loose. With diseased fangs abscesses are to be feared, and their presence
ls frequently the first intimation of anything wrong with the teeth.
Unless suitable treatment is adopted, disease and disorganization may
result and prove very intractable.
But little horse - dentistry has been practised beyond rasping and
extraction, and there is little doubt
that a good deal of discomfort might
be saved, and operations avoided, by
suitable stoppings being employed.
IJecay occurs rarely on the grinding
surface, but at the sides; and the
tew experiments made have been so
successful as to warrant us in clearing
°ut a cavity and filling it up with a
hard amalgam. This serves to keep
°ut particles of food and prevent
tetor of the breath; and provided the
°avity is made dry at the time the
topping is introduced, further decay
^y be for a long time arrested,
^utta percha is a cheap and con-
venient stopping, and is worth a trial
ln mouths where the interdental spaces
between the teeth are large and allow food to accumulate and prove a
chronic source of trouble. It may also be used to fill a gap left where a
tooth has been extracted.
PAREOT MOUTH
In this deformity the teeth of the upper jaw project beyond those of
ue lower one, and are consequently not subjected to any attrition or
_ ear (figg, \^j ancj 128). Where the malformation is extreme, horses are
capable of gathering their food when turned to grass, or accomplish it
Jth some difficulty. They are apt, in consequence, to fall away in flesh,
^ should always be provided with dry food to make up the deficiency.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
332
In some severe cases of this deformity the lower row of incisor teeth are
allowed to come into contact
with the roof of the mouth
and injure the bars or palate.
In such cases the offending
teeth should undergo period-
ical rasping to keep them
down.
CRIB-BITING
A practice in which some
horses indulge has the effect
Fig. 128.—Reversed Parrot Mouth
of wearing down the incisor
teeth, especially towards the
outer edge (fig. 129). It is very seldom, however, that any dental disease
or derangement arises out of it.
WOLVES' TEETH
This term is applied to small conical teeth which occasionally appear
in front of the grinders of the upper jaw. In the early ancestors of the
horse seven molar teeth existed
on either side of the upper and
lower jaw respectively. The first
of the series has long since dis-
appeared from the dental for-
mula, but from time to time it
continues to appear in a rudi-
mentary form as what are known
Fig. 130.—Wolf's Tooth (shown
at a)
Fig. 129.—Teeth of Crib-Biter
as Wolves' teeth (fig. 130). These vestigial remains, also known as Eye-
teeth, were formerly supposed to occasion blindness, and were always
promptly removed.
In some districts this erroneous impression still lingers in the minds
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THE UKINAKY APPARATUS                                     333
of ignorant breakers, who continue to adopt the same unnecessary practice.
As matter of fact they produce little if any inconvenience, and usually
disappear between two and three years old, when the first and second
temporary grinders are shed.
* 3. THE URINARY APPARATUS
From an anatomical point of view, the urinary apparatus consists of
two kidneys with their ducts, named
the ureters, which open into a mus-
culo-membranous sac, the bladder, and
this again has a tube, short in the
female, of considerable length in the
male, by which the fluid collected in
the bladder is discharged from the
body at convenient intervals, and is
named the urethra. In the male this
tube terminates at the extremity of
the penis, which it traverses along its
whole length. From a physiological
stand-point, the kidneys are organs by
which the excess of water, as well as
the salts and the nitrogen of the body,
are got rid of, the latter substance
being chiefly in the form of urea, of
urie and hippuric acids, and crea-
tinine, which represent the waste of
the proteids or albuminous and albu-
minoid components of the tissues.
The Kidneys (fig. 131) are two
ln number, one being situated on each
side of the lumbar vertebrae, partly
Under cover of the last ribs, and rest-
*ng against the under surface of the
oins, where they are embedded in much
at. T}le rig]^ kidney is somewhat
^eart-shaped and rather the larger of
Fig. 131. —The Kidneys, Ureters, and Bladder
ek, Right kidney, lk, Left kidney, a, Right
ureter. B, Abdominal aorta, c, D, E, F, I, Arteries
arising from the same. G, Bladder. H, Pelvis.
th
It reaches to the level of the
"th rib and touches the liver in front; it weighs about 27 oz.
The left
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
334
is more bean-shaped, is situated rather farther backwards than the right,
touching the spleen in front, and weighs about 25 ozs. The external sur-
face of each kidney is smooth, and on its inferior surface is in great part
covered by the peritoneum or lining membrane of the belly. The inner
border is deeply notched to form the hilus of the kidney, wherein is lodged
the pelvis—a small sac or receptacle into which the urine is first received.
Here also the renal arteries enter, the renal veins emerge, and the ureter
begins and continues its course from the pelvis to the bladder. Each
kidney is enclosed in a dense membrane or capsule, which in health can be
easily stripped off the proper substance
of the organ, whilst in some forms of
disease it is firmly adherent. If a kid-
ney be divided by a horizontal cut (fig.
132), into an upper and a lower half,
a difference in colour will be noticed
between the outer cortical portion and
the inner medullary portion. The outer
or cortical portion is of dark reddish-
brown colour and finely granular aspect;
the inner or medullary portion is lighter
in colour and presents a number of fine
lines, converging towards the cavity in
the centre of the kidney named the
pelvis. Both the cortical and medullary
Fig. 132.—Section through Kidney
A, Ureter. B, Renal capsule. C, Cortex.
D, Medulla. E, Renal vessels. F, Pelvis.
zones are chiefly composed of delicate
tubes—the urinary tubules,—together
with many blood-vessels, and the differ-
ence in their aspect is due to the difference in the form and arrangement
of these tubuli uriniferi.
If we follow one of these tubuli (fig. 133) from its commencement in
the outer or cortical substance of the organ to the point where it terminates
by opening into the pelvis of the kidney, we find that it begins with a little
dilatation or bulb termed the capsule of Malpighi (fig. 133, c), about xi^h
of an inch in diameter, from which proceeds a cylindrical and much-
contorted tube that lies in the cortical zone and has a diameter of about
■g-^oth of an inch. The tube then enters the internal or medullary zone,
where, becoming much narrowed, it forms a long loop, the loop of Henle,
and having reascended towards the outer or cortical zone becomes once
more coiled, and finally joins with others to form a collecting tube. These
winding tubes are lined by a layer of cells which secrete or separate the
urine from the blood, after which the collecting tubes convey it into the
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THE URINARY APPARATUS                                     335
pelvis of the kidney, whence it passes into the ureter, and so on to the
bladder. The cells by which the urine is secreted vary in form in different
Parts. Those lining the little bulb or capsule of Malpighi are flattened;
those in both of the convoluted portions are columnar and striated or
fibrillated; whilst those lining
the loop of Henle are flattened
and clear in the descending,
and striated in the ascending
Portion. These differences in
the character of the cells seem
to be associated with differ-
ences in function, for, if certain
colouring-matters are injected
mto the blood, they are not
found in the cells lining the
°apsule, but they deeply stain
those parts in which the
striated cells are found.
The arrangement of the
blood-vessels of the kidney
Presents several points of great
mterest. In the first place
they are very large for the size
°f the organ, and consequently
the whole mass of the blood
circulating the body traverses
the kidneys in a comparatively
short space of time. Now the
constituents of the urine, being
°* a poisonous nature, are
Jealously removed from the
blood by the cells of the kid-
ney as soon as they enter it.
Fig. 133.—Uriniferous Tubules
a, a, Artery; v, v, vein; c, Malpighian corpuscle. A, The cortex
or cortical substance. B, Boundary layer. C, Papillary portion,
In
consequence of this rapid
excretion we find that under healthy conditions very delicate chemical
xamination is requisite to demonstrate their presence in the blood at all.
Thus, for example, the quantity of urea discoverable in the blood passing
0 the kidney by the renal arteries does not exceed 0'016 part in 1000 in
ealth, and is still less in the venous blood returning from them.
In the next place, there is a double system of capillary vessels which is
°t found in any other organ of the body. The renal arteries entering the
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336
HEALTH AND DISEASE
kidney at the hilus break up into arches which are situated at the junction
of the medullary with the cortical zone. From this region numerous large
branches run to the cortex, where they break up into minute afferent
branches, one of which runs to each little capsule of Malpighi, and, deeply
indenting the wall, divides into a little ball of branching and intertwined
capillaries (fig. 133, a), which unite together again to form an efferent vessel.
This efferent vessel (fig. 133, v), which would elsewhere be termed a vein,
after a short course again divides, as before, like an artery into a net-work
of capillaries which are distributed over the outer side of the cortical and
convoluted portion of the renal tubules. These, reuniting, form the proper
renal veins by which the blood is conveyed out of the gland.
Mr. Bowman pointed out that the peculiar arrangements of the blood-
vessels are well adapted for the secretion and excretion of such a fluid as
the urine. The little balls or glomerules of capillaries which are formed by
the first divisions of the renal arteries are well adapted to permit the escape
of the watery parts of the blood, which, if the expression may be used,
flushes the renal tubuli through their entire length, and in doing so dis-
solves and washes away the urea and hippuric acid and salts which are
secreted by the cells lining the convolute portions of the tubules, and which
have been separated by them from the blood coursing, under comparatively
low pressure, through the second plexus of capillaries which surrounds them.
THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE RETENTION AND
DISCHARGE OF THE URINE
The urine secreted by the kidneys enters the pelvis of these organs
and then trickles down the ureters (fig. 131, a) to the bladder. It is
remarkable that a kind of alternation in functional activity takes place
between the two kidneys, so that first one and then the other kidney
secretes a few drops of urine and rests awhile. The ureters pierce the coats
of the bladder obliquely, a disposition of parts which, whilst it presents no
obstacle to the flow of urine from the kidney to the bladder, effectually
prevents any influx of fluid from the bladder towards the kidney.
The bladder (g, fig. 131) is the receptacle which receives and retains for
some hours and then expels the urine which is excreted. It weighs about
a pound, and when distended it is capable of containing about four quarts
of fluid. It is situated above the pubes and below the rectum, and is
covered in front and behind by the peritoneum; inferiorly this coat is
wanting. When greatly distended the bladder projects forwards into the
abdomen, but in the ordinary condition of being partially filled it is con-
tained within the bony pelvis. It is a musculo-membranous bag. The
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PLATE XXVIIL
Copyright photo, by Schreiber, igoi
CHAMPION STALLION: AMERICAN TROTTER, CRESCEUS
Copyright photo, by Schreiber, zS<
PACING STALLION: AMERICAN TROTTER, STAR POINTER
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THE QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF THE UEINE              337
muscular tissue is arranged in several layers, some fibres being longitudinal,
others transverse, and others again oblique, and by their contraction the
contents of the cavity can be completely expelled through the urethra.
Just beyond the point where the bladder and urethra are continuous, one
with the other, the muscular fibres are so arranged as to form a strong
muscular band encircling the urethra, to which the name of sphincter of
the bladder is applied. The office of this muscle, which is in part under
the influence of the will, is to close the orifice of exit from the bladder, and
it therefore acts in antagonism to the general muscular coat of the bladder.
It is necessary that it should relax before any urine can be expelled. If it
loses its tone, the urine can no longer be retained, and incontinence of
urine occurs.
The internal coat of the bladder is the mucous membrane. This is
a soft, pale rose-coloured layer, which is continuous before and above with
the membrane lining the ureters, and behind and below with that lining the
urethra. In the empty bladder it presents folds or rugse, which are obliter-
ated as the urine accumulates and distends the organ. It is composed
of an external layer of connective tissue, which is in accurate contact with
the muscular coat, and of several layers of epithelial cells. The bladder
is well supplied with blood-vessels, nerves, and lymphatics. The arteries
are derived from the branches of the internal pudic, and the veins return
the blood to the internal pudic veins. The lymphatics form a close net-
work on and internal to the muscular layers, and discharge their contents
into the sublumbar glands. The nerves are derived from the hypogastric
plexus, and partly proceed from the spinal cord and partly from the great
sympathetic nerve. The nerve centre controlling the act of staling is
situated in the spinal cord at the lower part of the lumbar region, as
is shown by the fact that after division of the spinal cord in the dorsal
region the bladder can be stimulated to discharge its contents by the
application of cold to the buttocks; ordinarily, however, the sensation
of fulness of the bladder excites consciousness, and impulses proceed from
the brain which, on the one hand, cause the sphincter guarding the opening
from the bladder to relax and allow the urine to escape, and, on the
other hand, cause the muscular tissue forming the walls of the bladder
to contract and force it out.
THE QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF THE URINE
The quantity of urine secreted depends, of course, chiefly upon the
quantity of water that has been ingested, but it is in part determined
also by the activity of the skin. With free exercise, and abundant sweat-
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
338
ing in dry air and in hot weather, the quantity is diminished, whilst it
is increased when the animal is at rest and exposed to cold. The quantity
discharged per diem varies under these circumstances, and with the size of
the animal, from four or five quarts, which is about the average, to twelve
or more, or putting it in another form, from about one-quarter to one-half
ounce for each one pound of the body weight of the animal. It is more
abundant, as might naturally be expected, in grass-fed animals than in
those whose food is confined to such dry matter as oats and hay.
When first emitted the urine of the horse is a clear yellowish fluid,
but it soon becomes turbid. It has a peculiar and rather unpleasant
odour, and a specific gravity of about l-042, but varying from 1'030 to
1"055 or more. Its reaction to test-paper is always alkaline in health,
the alkalinity being chiefly due to the presence of potassium bicarbonate.
When the urine of the horse is analysed it is found that in every 1000
parts there are about 905-910 of water, 55 of organic substances, and 40
of inorganic substances. The organic substances include urea, hippuric,
benzoic, uric, and oxalic acids and their salts, wTith mucus and epithelial
scales from the lining membrane of the bladder and urethra; whilst the
inorganic substances are represented by the lactates, carbonates, sulphates,
and, in very small quantity, phosphates of the metals, sodium, potassium,
calcium, and magnesium, with some chloride of sodium and silica. The
relative proportions of these vary greatly with the nature of the food, and
also according; as it has been examined when taken from the animal in the
fasting state or during full digestion.
The urine of the horse contains, in addition, a considerable quantity
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THE QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF THE URINE              339
of the aromatic substances named phenolkresol and indoxyl combined with
sulphuric acid, as well as the compound named Brenz- or Pyro-catechin,
which is partly free and partly also combined with sulphuric acid.
Pyro-catechin exposed to the air in an alkaline solution absorbs oxygen
and becomes brown, which is probably the cause of the darkening in
hue which the urine of the horse undergoes after expulsion from the
bladder.
Veterinary Captain F. Smith, in a paper contained in the Proceedings
°f the Royal Society
gives the following instructive table showing the
Uiean composition of the urine of the horse for twenty-four hours at rest
and at work:—
Rest
Work.
Quantity
8-689 pints.
7-877 pints
Specific gravity
1-036
1-036
Total solids
8-114
8-188
Organic solids
5-115
5-368
Inorganic solids
2-94
2-820
Urea
3-4744 oz.
Ammonium carbonate as urea
•4626
Ammonia ...
•887
•187
Benzoic acid
•23
Hippuric acid
•549
Phosphoric anhydride
•046
•067
Sulphuric anhydride
•375
•539
Other sulphur compounds
•258
•271
Chlorine
1-118
•775
Calcium oxide
•121
•067
Magnesium oxide ...
•105
•093
Potassium ...
1-290
•954
Sodium
•088
•064
The difference in the size and breed of the animal probably accounts for
trie great discrepancies in the analyses of the urine of the horse that have
een published. In some analyses made by Wessinger, who experimented
P°n animals of Hungarian breed, it was found that the specific gravity
aried from 1*042 to 1"046, and that the amount of dry residue after
Vaporation amounted to 6176-5404 grains per diem. The quantity of
°rine varied within wide limits, but it may be taken at 400-500 grains.
c
Th
ne quantity of sulphuric acid was 262 grains. The quantity of nitrogen
aried in health from 994 grains to 1698 grains, the mean being 1193-5
&rams. It is remarkable that the phosphates ingested with the food are
0I% eliminated in small quantity by the horse in the urine, whilst in
rnivora they are contained in large quantity. In the horse, the pilos-
is ates are discharged from the body by the bowels. The alkaline and
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340                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
earthy bases are chiefly combined with sulphuric acid, though a portion
are in combination with carbon dioxide, and it is the lime carbonate in
minute delicate crystals that gives the cloudy appearance to the urine of
the horse, sometimes even when quite freshly drawn. A small quantity of
nitrogen is eliminated in the form of ammonia and the salts of that alkali,
but the proportion discharged from the system in this form, as compared
with the total amount of nitrogen, is only as 1 : 214.
A few observations may be made upon each of the principal constitu-
ents of the urine. The first and most important of the organic constitu-
ents is the urea, the composition of which is CO (NH2)2. The interest
attaching to this substance is that nitrogen constitutes nearly half its
weight (46*6 per cent). Now nitrogen
does not enter into the composition
of either the fats or the starchy or
saccharine components of our food,
whilst it constitutes about 16 per cent
of the various proteids, such as those
which form the greater part of flesh,
and are found in blood, milk, eggs,
and in the gluten of fruits and seeds
of the cereals and leguminous plants.
The quantity of nitrogen which is
Fig. 135.—Crystals of Urea
                 discharged as urea rises and falls with
the quantity of nitrogen-holding sub-
stances supplied in the food and absorbed in the intestines, and it thus
forms a measure of the amount of proteids that have been ingested.
Upon the average 16 grains of nitrogen correspond to 100 grains of dry
albumen broken up and consumed in the body. Or, expressing it in
another way, every grain of nitrogen in the urine corresponds to the
consumption of 30 grains of flesh of the animal, to the manufacture of
which it is supposed that all the gluten and albuminoids in the food are
applied, and so every grain of urea ( = 0*467 N) in the urine corresponds
to 13'7 grains of disintegrated flesh of the animal. The quantity of urea
in the urine is not materially augmented by muscular work, which is
one of the facts relied upon to prove that muscular force is generated,
not from the disintegration and metabolism of the muscle itself, but of
the starchy and fatty constituents of the body. Just as in a locomotive,
the force expended in effecting change of place is derived, not from the
wear and tear of the iron framework of the machine, but from the oxy-
genation and combustion of the carbon of the fuel.
The origin of urea, it is believed, must be sought for in a substance
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THE QUANTITY AND COMPOSITION OF THE UEINE              341
named kreatin, which exists in considerable quantity in the muscles, and
from which urea can be artificially obtained in the laboratory. The kreatin
of the muscles, or possibly some intermediate substance as ammonium car-
bonate, is carried by the blood to the liver, and is there converted into
urea. This is taken up by the blood and carried to the kidneys, wrhere it is
excreted by the cells of the urinary tubules and mixed with the water of
the urine. That urea is not formed at
or by the kidneys is demonstrated by
the fact that it accumulates in the blood
after the kidneys have been removed
from the body by operation.
Hippuric Acid. — This acid, the
name of which (linros, horse) is derived
from its abundance in the urine of the
Fig. 136.—Hippurio Acid
horse, is closely connected with the
aromatic benzoic acid. It can, in fact, be made to appear in the urine of
man by the administration of benzoic acid with the food. Its chemical
formula is C9H9N03, and it contains 7'8 per cent of nitrogen. When
separated from the urine it appears in the forms presented above (fig.
136), which represent large, white, four-sided prisms or elongated needles
easily soluble in hot water and in alcohol.
The copious excretion of hippuric acid observed in animals fed on
meadow hay is due to the herbs mixed with the grass, but the precise
plants from which it is derived do not
appear to have been ascertained. It
appears in maximum quantities, 2 ozs.
per diem or more, in animals fed on
wheat and oat straw, but little is found
in the urine of those fed on oats or corn,
or on bean straw. It seems probable
that it is formed in the liver and in-
Kg. 137.—Uric Acid
testines by the union of glycocine with
substances belonging to the benzoic acid series, or this may possibly
occur in the kidney itself.
Hippuric acid, which sometimes constitutes as much as 2 per cent
of the urine of the horse, is usually combined with calcium and sodium,
forming hippurates of those metals.
Uric Acid.—This acid, which has the composition represented by
the formula C5H4N403, only presents itself as a trace in the normal urine
°f the adult horse, though it is found in rather larger quantity in the
ioal whilst it still lives on milk.
VOL. I.                                                                                                                                        23
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
342
Kreatin (icpeas, flesh).—This substance, which is found in muscle, is
a nitrogenous, very weak base, of bitter taste, having the composition
expressed by the formula C4H9N302 + H20. When crystallized from
its solution in hot water it forms colourless, oblique, rhombic prisms
(fig. 138). Liebig obtained about one ounce of kreatin from 100 lbs.
of horse-flesh, and it can easily be obtained from "Liebig's extract of
meat". The appearance presented by the crystals is here given.
Pig. 138.—Kreatin                                                                 Fig. 139.—Kreatinino
Kreatinine is a strong base having the same composition as kreatin,
less one equivalent of water, and its formula is consequently C4H7N03. It
is constantly present in the urine, and the crystals present the forms here
shown.
Urea Ferment.—Shortly after urine is passed it undergoes decom-
position, the urea it contains becoming converted into ammonium car-
bonate. This change is associated with the appearance of large numbers of
a yeast-like micro-organism named the torula or micrococcus ureee, and is
believed to be also due to the presence of an enzyme or ferment in the
mucus of the bladder.
MORBID CONDITION OF THE URINE
The tissues of the body are constantly wearing away and being reno-
vated from the nutritive substances contained in the blood, and the blood
is at the same time constantly taking into itself the worn-out materials
or waste resulting from the wear and tear of the body, some of the more
important of which are discharged through the kidneys in the form of
urine. Upon the efficiency, therefore, of the latter organs to free the blood
from these impurities will largely depend the health of the animal.
The normal urine consists of water carrying in solution certain organic
and mineral salts.
In the horse it is a yellowish fluid, having a peculiar odour and an
alkaline reaction. Its specific gravity varies more or less according to
the nature of the food consumed, work, &c, the average being about
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MOEBID CONDITION OF THE URINE
343
1'042. It is nearly always more or less turbid in appearance, sometimes
actually muddy. If healthy urine be allowed to stand, a copious sediment
of earthy-looking matter falls to the bottom of the vessel. A small
quantity of this placed under the microscope is found to consist of minute
crystals of carbonate of lime (fig. 134).
A few drops of nitric acid added to horses' urine decomposes the car-
bonate of lime and causes the fluid to effervesce, just as when tartaric
acid is added to carbonate of soda. As a result of this, the sediment
disappears and the urine becomes bright and clear.
In disease the urine is liable to undergo very striking alterations in
its physical characters, as well as in its chemical composition, and in these
connections it sometimes
affords valuable assistance,
not only in locating a
disorder, but likewise in
determining its nature.
Colour. —In a healthy
condition the urine pre-
sents a bright yellowish
hue. When, as is some-
times the case, carbonate
m
of lime is very abundant,
the fluid wears a distinctly
F                           B                     C
-Blood Corpuscles and Leucocytes
Tig. 140.
muddy appearance.
A A, Red corpuscles. B, Side view of a red corpuscle, c,
corpuscle seen edgeways. D, E, F, Leucocytes.
Red
Change of colour as the
Result of disease may be
brought about by various morbid conditions of the urinary and other
organs.
In polyuria, or profuse staling, it loses its yellow appearance and
becomes pale and watery in appearance, and the same change is observed
ln- debility and in some forms of disease of the kidney.
In all febrile diseases the colour of the urine becomes heightened, with
a tendency to assume a reddish-yellow appearance. This is most notice-
able after standing for a short time, when the carbonate of lime held in
suspension has subsided to the bottom of the vessel and the turbidity
has cleared off.
Bile imparts to urine a deep brownish-yellow hue, which denotes the
eXistence of liver derangement in one or other of its various forms.
Blood gives to this fluid a red or smoky-red appearance, and denotes
disease associated with rupture of blood-vessels either in the kidneys, the
bladder, the ureters, or the urethra. Its presence is recognized by
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344                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
microscopical examination, which reveals the existence of small biconcave
discs or red blood corpuscles (fig. 140). (See "Blood".)
Haemoglobin (fig. 141), the substance contained in the red cells of
the blood, is found in the urine in that sudden and fatal disease known
as Hgemoglobinuria, and imparts to it the colour of porter. When allowed
to stand, the urine in this disease throws down a blackish-brown granular
flocculent deposit.
If a few drops of nitric acid be added to a small quantity of the
fluid, a dense precipitate of coagulated albumen will be formed, and the
same result will follow if the urine be heated in a test-tube over the
flame of a spirit-lamp.
PllS (matter) is sometimes found in the urine, and when existing in
considerable amount imparts to it an opaque, milky-looking appearance.
Fig. 141.—Haemoglobin Crystals from the Blood                       acid, showing nuclei. c, Pus cells "budding' •
If a small quantity of the urine be set aside in a glass, and allowed to
stand, the pus settles down to the bottom as a creamy-looking sediment.
When such a deposit is examined with a microscope it is found to consist
of small, pale, nucleated or granular-looking cells (fig. 142).
A few pus corpuscles may be frequently found in the urine of old horses
and mares, which in other respects exhibit no signs of disease. They are
mostly the result of a slight irritability of the bladder or prostate, uterus
or vagina.
When pus exists in quantities sufficient to impart an opaque appear-
ance to the urine, it may be presumed that there exists some active disease
in some part of the mucous membrane of the genito-urinary organs, or
in the prostate gland, or the kidney. It is mostly derived from the
bladder, as the result of irritation excited by a calculus, or from a chronic
catarrhal state of the mucous membrane. In abscess of the kidney a large
amount of pus is found in the urine.
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THE ANTERIOR AORTA AND ITS BRANCHES
16.   Axillary artery.
17.   Anterior aorta.
18.   Posterior aorta.
19.   Aorta.
20.   Pulmonary artery.
21.   Left coronary artery.
22.   Pulmonary veins.
23.   Posterior vena cava.
24.   Heart.
25.   Vena azygos.
26.   Subcostal artery.
27.   Union of retrograde and
vertebral arteries.
28.   Occipito-muscular artery.
1.   Stemo-thyro-hyoideus muscle.
2.   Sterno-maxillaris muscle.
3.   Thyroid gland.
4.   Parotid gland.
5.  5. Trachea.
6.   Jugular vein.
7.   Carotid artery.
8.  8. (Esophagus.
9.  9. Longus colli muscle.
10.   Vertebral artery.
11.   Superior cervical artery.
12.   Anterior dorsal artery.
13.   Inferior cervical artery.
14.   External thoracic artery.
15.   Internal thoracic artery.
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THE ANTERIOR AORTA AND ITS BRANCHES
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MOKBID CONDITION OF THE URINE
345
Albumen.—This substance is not a constituent of healthy urine, al-
though it is sometimes found as a temporary contamination. When exist-
ing as a permanent condition it is a matter of serious importance, inasmuch
as it indicates the existence of organic disease of some part of the urinary
apparatus, most frequently the kidneys.
Albumen is recognized by adding to a small quantity of the suspected
urine, in a test-tube, a few
drops of nitric acid, when the
albumen, being coagulated, falls
to the bottom of the glass
grayish flocculent deposit. Boil-
nig also produces the same effect.
MUCUS.—The whole of the
Urinary channels being lined by
Mucous membrane, it is not re-
markable that mucus should be
found in healthy urine. Some-
times, however, it exists in such
amount as to render the fluid
Fig. 143.—Casts in Horse's Urine
thick and ropy, and to impart to
at the consistence of thin glue.
A, Mucous oasts. B, Small waxy clear easts, c, Casts with
fat and oil globules. D, Large granular casts
This condition is not neces-
sarily associated with serious organic disease, but rather with a state of irri-
ability of the urinary organs generally. It is most frequently seen in old
animals, and especially mares. When submitted to microscopical exami-
nation the urine in these cases is found
0 contain small mucous corpuscles en- ^L
tangled in a sticky fluid, together with
number of fine filaments studded with
nnnute granules of carbonate of lime,
ne latter are derived from the kidney,
, nd represent casts of the urine tubes
ln which they have been formed.
vasts.—In addition to mucous casts,
JUst referred to, others of various com-
position are met with as the result of
Fig. 144. —Crystals of Oxalate of Lime from
Horse's Urine
„ arnrnatory disease 0I" the kidneys.
these some are composed of epithelial cells in various stages of decay
u from the inner surface of the urine tubes; others are formed of
°d corpuscles either alone or mixed with, or enclosed in, epithelial
s> while others are structureless and wax-like (fig. 143).
V°l- I-                                                                                                                                           24
-ocr page 430-
346                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
Oxalate Of Lime, although frequently occurring in the urine of
healthy horses, is now and again found to exist in large quantities,
associated with a disease of an obscure character, to which, for want of
a better name, " oxaluria" has been applied. In a case recorded by the
late Professor Morton the urine was found to contain this salt in con-
siderable amount (fig. 144).
When first examined, Professor Morton says the pulse was found to
be thirty-two in a minute, tone feeble, a peculiarly anxious countenance
was observed, and a looking from time to time to the loins, with an ex-
pression indicative of pain. The appetite was impaired and capricious,
although there was but little loss of flesh. On walking the animal out
of the stable, considerable languor and listlessness were evinced, and the
slightest exertion produced great fatigue. On his being returned to the
stable he immediately placed himself in the position to urinate, and, after
making several ineffectual attempts, a few ounces of urine were voided,
having a very peculiar smell, and being somewhat viscid. In this case
the urine had a light amber colour, and was clear. It gave an acid
reaction to test-paper, and its specific gravity was 1 "00045. It did not
contain albumen, but when examined microscopically was found to contain
a large amount of oxalate of lime, in the form of bright octahedral crystals.
The presence of oxalic acid in the urine is believed to arise out of
some defect in the di
i&^
stion and assimilation of the food.
DIABETES, POLYURIA, OR PROFUSE STALING
Definition.-—A morbid activity of the kidneys, resulting in an ex-
cessive secretion of urine.
Diabetes assumes two forms, distinguished as diabetes mellitllS and
diabetes insipidus. The former is characterized by the presence of sugar
in the urine, and an increase in the specific gravity. In the latter there
is an absence of sugar, and the specific gravity is usually below the normal
standard. Diabetes mellitus is rarely seen in the horse.
Causes.—Profuse staling, or polyuria, is sometimes associated with
indigestion and suppressed skin function. Hay that has been badly
harvested, and by excessive fermentation become heated and " mowburnt ,
is one of the most frequent causes of the disorder, while in other cases
the drinking water may be at fault. Foreign oats and hay are more
frequently found to affect the urinary organs of horses in these islands
than those grown at home. Debility and exposure to great vicissitudes
of climate are also considered as a probable cause. The disorder is usually
found to exist without any organic disease of the kidneys themselves.
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HEMATURIA OR BLOODY URINE
347
Symptoms.—In addition to the excessive quantity and the frequency
With which the urine is passed, marked thirst is a prominent and lasting
symptom. The pulse is weak, the skin loses its gloss, becomes dirty and
closely "bound" to the parts beneath. The membranes of the eyes and
nose are pale in colour, the appetite capricious, and the breath sour-
smelling. The affected animal rapidly loses condition, and sweats under
comparatively slight exertion. Moreover, the capacity for work is largely
curtailed. The urine, besides being light in colour, has a low specific
gravity.
Treatment.—In the early stage, and before excessive debility is
present, a mild aloetic aperient may be given as a preliminary measure,
and this should be followed by a demulcent diet, consisting largely of linseed
tea, with scalded oats of the best description, and good sound bran. The
so-called diuretic remedies should in no case be prescribed. Gallic acid
°r powdered nutgalls, with nux vomica and quinine, may be recommended.
I his failing, a course of iodide of iron should next be tried, and upon an
abatement of the symptoms may be advantageously replaced by a mixture
°f nitro-hydrochloric acid and infusion of calumba. Belladonna, in the
rorm of extract or tincture, is recommended in cases of some standing.
I he food should be of the best, and an unlimited quantity of drinking
Water allowed. The patient will be benefited by a short period of walk-
lng exercise in the middle of the day. On no account should he be
exposed to wet, or to cold easterly or north-easterly winds. A warm
out well-ventilated stable should be provided, and the surface circulation
Maintained by ample clothing. With proper treatment a few weeks suffice
to bring about complete convalescence.
HEMATURIA OR BLOODY URINE
Urine may become contaminated with blood from various sources. In
a'l cases, however, this condition denotes broken blood-vessels, either as
tae result of disease or accident. As to the precise seat of the lesion,
some sort of opinion may be formed by noting the manner in which the
olood is discharged. When coming from the kidney it is uniformly mixed
^th the urine. If the hemorrhage is from the bladder the blood-stained
Portion of the urine will most frequently be the last passed in the act of
lo
icturition, its greater specific gravity causing the blood to sink to the
west portion of the organ, and only to be expelled at the final muscular
c°ntraction of the viscus. When the source of blood arises from injury to
th
Ue urethral canal, it is washed out with the first portion of fluid issuing
tr°m the bladder.
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348
HEALTH AND DISEASE
Causes.—Some cases of bloody urine are caused by injuries, the result
of external violence; others may be traced to the presence of calculi (stones)
in the kidney or the bladder, and occasionally also in the urethral canal.
Structural changes resulting from one or other of the various diseases
affecting these organs are accountable for a small percentage of cases.
Treatment.—When hemorrhage is the result of the presence of stone
in the bladder or urethral canal, the offending body must be removed
by operation. If it arises in the course of disease of the kidney, cold
cloths should be applied over the loins, and small doses of tannic acid,
with nux vomica, administered two or three times a day. The patient
will require to be kept perfectly quiet, and the bowels maintained in a
state of activity by light bran diet and two or three tablespoon fuls of
linseed-oil morning and evening. Enemas of cold water will also assist
in keeping the bleeding in check.
Demulcent drinks, as linseed tea, should take the place of water, but
the quantity allowed should not be excessive.
DISEASE OF THE KIDNEYS
Nephritis.—Inflammation of the kidneys of the horse is much less
frequent than in man—a difference which no doubt finds explanation in
the absence in the one of those serious dietetic and alcoholic abuses which
are so commonly prevalent in the other.
Causes.—Chief among these are exposure to cold and wet while
the body is heated and fatigued. It is often induced by the habitual
administration of cantharides to excite the sexual instinct in travelling
stallions. The abuse of diuretic agents, as turpentine, resin, nitre, and
oil of juniper, undoubtedly contributes to the number of cases of inflamed
kidneys, and it may be accepted as true that the less knowledge carters
and grooms possess of the horse, the more frequent will be their use of
drugs, and the more powerful those selected.
Inflammation of the kidneys may also result from inflammation affecting
the bladder, by extension of the disease along the line of the ureters, or
from absorption of cantharides into the blood when applied over large sur-
faces of the skin for blistering purposes; and it sometimes follows certain
forms of blood-poisoning, during which the blood-vessels become blocked*
and abscesses develop in the structure of the gland. Severe strains m
jumping, and violent efforts at draught, are probably sometimes provo-
cative of the disease.
Symptoms.—In this affection the patient shows a frequent desire to
stale, but the quantity of urine expelled at any one time is very snaall»
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INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER-CYSTITIS
349
and the total amount discharged in the twenty-four hours is much less
than usual. Attempts to urinate are sometimes made without effect, and
the penis is unsheathed and retracted from time to time without any
attempt to stale being made. Now and again colicky pains appear, and
the animal is restless and essays to lie down. The urine is thick and
muddy, and sometimes blood-stained, or it may become charged with pus.
Pressure over the loins causes the animal to cringe, and the hind-limbs
are moved somewhat stiffly in progression.
As the disease advances there is marked constitutional disturbance,
shown by the quick pulse, accelerated breathing, increased temperature,
hot and clammy mouth, and the occurrence of patchy sweats. Rigors are
sometimes present, the face wears a pained and anxious expression, and
the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose are intensely reddened.
Treatment. — This should be commenced by the administration of
aloes sufficient to open the bowels freely. The diet should be reduced
to bran, with which a little boiled linseed may be mixed, and the tea from
the latter will prove a most desirable drink, to which, if possible, the patient
should be confined. Where pain is severe, opium may be administered in
small repeated doses. Hot cloths to the loins will exercise a soothing in-
fluence, and enemas of warm water in which a little extract of belladonna
has been dissolved will materially aid in subduing existing inflammation.
Where, as sometimes occurs, there are no conveniences for fomenta-
tions, the loins may be stimulated by means of soap liniment and strong
ammonia (liquid ammonia). On no account are turpentine and cantharides
t° be used as local applications. Their absorption into the blood would
^evitably aggravate the disease.
INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER—CYSTITIS
Definition.—An inflamed condition of the lining membrane, extending
*Qore or less to the other structures of the bladder.
Causes.—This disease is the result of some irritant acting upon the
Mucous membrane by which the organ is lined. The provocative agents
are sometimes mechanical, at others they are of a chemical nature; of
the former, stone in the bladder is the more common cause. Chemical
lrritation results in those cases where the urine is long retained, either
as the result of paralysis or otherwise, and in consequence undergoes
^composition. It also follows upon the too-free administration of can-
harides and croton-oil, or from their absorption by the skin when applied
Ver a large surface. In mares, it may be the result of difficult parturi-
l0n, where much force has been employed in extracting the foetus. In-
-ocr page 434-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
350
flammation of the bladder sometimes complicates certain forms of influenza,
and attends the development of morbid growths.
The Symptoms are those of abdominal pain with frequent shifting of
the hind-feet. Urine is discharged in small quantities and often, and the
affected animal repeatedly extends himself as if to stale, without effecting
his purpose. The penis is unsheathed from time to time and again re-
tracted ; this symptom is particularly marked when the disturbance is caused
by cantharides or other sexual irritants. In mares the vulva is spasmodic-
ally everted from the same cause. If the bladder be pressed upon by pass-
ing the hand into the rectum the animal evinces pain by looking round
towards the flank. The urine is usually turbid or muddy, and may be
blood-stained. Unless relief is afforded, the pulse becomes quick and small,
the breathing accelerated, the mucous membrane of the eyes changes from
a pale pink to a brick-red hue. The countenance wears a pinched and
haggard expression, and general prostration becomes marked and severe.
Treatment should be directed to subdue existing pain and render
the urine as little irritating to the inflamed organ as possible. With the
latter object bland soothing fluids, consisting of linseed tea, milk, barley-
water, and white of egg, should be given. The bowels must be freely
acted upon by a dose of aloes, and enemas of warm water, in which a
little extract of belladonna and glycerine has been dissolved, will require
to be administered two or three times a day. Nothing contributes so
much to the relief of the patient as to guard against the accumulation of
excrement in the posterior bowel. In some cases it is most desirable that
the bladder be washed out from time to time with a warm antiseptic solu-
tion, in the preparation of which carbolic acid or perchloride of mercury
will be found the most suitable agents. This, however, being an operation
requiring special knowledge, should not be attempted by an amateur.
Small, repeated doses of belladonna will be found most useful in
reducing the pain and irritability of the diseased organ, and some relief
will also be afforded by hot cloths applied across the loins.
Horses having once suffered from inflammation of the bladder are
liable to a recurrence of the disease, to avoid which they should be afforded
frequent opportunities to stale.
RETENTION OF URINE
Definition.—Partial or complete inability to expel urine from the
bladder by the usual natural method.
Causes.—It is frequently due to spasmodic constriction of the necJJ
of the bladder, and may also be the result of mechanical obstruction i11
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RETENTION OF URINE
351
the urethral canal. It sometimes occurs as a result of paralysis following
°n abnormal conditions of the brain and spinal cord. Among the
Mechanical obstructions may be mentioned enlargement of the prostate
gland, the descent of calculi from the bladder into the urethral canal,
stricture, morbid growths, swelling of the sheath, &c. Want of opportunity
to stale is another frequent cause, as when thoughtless persons drive long
distances and neglect to take the animal out of harness. It may be men-
Fig. 145.—Retention of Urine in the Mare—passing the Catheter
A> Bladder, B, Catheter, c, Valve overlapping entrance to bladder. D, Vagina. E, Uterus. F, Rectum.
tioned, inter alia, that while some horses will almost insist upon pulling up
*°r the purpose of passing urine, others require perfect quietude, and can
0X1 v be induced to stale by taking them on to a straw bed. It is occasion-
aUy found that a horse will not relieve himself while on a journey, although
taken out of a carriage, unless the bridle is removed or the breeching.
■*-he inability to pass water after compulsory retention arises out of a
temporary paralysis of the muscular coat of the bladder, the result of
Undue stretching.
Symptoms.—Repeated but unsuccessful attempts to urinate, standing
Wlth the front and hind legs far apart, straining, grunting or groaning,
ar*°- possibly the passing of a few drops of urine, which seem rather
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
352
to leak away than to be the result of effort. Eectal examination will
confirm the diagnosis if any doubt or difficulty exists in determining
between retention and non-secretion of urine. In the former condition
the bladder can be distinctly felt to be distended with fluid, and in some
cases the pressure of manipulation adds just sufficient force to expel a
portion of it. In the latter the organ is more or less empty.
Fig. 146.—Retention of Urine—Catheter inserted
A, Catheter. B, Bladder. 0, Corpus spongiosum. D, Corpus cavernosum. E, Scrotum. F, Testicle. G, Ureter.
H, Kidney. I, Aorta. J, Rectum. K, Anus. L, Prostate gland. M, Colon.
Treatment.—If the urine has been long retained, and the bladder
contains a large quantity, the catheter should be passed and the greater
portion drawn off. Should there be indications of pain afterwards, warm
fomentations to the loins, or a large poultice over that region, will have
a soothing effect, and this may be increased by the admixture with it of
extract of belladonna. The animal should be warmly clothed, and a dose
of two or three drams of camphor dissolved in linseed-oil may be given,
followed in two or three hours by one or two dram doses of extract of
belladonna dissolved in linseed tea. Every inducement to urinate should
be offered by placing the patient in a well - bedded loose-box undis-
turbed by other horses or their attendants. When retention of urine is
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STONE IN THE BLADDEK                                       353
connected with swelling of the sheath, the latter should undergo thorough
cleansing with soap and water, and be afterwards lubricated with oil or
Vaseline. In extreme cases scarification with a small lancet may be
called for.
Incontinence of Urine.—Here there is an inability to retain urine,
"^hich is discharged involuntarily, and cannot be controlled by the patient.
Causes.—This may be due to a relaxed or paralytic condition of the
Muscle which guards the neck of the bladder, and ordinarily prevents the
Urine from passing out; it may also result from injuries, morbid growths,
or the partial blocking with calculi.
Treatment.—If caused by a mechanical impediment it may sometimes
be removed by the passage of a catheter into the bladder, or by the
forcible injection of fluids from a syringe into the urethral canal. Where
a calculus exists in the urethral passage it may require a surgical operation.
STONE IN THE BLADDER
Composition Of the Urine.—At the time of its discharge the urine
°* the horse differs in its appearance on different occasions. In colour it
varies from a pale-yellow to a deep brownish-yellow. It is usually trans-
Parent, but frequently turbid, and occasionally distinctly muddy and
opaque. It has a strong, disagreeable odour and a saltish taste. When
allowed to rest, a dullish gray precipitate is thrown down, consisting
chiefly of calcic carbonate (fig. 134). Its reaction is alkaline, and on the
Edition of an acid, free effervescence is induced.
The specific gravity varies between 1/015 and 1'050. Microscopically
examined, the sediment thrown down in repose is found to be made up
_ lefly of spherical, oval, and dumb-bell crystals of calcic carbonate, occa-
Sl°nally also octahedra of calcic oxalate, with a few epithelial cells from
attous parts of the mucous tract of the urinary apparatus.
The following two analyses given by Von Bebra show the composition
oi the secretion:—
I
ii
885-09 ....
.. 912-84
114-91 ...
.. 87-16
12-44 ....
8-36
12-60
1-23
0-05 ....
0-06
25-50 .. .
. 18-26
21-32 ....
19-25
23-40\
18-80/
40-00
Water
Solid constituents
Urea
Hippuric acid
Uric acid
Mucus
Alcohol extract
Water extract
Soluble salts
Insoluble salts
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
354
The sediment obtained after the fluid has been allowed to rest is
shown by three analyses to consist of organic and inorganic matter in
the following proportions:—
i                     ii                    in
Carbonate of lime          ... 80-9    ...... 87-2    ...... 87-5
Carbonate of magnesia ...        12-1    ...... 7-5    ...... 8'5
Organic matter ... ...         70    ...... 5-3    ...... 4-3
100-0 ...... 100-0 ...... 100-3
It will be seen from the above that urine is a highly complex fluid,
comprising organic and inorganic constituents in a state of watery solution.
Origin Of Stone.—On the origin of vesicular calculus there is very
little of a definite nature to be advanced. It is a well-established truth
that under certain local as well as general conditions of the body the renal
secretion undergoes various modifications and changes both in its physical
state and chemical constitution. Thus, normal constituents may be in-
creased or diminished, or altogether disappear, while others foreign to the
secretion are sometimes found entering into its composition.
These departures from the general standard are in some cases doubtless
connected with physiological deviations in the complex processes of assimi-
lation, and in some measure also with chemical alterations which the urine
undergoes after its departure from the kidneys.
In diseased conditions of the system peculiar compounds are not un-
frequently formed which are rarely or never produced in the healthy
organism, and, being feebly soluble in urine, are immediately deposited in
a solid form from that fluid. In this manner oxalate of lime comes to form
a part, and in some very rare cases the whole, of the vesicular calculus i»
the horse.
To what extent the superabundant formation of lime-salts in the
economy is referable to food, water, climate, and assimilative disturbance,
separately or together, we have at present but little to guide us to a satis-
factory conclusion. The fact remains, nevertheless, that some horses
eliminate from their systems an amount of calcic carbonate that is simply
astonishing. The writer's attention was recently called to a case in which
a considerable amount of this salt was periodically removed from the
bladder of a mare in addition to that which escaped with the urine in
the act of micturition.
On this subject the late Professor Morton remarks: "The water drunk
by animals has generally been considered as the source of calculi, but it is
by no means proved that in those localities where lime is more abundantly
met with in water, as Matlock, Scarborough, Carlsbad, and other limestone
districts, that in these, calculous affections are most prevalent; whereas
-ocr page 439-
STONE IN THE BLADDEK
355
we do know that animals kept on any of the lime plants for a long time,
°r pastured where lime has recently been laid, become the subjects of these
accumulations. Nevertheless, excess of lime in water will readily furnish
the requisite calcareous matter."
Why the salts of the urine should cease to be held in solution by the
urinary secretion may be conceived to arise either out of a supersaturated
condition of that fluid or from chemical reactions resulting in the produc-
tion of insoluble compounds, but it is not always so easy to comprehend
the reasons which in certain cases determine the aggregation of small
particles of salts and the development of a distinct calculous formation
°r stone. Such a state of quiescence as is afforded by a paralysed bladder
Would appear to favour the separation and aggregation of the crystallizable
constituents of the urine, as would also its retention for long periods in
the cavity of the bladder, either as the result of habit or by force of
stricture of the urethra, prostatic enlargement, or other like interferences
With its proper and due discharge, but it cannot be said that stone in
the bladder is specially prevalent under these circumstances.
Experience gives no encouragement to the idea that the tendency to
stone formation is greater in proportion to the amount of stone-forming
salts secreted by the kidneys.
Composition of Vesical Calculus.—The following table of analyses
°f vesical calculus of the horse and ass is given by Furstenberg:—
Horse.
Ass.
Yellowish
White.
Brown.
Brown.
White
Hard.
Sediment-
ary Form.
Yellowish
White.
Yellowish
Brown.
White
Hard.
Specific gravity ......
2-231
2-104
2-017
2-245
2-076
2-213
1-767
2-257
Carbonate of lime ...
Carbonateof magnesia
Oxalate of lime
Phosphate of lime ..
Ammonio-phosphate \
of magnesia /
Silicic acid ............
87-10
3-63
2-10
5-45
1-721
Trace. /
83-25
5-73
2-60
6V67
1-75
61-55
8-97
17-57
4-32
5-95
1-64
85-03
3-62
5-81
4-21
1-33
84-30
8-34
5-95
1-41
69-90
6-75
4-44
4-37
12-75
1-79
67-75
9-93
10-25
10-95
1-12
80-3
15-5
Trace.
2-9
1-3
Uric acid............
Organic matter
Water and loss
ioo-oo! ioo-oo
100-00
100-00
100-00
100-00
ioo-oo
100-0
Calculi, it will be seen, are composed of earthy salts in combination
tth a greater or less amount of organic matter. As shown by reference
} the above analyses, carbonate of lime constitutes over 80 per cent of
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356                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
the whole. Vesical calculi in the horse are strikingly uniform in com-
position, and in this respect contrast greatly with similar formations in
omnivorous man, in whom they are also more frequent. In him the urine
contains a greater number and variety of crystallizable substances, several
of which, both separately and in combination with others, assume the form
of stone. Hence we have calculi of uric acid, urates of soda, ammonia, and
lime, as well as others of calcic acetate, triple phosphate, and various com-
binations of these renal salts.
Symptoms Of Stone.—The symptoms attending the existence of
vesical calculus are far from uniform, either in their number, nature, or
intensity. In some cases they are few, slight, and dubious, while in
others they are many, pronounced, and easy of interpretation. The very
slight physiological disturbance sometimes seen in stone disease has, in
many instances, disarmed suspicion and frustrated detection, thus serving
to sustain the prevailing idea that stone in the bladder is a disease of
extreme rarity, a conclusion there is reason to think is too generally
accepted by veterinary practitioners.
Vesical trouble arising out of the presence of stone is mostly exhibited,
in the first instance, by frequent attempts at staling, some of which are
abortive, and others more or less imperfectly and with difficulty accom-
plished. The urine is discharged in small quantities at brief intervals, and
the completion of the act is signalized by a deep grunt indicative of pain.
The desire to empty the bladder is more frequent and urgent during and
after exertion, and particularly marked when the pace has been quick.
Every now and again, while at work, the affected animal dwells in his move-
ment and essays to stop. If permitted to do so, the body is at once
extended, and a small quantity of urine discharged. Where the calculus is
large, rough on its surface, and free to move in the cavity of the bladder,
blood appears in the urine as the result of exertion. Whenever, therefore,
exertion is immediately followed by the appearance of blood in the urine,
the case should be regarded with suspicion, unless some other and more
obvious cause is revealed. In some instances the penis is projected from
the sheath, and again retracted, at short intervals, and we have seen it
remain extruded in a pendulous condition during the whole period of the
disease, and to return again only after the operation of lithotomy.
The discharge of urine is sometimes effected in a continuous stream,
sometimes the flow is suddenly interrupted by the calculus blocking up the
neck of the bladder, and occasionally it passes away involuntarily in small
quantities. After the bladder has been freely emptied, the anus undergoes
a repetition of spasmodic contractions. Now and again the stone becomes
impacted in the neck of the bladder, or, if a small one. may escape into and
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STONE IN THE BLADDEK                                       357
be arrested in the urethra, resulting in obstruction and over-distension
°f the organ, with the usual train of symptoms indicative of abdominal
pain. In some examples of the disorder the gait during progression is
wide and straddling, and when at rest the hind-limbs are occasionally
raised from the ground as if in pain.
The diagnosis is, in the majority of cases, unattended with difficulty
where proper methods of enquiry are pursued, but, as we shall presently
show, the detection of stone sometimes taxes the resources of the ablest
diagnostician. Tumours in the bladder, croupous cystitis, organic disease
°f the kidneys, and various other ailments pertaining to the urinary recep-
tacle may, and do, occasion symptoms only distinguishable from those
°f calculous disorder by a careful and searching exploration of the bladder
per rectum, and by catheter or sound through the urethral canal. In
fegard to this latter part of the enquiry it need hardly be urged that upon
*t the diagnosis mainly depends. Exploration of the bladder per rectum
seldom fails to reveal to us any decided enlargement occurring within or
without it, but the tact and discrimination of the surgeon is often sorely
tried in distinguishing between a calculus and certain forms of tumour
which now and again present themselves there. In searching for stone, the
mind, and with it the hand, naturally turns to related organs, and, remem-
bering the possible enlargement of the prostate gland, seeks first to deter-
mine the condition of this organ in particular whenever vesicular calculus
is suspected. Tumefaction of the prostate is fortunately not difficult of
Recognition. The backwardness and fixed condition of the swelling, its
intimate connection with the neck of the bladder, its peculiar outline of
lorru and yielding nature, serve at once to distinguish it from stone.
J-uniours in the bladder usually disclose themselves by their diffuse, and
maybe also by their lobulated and fixed condition.
The bladder should now be explored by means of a long sound passed
through the urethra, assisted, in the case of a horse, by the hand of the
eXaminer passed into the rectum. In searching the bladder for stone the
0rgan is allowed to become moderately distended wTith urine, when, first
111 a standing, and then in a recumbent, posture, the sound (after being
^ell oiled and disinfected) is introduced into the urethra, and gently forced
°n until it enters the bladder. It is now moved slowly backward and
_°rward with a rotatory action, so as to bring the metal point of the
nstrument into contact with every part of the interior surface of the
ladder, the operator noting at the same time any roughness or irregu-
_anty of surface or resistance it may meet with, or any sound or impression
may convey. If the result is not satisfactory, the position of the patient
must be changed by turning the animal first on one side and then on the
-ocr page 442-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
358
other, and now on the back, until every part of the bladder has been
thoroughly explored. Where the substance felt per rectum is a calculus,
its contact with the searcher will be clearly made known by the rough and
resisting character of the touch, and by the sound emitted when struck.
Even with the exhaustion of all the methods and devices which science
has designed for surgical diagnosis, failure may still attend our efforts
to detect a stone, and although
the existence of something in
the bladder be ever so obvious,
its precise nature cannot always
be clearly and definitely made
out. In those examples of stone,
partially or completely over -
grown by granulation tissue
(proud flesh) (fig. 147) spring-
ing from around an ulcerating
Fig. 147.—Stone Overgrown with Granulation Tissue
surface, or enclosed in false
membrane, the question of stone
or tumour is difficult to divine. Here the stone, hidden away in the
new growth or exudation matter, is sheltered from the sound, and the
instrument, striking the morbid mass, imparts to the hand precisely those
impressions which denote the existence of tumour. In this uncertain and
unsatisfactory condition no time should be lost in opening the urethra at
the perineum, when the bladder may be again explored by means of the
short metal sound, to be referred to later on.
It is not alone by active
changes in the bladder, such
as I have just referred to, that
stone is enabled to evade de-
tection. Passive alterations in
this organ are likewise to be
borne in mind as possible ob-
stacles in the same direction.
Fig. 148.—Stone Erapouched in the Fundus of the Bladder
The most familiar example of
this anomalous condition is met
with in those cases where the weight of the stone, bearing on the an-
terior end or fundus of the bladder, creates for itself a diverticulum or
pouch, in which it becomes lodged (fig. 148). The mucous membrane
in those instances usually constitutes the sac, it having been pushed
between the widely separated and atrophied fibres of the muscular coat;
less frequently all the coats enter into the saccular offshoot. In soffle
-ocr page 443-
STONE IN THE BLADDER                                       359
fare instances, as one recently related to me by Mr. F. Wragg of London,
not only does the stone occupy the pouch, but, enlarging by accretion
m the direction of the interior of the viscus, comes also to project into
the proper cavity of the bladder (fig. 149). This is an important condition
to consider in relation to the success of the operation of lithotomy, as
'will hereafter be explained. Where the stone becomes thus encysted it
may or may not be accessible per rectum in a standing posture, or to
the sound through the urethra, according to the extent to which it has
extended from the ■ pelvis in the direction of the abdominal cavity. If,
however, the horse be placed on his back, the stone will be caused to fall
towards the spine, and thus be brought within reach of the hand.
Referring again to the general
symptoms of stone, it may be
remarked that they undergo
Various modifications of char-
aeter and intensity, according
to the size, nature of the sur-
face, and the relations of the
ealculus with the general cavity
of the bladder.
Stones of large dimensions
0eeasion much pain and suffer-
Fig. 149.—Stone Empouched in the Fundus, and extending
into the Cavity of the Bladder
*ng, especially where the surface
ls rough and the stone free to
move from place to place with the movements of the body. Here the
Mucous membrane suffers much irritation, and, with the muscular coat,
Decomes considerably thickened. As a result, the walls of the bladder lose
''heir expanding power, and, by failing to open out for the accommodation
°± the incoming urine, provoke and render necessary frequent acts of
micturition. Inflammation and purulent urine are among the worst con-
sciences of a heavy rough calculus.
Smooth calculi (which are rare), and such as are confined in pouches
the mucous layer, occasion much less disturbance, and may even fail
0 excite suspicion of their presence.
Treatment.—Various methods, physiological, chemical, and surgical,
ave in turn been practised and extolled for the prevention and eradi-
ation of stone, and each succeeding decade, with its larger experience
^d resource, has called forth either the condemnation or modification of
e one, or the improvement and consolidation of the others. For a con-
1(mrable period belief and reliance in the efficacy of internal remedies was
argely entertained; but as time advanced, and the teachings of anatomy,
-ocr page 444-
360
HEALTH AND DISEASE
physiology, and physics led to the improvement of surgical methods, sur-
gical means, and surgical handicraft, the treatment of stone passed well-
nigh altogether from the domain of the physician to the more practical
and radical dispensation of the surgeon.
Internal Remedies.—The internal remedies which have been recom-
mended and employed in this branch of treatment have been selected
purely on the ground of their chemical properties and action on alkaline
carbonates out of the body. A vesical calculus, it has been argued, con-
sisting as it does chiefly of calcic carbonate, should be chemically resolved
by the repeated administration of mineral acids, experience in the labora-
tory having taught that the decomposition of the former is readily and
surely effected by contact with the latter; hence mineral acids were for a
long
time, and still continue to be, administered for the purpose of
bringing about a solution of the stone. Practical experience, however,
has at no time done much to confirm this time-honoured dogma, and the
teachings of physiology encourage no sort of belief in its therapeutical
value. Even in those instances where the operation of lithotomy is for-
bidden by the circumstances of the case, we are not warranted by any
consideration in relying on so precarious, nay useless, a remedy as the
so-called stone solvents.
Injection of Stone Solvents into the Bladder.—Acid solutions
directly introduced into the bladder stand in a very different position
to the calculus from those which, having been swallowed and having
traversed the alimentary canal, now enter the blood and circulate the
system in a state of extreme dilution. In the former case the solvent
and the substance to be acted upon are brought immediately into con-
tact with each other without having been exposed to any possible source
of decomposition, and in this instance the two chemicals are placed under
conditions which invariably yield a definite known result. On the other
hand, we have no assurance whatever that the acid which enters the
mouth ever reaches the bladder in an uneombined state. On the con-
trary, the absence of any therapeutical response to the continuance of
the remedy, as well as a knowledge of the chemical reaction of the
secretions (salivary, biliary, pancreatic, &c.) with which it must be brought"
into contact in its course towards the blood, all go to suggest its speedy
neutralization and consequent inertness as a stone solvent. Clear as may
be the chemical action of acids on calcic carbonate, and constant as is the
composition of equine vesical calculus, there are nevertheless serious
objections to the general employment of such remedies in the treatment
of stone. In the first place, the strength of the solution injected into
the bladder must at all times be so weak as to produce the feeblest solvent
-ocr page 445-
STONE IN THE BLADDER
361
action, or the already irritable, and perhaps eroded, mucous surface will
be excited to inflame and lead to renal complications and other untoward
results. To be effectual, therefore, a frequent and prolonged application
°f the remedy is indispensable.
The operation of injecting the bladder is clearly one which cannot
be entrusted to lay hands, and if carried out to meet the necessities of
the case by a qualified surgeon, must involve considerable outlay, to
say nothing of the trouble, risk, and loss otherwise sustained. Obviously
then the remedia lithontriptica becomes, for all practical purposes of
stone, a dead letter, and must be relegated to the limbo of exploded
fables.
The Operation Of Lithotomy.—Great and important as have been
the innovations and improvements in the course of the development of
human surgery during the past fifty years, it must be admitted that
operative measures of procedure in combating disease in the lower animals
have not kept pace with the tide of progress everywhere revealed in the
surgical treatment of man. Nor was it to be expected that animals,
whose material services constitute their real worth, could for economic
Reasons be allowed those higher considerations in which everything is
subordinated to the maintenance of life. Before deciding upon the
operation of lithotomy a careful consideration should be given to every
feature of the case, and the chances of success and failure well weighed
111 the balance.
In tutored hands the operation may be said to be a fairly safe and
successful one under ordinary circumstances; but whoever undertakes it
*Uust be prepared to encounter deviations and difficulties, as in all opera-
tons, and should command the necessary information and experience
y which they may be met and overcome.
The very brief and general terms in which this operation is described,
a*id the summary manner in which it is dismissed by veterinary authors,
re not such as to throw much light on the modus operandi, and no
°ubt it is for want of more precise and reliable information in this
ounection that lithotomy in the lower animals is so little understood
nd so seldom practised.
Preparing for the Operation. — Preparing the patient for the
Peration of lithotomy or lithotrity is in all cases more or less desirable.
lt should ever be borne in mind that the aim and object of extracting a
one is no^ merely the accomplishment of a surgical feat, but to preserve
^ and, what is equally important from an economic point of view, the
xty of the patient. Every means, therefore, tending to ensure success
UW be fully considered and adopted.
Voi. I.                                                                                                                                                           25
-ocr page 446-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
362
In entering upon the operation the bladder should be fairly distended
with urine, when the horse should be cast, as for the operation of castra-
tion. The penis and sheath are now thoroughly cleansed, and all faecal
matter removed from the rectum. The administration of chloroform is
Fig. 150.—Grooved Staff
now proceeded with, and when the animal is fully under its influence
the hind-quarters are raised by under-packing with straw, and the patient,
having been placed on his back, is supported on either side and held
steadily in position. The penis is now unsheathed, thoroughly washed
and disinfected, and a well-oiled grooved staff (fig. 150) is introduced
into the urethra, and pressed carefully onwards towards the bladder by
an assistant, the operator guiding the course of the instrument along the
perineum with the left hand, while the right, which is in the rectum,
directs the point towards
the bladder. By a little
Fig. 151. —Lithotomy Knife (sharp-pointed)
manoeuvring the groove
of the staff is brought to
face the perineum, and
Fig. 152.—Lithotomy Knife (blunt-pointed)
the assistant is instructed
to press the instrument
toward the abdomen, and
Fig. 153.—Whalebone Probe
hold it steadily in position-
A scalpel is then taken in
the right hand, and the skin of the perineum being stretched by the left
forefinger and thumb, is incised along the central line from the pubic
arch to within an inch or less of the anus. The point of the knife
(fig. 151) is now forced through the walls of the urethra into the groove
of the staff, and an opening made according to the size of the orifice
required for the passage of the stone. A bullet-headed whalebone probe
(fig. 153) is now introduced into the groove, along which it is directed
into the bladder.
The staff is then withdrawn, and the disinfected finger, following the
course of the probe, is next passed into the cavity, the probe at the
same time being withdrawn.
The deeper wound, i.e. the urethral orifice, must now be enlarged
by extending the incision along the same line through the membranous
urethra. This will be effected with the least risk with the probe-pointed
bistoury (fig. 152), the finger in the passage acting as guide and le^eF
-ocr page 447-
STONE IN THE BLADDER                                       363
m performing the section. In carrying out this part of the operation the
knife should be well under control. This incision is made from within
outwards, deliberately but with caution, always remembering that the
rectum lies immediately beneath, and stands in danger of being cut.
Such a result, it need hardly be pointed out, would not only seriously
complicate the case, but place the animal's life in jeopardy.
Exploring the Bladder.—The urethra having been laid open as
far as it is deemed requisite to admit the passage of the stone, an ex-
ploration with the finger should be made. While the left forefinger,
already in the bladder, explores the neck of the organ, the right hand,
acting through the rectum, will, as far as possible, force the bladder
backward in order to bring a larger area of surface within reach of the
finger. Here a long index finger offers a distinct advantage, and should
the operator fall short in this particular, he may take advantage of such
nelp as his most practical assistant may be able to afford him. As a
rule we are only capable of manipulating the neck and parts immediately
beyond it, but by means of the short metallic sound, presently to be
described, we are enabled to recognize any marked alteration in the
naturally smooth, satin-like surface of the lining membrane. By careful
exploration we may, for example, satisfy ourselves of the existence of
tumour, false membrane, calcareous encrustation of the mucous layer
so often found in association with calculous disorder. A knowledge of
the presence or absence of these morbid conditions constitutes a distinct
advantage in estimating the immediate
sUccess of the operation and prospec-
tive result of after-treatment.
Dilating the Urethra and Cer-
vix Vesica.
—Having devoted a few
ttnnutes to the very interesting and
mstructive task above referred to, we
now proceed to dilate the urethra and
neck of the bladder. It is a great con-
solation, when confronted with a large
stone, to know that this portion of the
Urinary passage is capable of consider-
able relaxation and dilation. Sudden
                      fig. i54.-Diiator
ad spasmodic attempts at dilation is
bad practice, and should on no account be resorted to. For effecting the
°pening out of the urinary channel the three-bladed dilator (fig. 154),
instructed on the plan of a human anal dilator, but with longer blades
Qo with a correspondingly large range of action, will be found effective.
-ocr page 448-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
3te
This is introduced into the opening made in the perineum and pushed
onward towards the bladder. The handles of the instrument are now
compressed and the blades caused to diverge steadily until the necessary
dilation has been accomplished.
The patient is now allowed to rest on the right side. The operator
finds it most convenient to occupy the recumbent posture, and places
himself on his left side.
The form of the forceps to be employed in removing the stone will,
of course, depend upon the consistence of the calculus to be removed.
Where the superficial portion of the stone is found to be loose in texture,
and consequently liable to crumble, the spike-faced forceps (fig. 155)
should be employed. This is armed with three spikes on the opposing
surface of each blade, which,
on meeting the stone, pene-
trates its outer weak crust,
and gains a firm hold of the
more dense parts beneath.
Fig. 155.-Spike-faced Forceps                              Escape from the grip of the
instrument during extrac-
tion is thus rendered difficult, and disintegration is at the same time
avoided. The forceps, held in the left hand, is introduced into the bladder,
and the right hand is passed into the rectum to steady and direct the
stone, which will now be distinctly felt and heard grating against the
instrument. Here the blades must be opened and closed again and again,
with a catching movement, being also turned about first in one direction
and then in another, until seizure of the calculus is effected. Should any
difficulty in securing the stone be experienced in the procedure, the forceps
is to be withdrawn, and the calculus brought forward by the hand acting
through the rectum and held firmly against the neck of the bladder, while
the blades of the instrument are slid carefully over it. A firm hold having
been secured, the operator must then assure himself that no part of the
mucous membrane is grasped and included with the stone. This may
be done by rotating the forceps on its axis, and moving it backwards and
forwards, first in one direction and then in the other. If no impediment
is experienced it is to be inferred that the bladder has not been laid hold
of, and that in this respect all is right; on the other hand, should the
movement of the instrument meet with interruption, the blades must be
slightly relaxed and the imprisoned membrane liberated. The position
of the stone, as it rests in the forceps, is next to be considered.
Here we may remark that vesical calculi are almost invariably ovoid in
shape, and are frequently seized across the short diameter, in which position
-ocr page 449-
plate XXIX
OPERATION FOR STONE
, • I- Catheter. 2. Stone. 3. Recium. 4. Knife cutting into the Urethra.
Pi
Jthotrite. 2. Stone in the jaws of the Lithotrite. 3. Hand in the Rectum assisting in bringing the Stone
into the jaws of the instrument ready for crushing.
-ocr page 450-
STONE IN THE BLADDER
365
it is at all times difficult, and in most instances impossible, to extract them.
For this reason it is of the first importance that the long diameter of the
stone should be made to correspond with the long axis of the forceps.
To accomplish this the calculus is drawn well up to the neck of the bladder,
when, with the index finger acting between the released blades of the
instrument, it is carefully turned and brought into the desired position.
This having been done, extraction of the stone is then proceeded with.
The extracting force required to effect removal will, of course, depend upon
the size of the stone in relation to the urethral orifice. Large calculi, and
particularly such as are rough and catchy, require a considerable amount of
traction and careful manoeuvring to bring them away. Before attempting
removal, the stone must be firmly gripped and a good hold secured by
bringing both hands to bear on the handles of the forceps, whose blades
should be so placed that their surfaces are directed right and left, and their
edges upward and downward. A steady and continuous pull, gradually
increasing in force, is now begun and continued, with a wriggling movement
of the hand and an occasional slight alteration in the direction of the
traction, at one time pulling slightly to the right, at another to the left,
How upward, then downward, and so on. If the wound be not sufficiently
large, a touch with the scalpel here and there at the points of resistance
may be resorted to as a means of facilitating extraction, or an assistant
may be called upon to open the wound by inserting his fingers well within
its edges and pulling in opposite directions. Should the stone prove to be
too large for extraction by reasonable force, crushing must be at once had
recourse to. Where the calculus is loose in texture, and friable, the resist-
ance of the edges of the wound to the extracting force may give rise to
disintegration of the outer crust, which, breaking away, remains in the
blades of the forceps, while the main body of the stone escapes into the
bladder. In such an event the offending body must be again secured.
Having undergone a reduction of size, less resistance will be experienced in
the next attempt at removal. An additional advantage will also be gained
m the firmer hold the more compact remains of the calculus allows to the
forceps.
Having removed the stone, the bladder will now require to be well
washed out with warm carbolized water in order to cleanse it of the blood,
mucus, and earthy debris, some or all of which it is sure to contain in
greater or less amount. This operation is best accomplished by intro-
ducing the three-bladed dilator (fig. 154) into the neck of the bladder,
aild, after moderately enlarging the orifice, forcing into the cavity a fairly
strong stream of warm carbolized water out of a small enema syringe.
Whether the perineal wound should be closed at once must depend
-ocr page 451-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
366
upon the nature and extent of disease existing in the bladder. If there
is reason to think that the lining membrane is seriously ulcerated, or
covered with false membrane, a distinct advantage will be gained by
introducing a lithotomy tube (fig. 156) into the bladder and allowing
the wound to remain open until the vesical irritation has been subdued
by frequent injections
of warm carbolized
A water. On the other
hand, if no such corn-
Fig. 156.—Drainage Tube
                                  plications exist there,
A, Silver mount and rings. B, Elastic gum tube.                       the edges of the Super-
ficial wound may be
brought together at once by three interrupted sutures of flexible wire,
and the patient removed to his box.
The irritation resulting from the operation naturally leads to much
whisking of the tail, during which hairs become entangled with the wire,
and the parts about the wound suffer considerable contusion; this must
be provided against by tying the tail on one side to a roller or some
other convenient arrangement.
Under ordinary circum-
stances but little is needed in
Fig. i57.-Perineai Needle
                        the shape of after-treatment.
The skin below the perineum
is smeared with lard or vaseline to prevent excoriation by the urinary and
other discharges, and the wound is carefully cleansed and carbolized as
often as may be required. An enema of warm water occasionally thrown
into the rectum affords a good deal of comfort by freeing the gut from
feculent matter, and removing all pressure from the sore and sensitive
urethra and bladder beneath.
Lithotripsy.—The operation of lithotripsy or crushing may be
resorted to when the stone, though too large to be moved entire, is yet
small enough to be seized and broken up into fragments by means of the
lithotrite. In the quadruped it is not performed as in man, through the
natural channel of the urethra, but through an artificial opening in the
urethral canal as described in the operation of lithotomy. It must, there-
fore, always be regarded as supplementary to lithotomy, and depend for
its performance on our inability to extract the calculus whole.
In the absence of serious complications lithotripsy offers a fair and
reasonable prospect of success.
If from the first the operation is found to be necessary, the bowels
should be freely opened with an aloetic purge, and the diet so ordered &s
-ocr page 452-
STONE IN THE BLADDER                                       367
to avoid undue fulness of the alimentary canal, and facilitate digestion.
An enema of warm water administered once or twice during the twenty-
tour hours before its performance will serve to keep the rectum empty and
soothe the irritable bladder. Small doses of potassic bicarbonate, and
opiates, if necessary, may be given at intervals where pain is indicated.
The Operation.—In performing the operation of crushing, the horse
is thrown as for castration, and when under the influence of chloroform
the urethra is opened
ln precisely the same
manner and place as
directed for litho-
fl'.iiOLD a SQNl LONDON
tomy. The neck of
the bladder is then
Fig. 158.—Lithotrite
dilated, and the
hthotrite (fig. 158), nicely warmed and smeared with oil, is passed into it.
J-he blades of the instrument are then drawn as far apart as may be
necessary to receive the stone. The next step is to bring the calculus
iairly between them. To accomplish this the lithotrite should be held
by
one hand applied near the blades, the screw being in charge of an
assistant who will also steady the instrument while the seizure is being
effected. With the other hand in the rectum the operator now proceeds
to manipulate the stone, and by a little careful manoeuvring directs it
into the jaws of the lithotrite. The assistant, on being instructed, will
then turn the screw until
the calculus is secured.
Having obtained a good
hold of the stone a half-
turn is given to the litho-
Fig. 159.—Forceps for Lithotripsy
twte, first towards the right,
then the left, so as to determine if any portion of the mucous membrane
has been included in the grasp of the instrument. To obviate this it is
Usual in man to operate with the bladder distended with urine, but in
the horse the fluid quickly drains away through the perineal wound, and
°annot therefore be made available for keeping the walls of the organ
away from tne calculus.
When the stone has been satisfactorily secured, the screw is brought
again into action, and the operation of crushing proceeded with. This
°-one, the broken fragments are freed from the lithotrite and removed with
the forceps (fig. 159) and scoop (fig. 160), aided by repeated injections of
^arm carbolized water as directed for lithotomy.
Should the operation prove troublesome and protracted, it may be
-ocr page 453-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
368
necessary to defer completing the operation to a future day, in which
case a light diet should be prescribed for a few days, say from three to
seven, when the operation may be again renewed, and, if possible, carried
to completion. In the meantime portions of stone may enter the perineal
orifice and become arrested in it. These are to be carefully removed, and
it may be necessary also to pass the catheter to discharge any debris
which may have accumulated in the urethral canal. In addition to this
the bladder will require to be thoroughly washed out once daily with
-^—                  - - ^**m
Fig. 160.—Scoop
warm carbolized water for the first two or three days, after which it
may be discontinued.
On completion of the operation the bladder should be carefully searched
with the short metallic sound (fig. 161), and if found free from fragments
of stone it only remains to remove the animal to his box. He should then
be dealt with according to the rules laid down for the after-treatment of
lithotomy. An opiate draught, followed by warm fomentations to the
perineum with carbolized water and periodical injections of warm water
into the rectum, Avill serve to soothe the injured parts and allay irritation.
Fig. 161.—Sound
Vesical Calculus in the Mare.—Mares are seldom the subjects of
vesical calculus. This immunity may be referred in part to the short and
straight outward course of the urethra, which favours the free extrusion of
solid matter with the urinary discharges.
Occasionally, however, stone is found in the female organ, but not so
frequently as is generally stated. Several instances have been brought to
the notice of the writer where intestinal calculi ejected from the rectum
have been said to have escaped from the bladder in the act of urination.
The form, character, and composition of these concietions, however, were
in each case sufficiently marked to enable him to decide to the contrary.
The symptoms of the affection are, for the most part, the same as those
described in the horse.
Removal of vesical calculus in the mare is usually a much more simple
and less dangerous matter than in the horse.
When the stone is small the operation may in some cases be performed
standing. Having made the animal secure with twitch and side-line, the
-ocr page 454-
STONE IN THE BLADDER                                   369
neck of the bladder is carefully dilated and the lithotomy forceps intro-
duced with one hand, while the other, in the rectum, directs the calculus
between the blades. Seizure having been effected, and the manipulative
precautions already prescribed duly observed, its removal is proceeded
with in the manner directed.
Where it is found to be of large size, and the extraction of it by this
method impracticable, the animal must be cast and placed under the
influence of chloroform. By this means the sphincter vesica will be
relaxed and its dilation more effectually accomplished.
Should the stone be too large to be removed entire, it may be crushed
and extracted piecemeal in accordance with the rules already laid down.
A thick, pasty, yellow deposit of calcic carbonate is occasionally found
m the bladder of the male and female as the result of atony or paralysis
of its walls. In both instances it may be readily removed by means of
the scoop, aided by forcible injections of tepid water driven through the
dilated urethra.
After the whole has been evacuated, an attempt should be made to
restore tone to the vesical walls by repeated injection of cold water,
supplemented by the administration of nerve tonics and good living.
General Considerations on the Structure and Formation of
Calculi.—Vesical calculi are usually ovoid in form, with their surfaces
sometimes slightly and unequally flat-
tened. If they have been enclosed,
or partly enclosed, in a pouch or off-
shoot from the bladder, they may be
round, oblong, irregular, or dumb-bell
shaped. The majority are of a dark-
orown hue; some are palish-gray,
others yellowish - brown, and a few
^nitish-gray. All, with rare excep-
+•              ° J                '                                      L                         Fig. 162.—Vesical Calculus
i0ns, present a rough asperous surface
162), usually more marked on one side than the other. The side
n which the stone rests while in the bladder is smoother, denser, and
ess rounded than the other surface. In some the asperities are coarse
; Q°- rounded, and impart to the stone a distinct mulberry character, but
the majority they are finer, closer set, and less prominent. In density
un vary very considerably in different specimens, and also in different
Parts of the same specimen, but it is rare to find them of that flinty
rciness which characterizes some examples of vesicular calculus in man,
many instances they present an open spongy texture and are dis-
guished by marked brittleness and want of cohesion. As a rule the
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370                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
inner portion of the stone is the more hard and compact, while the outer
portion is less consistent, and, in some instances, so soft as to be readily
broken down with the fingers into small rounded or angular fragments.
To examine the structure of these formations the stone should be first cut
with a saw and the divided surface rubbed even and smooth on a wet stone.
If the polished face be now examined it will
be seen to present certain structural mark-
ings, of which the following are the more
common examples:—
1. A regular series of closely-arranged
concentric rings (fig. 163), representing sec-
tions of a succession of layers of earthy
matter. Of these some are narrow, some
broad, some yellow or pale brown, and we
Fig. 163.—Section of Vesical Calculus
gather, by the use of the knife, that they are
soft or hard according as they have been
In this variety the stone, as a whole, is
quickly or slowly deposited.
usually hard and its texture compact.
2.  The laminse are irregular and incomplete, sometimes interrupted
by small sinuous cavities or irregular spaces containing free earthy granules
and epithelial debris.
3.   Sectional surface irregular, and marked by sinuous fissures (fig-
164). Centre excavated and enclosed by a narrow strong band, from
Fig. 161.—Section of Vesical Calculus
Fig. 165.—Section of Vesical Calculus
which arborescent rays proceed to the circumference and terminate W
asperities on the surface, giving to the section a rough, coarse appearance.
4. Small groups of concentric rings forming rounded, solid - looking
bodies varying from the size of a hemp-seed to that of a bean (fig. 165)-
They are separated from each other by a structureless mass of earthy
matter, usually of less density than themselves, and in which fissures
and cavities are sometimes met with. This variety consists of a number
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PLATE XXX
/**-
fei
>>is*
V
L^^V-v"
Cystic Calculus having a piece of stick as a nucleus. Bladder of Horse
Renal Calculus. Kidney of Horse
CALCULI
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INVERSION OF THE BLADDER                                   371
°f small laminated calculi, aggregated together and enclosed in an amor-
phous deposit.
All vesical calculi do not originate in the bladder. Some no doubt
have their beginning in the pelvis of the kidney, in which position we
have repeatedly found them in their rudimentary condition. Many of
these renal formations, on reaching the bladder, are ejected with the
Urine, but occasionally such as acquire large dimensions are retained in
the vesical cavity and undergo enlargement by earthy incrustation.
It is certain, however, that stone formation is not always the direct
outcome of the conditions indicated above. Foreign substances, we are
aware, sometimes find their way into the bladder of the horse, notwith-
standing the seeming difficulty of such an event. Some years ago Mr.
** illiam Hunting, of London, brought to the notice of the Central
Veterinary Medical Society such
              where a piece of stick, some four
°r five inches in length, and as thick as the little finger, was found stretch-
lng across the bladder of a horse, with one end projecting through its
^alls into the pelvic cavity. It had evidently occupied this position
s°me considerable time, as a large calculus had formed around its central
portion. Whence the stick had come there was no direct evidence to
show, and we are left to assume its possible introduction through the
aMominal walls or through the alimentary canal. Such an accident as
that first referred to is quite possible, but for many considerations does
n°t recommend itself to our acceptance. From facts which have recently
e°rne to light in the human subject, we are more disposed to accept the
explanation which refers its entrance into the bladder through the medium
°* the alimentary canal.
INVERSION OF THE BLADDER
The bladder of the mare may be turned inside out by spasmodic
°ntraction of its walls, when it may be said to evert itself. The mucous
Membrane will then be on the outside. The accident is of very rare
Ceurrence, and is usually brought about by the pains of parturition. It
ayj however, result from other causes where violent straining is excited,
nd the contents of the abdomen are forcibly pressed against the bladder
a time when possibly the opening into it is abnormally dilated.
Symptoms.—A fleshy-looking mass, more or less rounded, projects
rough the vulva, varying in appearance according as the accident is
_Cent or of some duration; at first it is a pale pinkish-red hue, darkening
Jth exposure to a bluish or blackish red colour. The protruding organ
as been mistaken for the fetal envelopes, and fatally injured by an
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
372
attempt to remove them. The orifices of the ureters, by which the urine
enters the bladder, may be found when carefully sought on the upper
and anterior part of the protruding viscus, and these will set at rest any
doubt as to the nature of the tumour. "When labour pains are excited,
little jets of urine are seen in some instances spurting out of them from
the upper part of the extruded organ (fig. 166).
Without inversion the bladder may escape through a rupture in the
vaginal wall, and continue to fill with urine, which, being unable to escape
through the usual channel, rapidly adds to the bulk of" the tumour and
to the difficulty of its replacement. The muscular layer alone of the
Fig. 166.—Inversion of the Bladder
vaginal wall may be ruptured, and in such case the bladder will be feW
through the mucous membrane.
Treatment.—Before making any examination of the extruded org»n<
our hands and implements should be rendered aseptic. Having dressed
the bladder, we proceed with gentle but continuous force to push it bacK
into the vagina, seeking there for the meatus upon the floor of the passage*
and gradually directing it into place with the fingers or by means of the
smooth rounded end of a short stick, which should be first freely dressed
with carbolized oil.
The congestion and tumefaction which result from long exposui
render the task of replacement more difficult, and the greatest cautio
will be required in manipulating the viscus lest the swollen and softene
mucous membrane be torn. It may be needful to reduce the congests
by the application of warm flannels before reposition is attempted. ^
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THE NEKVOUS SYSTEM                                     373
restlessness of the patient and forceful labour pains are the chief obstacles
to a return of the viscus, and some restraint must be exercised to suppress
them. The use of cocaine in a four per cent solution has been found
helpful in producing more or less local anaesthesia, and removing the dis-
position to renewed expulsive efforts which the presence of the operator's
hand induces.
Subsequent treatment consists in keeping the animal on soft diet
and under good hygienic conditions, and the administration of anodyne
Medicines if pain is experienced. If a subject of this accident is again
bred from, increased risk attends parturition.
4. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
The possession of a nervous system is not essential to life, since in
the whole vegetable kingdom, as well as in the lower animal organizations,
Multitudes of living forms are to be seen, which, although unprovided
with nerves, are yet perfectly capable of preserving their independence
a*id of holding their own in the struggle for existence; but wherever it
ls found, owing to its wonderful sensitiveness to impressions, it fulfils
the important purposes of bringing the animal into relation with the
°uter world, of enabling it to respond to those impressions by inducing
Muscular movements which effect either local or general change of place
0r form, and finally of linking together, as with a subtle net-work, the
Most remote organs of the body, enabling each part to co-operate with
the rest for the 'general good, and uniting or integrating them into a
e°ttimon whole.
Originally the nervous system is composed of a soft living mobile
Substance, termed " protoplasm", from which all parts of the body are
0ruied; and it is only by degrees that it acquires its special endowment,
hat of generating nerve energy, which, like other forms of force, is subject
0  laws of its own, and can either be stored up, liberated, intensified, or
•Exhausted under appropriate conditions.
In the horse, as in all the higher animals, the nervous system presents
wo parts for examination, one of which, and by far the larger, is named
le cerebro-spinal, the other the sympathetic system.
The cerebro-spinal system is adapted to respond to various kinds
1  Mrpressions made upon the organs of sense, as the eye, ear, skin, tongue,
Ml nose, to conduct those impressions through cords, which are termed
erves, to central organs represented by the spinal cord, medulla oblon-
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374                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
gata, cerebellum, and brain, giving rise in the first instance to responsive
movements of protection or defence, and then successively, as they affect
higher and higher centres, to sensations of sight, hearing, touch, taste,
and smell, and finally to ideas, emotions, and intellectual operations.
The sensory impressions or stimuli thus carried to the nerve centres
may not be followed by any visible effect, but in most instances, especially
in animals, impulses, which we may conceive to be waves or rapidly-
propagated chemical or molecular changes, start, or are liberated from the
centres, which travel along similarly constituted cords or nerves, and are
conducted to muscles or to glands, exciting the former to contraction
and the latter to secretion. The cords con-
ducting impressions from the organs of sense
to the centres are named " afferent" nerves,
whilst those which transmit impulses from
the centres to the muscles and glands are
termed " efferent" nerves. The terms " sen-
sory", " motor", and " secretory" nerves are,
however, most commonly used.
The sympathetic system of nerves,
sometimes named the nervous system ot
organic life, is destined to regulate the
supply of blood to each organ of the body
in accordance with its requirements, keeping
Fig. 167.—Ganglion Cells of the Sym-
pathetic Nerve of the Muscular Coat of the
Bladder (magnified about 350 times)
a, a, a, Ganglion Cells. b, b, Their
Nuclei, c, c, c, Axis Fibres, d, d, Spiral
Fibres.
the blood-vessels contracted when the orgaI1
is at rest, but permitting them to dilate
under the influence of other nerves when in ^
is the active discharge of its functions. Thus
in the fasting state the stomach is pale and
quiescent, but in full digestion it is rosy, and performs active movements-
The sympathetic system thus, by its action on the vascular system, m'
directly but powerfully influences movement and secretion. It is compose
of a series of knots or swellings, termed " ganglia ", united to one
another
by nerve cords. The more important ganglia form a chain lying on eithe
side of the spinal column, and extending through nearly its whole leng*
1
(fig. 168). Other ganglia belonging to this system, termed "collate!*
ganglia ", are widely distributed in the body, and give off branches wh'c
accompany the blood-vessels, and finally enter the muscular tissue l
their walls. The two systems of cerebro- spinal and sympathetic nerv
have intimate relations with each other. Their structure is very similar-
The sympathetic system consists of numerous nerve cords and gang
distributed over the body, and destined to control and regulate the orga
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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM                                         375
of vegetative life. The main trunks of this system are two in number, one
running on either side of the vertebral column, extending from the head
backward as far as the tail.
Each in its course has upon it a number of small round or ovoid
bodies termed ganglia. These consist of a covering of connective tissue,
from which small septa pass into the interior. The spaces thus formed
m the organs are filled in with small cells, some of which are round,
while others have proceeding from them small fibres or poles, by which
Fig. 168.—Diagram of the Ganglia of the Sympathetic System of Nerves
Superior Cervical Ganglion. -, 2 Cervical Sympathetic Cord. 3 Middle Cervical Ganglion. 4 Inferior Cervical
ganglion. 5 Cervical Portion of Sympathetic. 6, 6 Dorsal Sympathetic. 7 Lumbar Portion of Sympathetic.
oaeral Portion of Sympathetic. 9 Great Splanchnic Nerve. 10 Lesser Splanchnic Nerve. u Solar Ganglion.
ir erent Branches from Spinal Pairs. 13 Pelvic Plexus. 14 Branch to Pelvic Plexus. 15 Spermatic Plexus.
Posterior Mesenteric Plexus.         17 Branches from Posterior to Anterior Mesenteric Plexus.         18 Lumbo-Aortic
exus. ly Superior (Esophageal Branch. 20 Inferior Oesophageal Branch. 21 Cardiac Nerves. ^ Branch to
Vl° Plexus. 23 Conjoined Cord of Pneumogastric and Sympathetic Nerves.
they are connected with nerve-tubes, which go to (afferent) and come
irom the ganglia (efferent). Some nerve-fibres also pass through the
Sariglia, and in doing so are brought into contact with the cells.
As the sympathetic chain runs along the side of the vertebrae, a small
ganglion appears upon it, opposite to each intervertebral gap or hole, out
which the spinal nerves emerge.
The spinal nerves on passing out of the spinal canal divide into an
uPper and a lower branch, and from each of the latter a few fibres proceed
0 the sympathetic ganglia and reinforce the sympathetic chain.
. The different parts of the sympathetic cord are distinguished by terms
ncbcating the region with which they are connected, hence the terms
eervieal or neck, the dorsal or back, the lumbar or loin, and the sacral or
CrouP plexuses or nerves.
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376
HEALTH AND DISEASE
Cervical Sympathetic.—The cervical sympathetic consists of two
large ganglia united by an intervening cord. The ganglia are distin-
guished as the superior and the inferior cervical. Sometimes there are
three. The superior cervical ganglion, situated beneath the atlas, gives
branches to those nerves in its vicinity — the glosso-pharyngeal, spinal
accessory, pneumogastric and hypoglossal, and the lower branch of the
first cervical nerve.
The efferent branches, or those which pass from the ganglion, are fila-
ments to the internal carotid artery, others to the three divisions of the
common carotid, and to the guttural pouch and pharynx. The branches
which accompany the internal carotid into the cranium form the carotid
and cavernous plexuses, and are connected with the fifth cranial nerve.
The sympathetic cervical cord passes down the neck in company with
the pneumogastric, which it leaves on entering the chest and joins the
inferior cervical ganglion. In its course down the neck no filaments are
received or given off by it.
The Inferior Cervical Ganglion.—As we have already pointed out,
this is sometimes double, the two being joined together by a short grayish
band. When this condition exists, the portion in front, which is always
the smaller, is known as the middle cervical ganglion.
The afferent branches, or those which go to the ganglion, are two m
number, one resulting from the union of small filaments from the second,
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh pairs of cervical nerves, and the
other derived from the eighth cervical nerve.
The efferent branches of the inferior cervical ganglion are mainly dis-
tributed to the heart. Some very fine filaments may also be seen to
enter the anterior mediastinum, or proceed to the branches of the brachial
trunk.
The Dorsal Sympathetic Chain.—When the inferior cervical ganglion
has given branches to the heart, the dorsal sympathetic chain is continued
on from it in a backward direction, between the costo-vertebral articu-
lation and the pleura.
As it passes backwards there appears upon it a number of very small
ganglia, one of which is situated against each of the vertebral opening3
through which pass the spinal nerves.
Each ganglion receives one or two small afferent filaments from the
inferior branches of those nerves.
In its course backwards it gives off the great splanchnic nerve at a
point corresponding to the seventh intercostal space. From this point
it proceeds backwards, and in its course receives a small branch from each
of the ganglia.
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377
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
It then proceeds to the side of the aorta between the cseliac axis and
the large mesenteric artery, where it has upon it the semilunar or solar
ganglion. This is a body of considerable size and importance. It is joined
to its fellow on the opposite side by a large wide branch and numerous
smaller ones, resulting in the formation of a plexus beneath the aorta
termed the solar plexus.
After receiving some branches from the pneumogastric nerve, this
Plexus splits up into several smaller plexuses, which form a net-work round
the arteries, and through them the sympathetic is distributed to the several
abdominal organs. In this way we get the gastric plexus to the stomach,
the hepatic plexus to the liver, duodenum, pylorus, and pancreas, a splenic
plexus to the spleen, and also a plexus to the stomach. A large plexus,
the anterior mesenteric, surrounds the artery of that name, and is dis-
tributed over the organs supplied by it. A renal plexus encircles the
renal artery and accompanies it to the kidney.
The lumbo-aortic plexus passes backward along the under surface of
the aorta, and mixes its fibres with the posterior mesenteric plexus.
The great Splanchnic nerve leaves the dorsal chain about the
Seventh intercostal space. From this point it receives a few afferent fibres
lrom the ganglia, commencing with the sixth, and continues to do so irregu-
arV up to the sixteenth. Behind, the great splanchnic ends in the solar
Plexus.
The lesser Splanchnic nerve is made up of two or three small
ranches proceeding from the last dorsal ganglion; these collect into a
^ort thin branch, which joins the solar plexus or the renal and supra-
renal plexuses.
Lumbar Sympathetic.—This is a continuation of the dorsal sym-
Pathetic, and has upon it ganglia corresponding to the number of lumbar
erves from the inferior division of which it receives its afferent branches.
ehind, it is continued by the sacral sympathetic.
Its efferent branches consist of short filaments to the lumbo-aortic
r exus. The small mesenteric artery receives others, which surround the
. Ssel and form the posterior mesenteric plexus, in the centre of which
a ganglion of some size. This ganglion supplies in addition branches
the posterior mesenteric vein, and others to the spermatic arteries and
the rectum.
J-wo or three long divisions from each side pass beneath the peritoneum,
a on reaching the lateral part of the rectum blend with others from the
erior sacral nerves, forming the plexus from which all the pelvic organs
are Applied.
k&cral Sympathetic.—This region is supplied by a continuation
Vol- I-                                                                                                                                                          26
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378                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
backwards of the lambar division. It presents four long ganglia, which
communicate with the inferior sacral nerves by a few small filaments.
This plexus distributes its branches to the coccygeal artery, and in
a somewhat irregular manner to other neighbouring parts.
Structure of the Cerebro-spinal Nervous System.—If a fragment
of the brain or spinal cord be examined with the unassisted eye, it appears
to be composed of a soft curd-like material with red points and streaks
distributed irregularly through it, differing a little in colour in different
parts, being here almost pure white and there pinkish gray, but every-
where so soft and apparently destitute of structure, that Haller, one of the
most learned and expert physiologists of the eighteenth century, could
only describe it as a uniform pulp with but few indications of structure,
presenting only blood-vessels and some obscure fibrous markings. The
great improvements that have been made in the construction of the
microscope, and in the process of hardening, cutting, staining, and mount-
ing specimens for microscopic examination, now enable it to be shown
that whilst there is an abundant supply of blood circulating through each
part, the essential elements of every nervous system are nerve-cells and
nerve-fibres, both of which require careful consideration.
Fig. 169.—Nerve-Cells                                     A, Nerve-Cell. B, Axis-Cylinder Process, uniting
with c, a Nerve.
The Nerve-cells.—The nerve-cells are bodies of rounded, oval, °r
irregular form, varying greatly in size, but always microscopic, and haviI]»
an average diameter of about l-2000th of an inch. Each cell contains &
its interior a small but important structure, named the " nucleus", lYin»
in a mass of finely fibrillated protoplasm, and itself containing a s*x
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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM                                         379
smaller particle, named the " nucleolus". The surface of the nerve-cell is
sometimes smooth, and gives off one or two fine filamentous processes;
in some instances, however, many such processes shoot from it. These
divide and subdivide as they recede from the cell, and either join with
°r enter into very close relation with the processes from other cells. In
niost, if not in all cases, one of the processes is larger and longer than
the rest. If traced for some distance it may be seen to become a true
nerve-fibre, which may terminate in a muscle or in a gland, or in one
°f the organs of sense—ear, eye, nose, &c.—or may serve to bring two
nerve-cells into connection with each other.
The Nerve-fibres.—Nerve-fibres are processes or outrunners from the
cells. At the point where a fibre springs from a cell it is exceedingly
fragile and delicate, but as it travels away from the cell it gradually
acquires a protective covering or sheath, which calls to mind that employed
to insulate a telegraph wire. It loses it, however, again as it approximates
Jts destination, becoming reduced to a very attenuated thread. If examined
in the middle of its course, say, for example, in the sciatic nerve, each
nbre will be found to consist of a central core or axis cylinder, believed
t° be the path along which all nervous impressions and impulses are
Propagated. Covering this is a layer of white substance of a fatty nature,
named the medullary sheath, or white substance of
Schwann, and outside this again is a delicate but firm
and resistant membrane, which is the neurilemma; such
nerve-fibres are named " medullated fibres". The central
core or cylinder axis often runs for long distances without
division, but at times gives off collateral branches, and
°iay even divide into a set of branches like a bouquet.
Medullated fibres vary in diameter from 1-1500th to
. "12,000th of an inch. The fibres are bound together Ig' 0f Nerve
nto bundles by connective tissue, and these bundles are a, Nerve-Fibre.
associated into groups, the whole having a strong invest- *; *^Wl
nient of connective tissue and constituting a nerve.
The results of injury to the central parts of the nervous system are
0 disastrous that they are everywhere protected from mechanical violence
itn the greatest care. The spinal cord, cerebellum, and brain are con-
ained in a strong case of bone particularly well adapted to preserve these
°tt parts from blows or pressure. The head bones are composed of an
uter and an inner layer of compact bone, between which is a layer of
lo
&
)se cancellous or spongy bone, the whole requiring great force to cause
aeture, whilst the solid bodies and projecting spines of the backbone,
too-,
gether with the successive layers of thick skin, fibrous tissue, and muscles
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380                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
that cover it, are equally competent to protect the spinal cord. The
skull will not indeed resist the penetrating power of a bullet, nor will
the spine resist the weight and shock of a heavy rider in leaping into
a ravine, but they will preserve the nerve centres intact through all the
ordinary casualties of life. The bones are not the only means of
guarding these parts from injury, for the osseous case is lined by a thick
and extremely tough membrane, the dura mater, thin sheets of which
dip down between the two hemispheres of the cerebrum, and between
the cerebrum and cerebellum, and prevent the former from unduly
pressing upon the latter. Within the dura mater is a thin double
membrane, named the arachnoid, one part covering the inside of the
dura mater and the other the outer part of the brain. These two op-
posed surfaces are lubricated with a serous fluid, which permits a slight
gliding movement of the brain, such as accompanies the act of breathing
and the beating of the arteries, with the least possible friction. And
lastly, the whole surface of the brain is immediately invested with the
pia mater, which is a membrane of blood-vessels, the branches being
so numerous and so closely arranged in it that it may almost be said
the great nerve centres rest in every position of the body on a fluid
bed.
The nerve centres and the nerves receive an abundant supply of blood.
The branches of the internal carotid artery and those of the vertebral
arteries are distributed to the brain and cerebellum, whilst the spinal cord
receives blood-vessels from the vertebral arteries, which run down the
upper and lower surfaces of the cord as the spinal arteries, and are rein-
forced as they descend by many branches from the intercostals and posterior
aorta. The blood thus distributed is returned from the head and spine
by the jugular and spinal veins. The nerves of the trunk and extremities
receive their blood from the nearest artery, and return it to the nearest
vein.
The Spinal Cord.—The spinal cord or spinal marrow is a long, nearly
cylindrical mass of nerve substance which extends from the head to the
sacral region of the spine, and weighs about 10 ozs. It is contained
in a canal formed by the successive vertebrae, which is wider than itself,
so that there is no danger of any pressure being exerted upon it in the
various movements the body is capable of performing. It has the same
coverings as the brain, which are named dura mater, arachnoid, and
pia mater. In front the cord enlarges both in breadth and thickness,
and is continuous with the brain through the medulla oblongata. Behind
it terminates near the anterior third of the sacral region. It does not
preserve the same diameter from one end to the other, but presents two
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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
381
swellings, one extending from the fifth vertebra
of the neck to the fourth vertebra of the back,
and the other situated in the region of the loins.
These enlargements of the nervous mass are ren-
dered necessary in order to supply the great nerves
distributed to the fore and hind limbs respectively.
The spinal cord gives origin in the horse to forty-
two or forty-three pairs of nerves, each of which
arises by two roots, a superior and an inferior.
The position and arrangement of the successive
pairs are shown in the accompanying diagram.
If the cord be divided transversely the appear-
ance presented in fig. 173 will be seen.
The shaded area is named the gray substance,
the light area the white substance, of the cord.
The white substance is composed almost exclusively
of nerve-fibres; the gray substance, whilst contain-
ing many fibres, presents also a large number of
nerve-cells. The cord is seen to be divided into
symmetrical lateral halves by two fissures, the
superior fissure being narrow and deep, and the
inferior wide and more shallow. The gray sub-
stance of the cord somewhat resembles the letter
H, or a pair of inverted commas, placed back to
back and united by a cross bar. The extremities
Fig. 173. —Sections of Spinal Cord
1 Superior Root. 2 Inferior Root. 3 Ganglion. 4 Superior
Nerve. 5 Inferior Nerve. 6 Choroid Plexus. 7 Nerve Substance.
8, 10 Inferior C'ornua.
          9 Superior Cornu.          n Central Canal.
12 Superior Longitudinal Fissure. 13 Inferior Longitudinal Fissure.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
382
of the comma - like bodies are named the cornu, and there are conse-
quently an upper and a lower cornu on each side. The upper one is
more pointed, and reaches nearer to the surface than the lower cornu.
The
isthmus or central portion, which joins the two lateral masses of
gray substance, is perforated by a small hole, which represents the section
of a tube, named the central canal, which runs the whole length of the
cord. If the nerve roots be traced
into the substance of the cord, it
will be found that the fibres of
which they are composed chiefly
end in branches surrounding the
nerve-cells of the superior and
inferior cornu of their own side,
whilst some ascend towards the
brain on that side, and others
cross over to the opposite side.
Each half of the white substance
of the cord is obviously divided
into three regions: 1, an upper,
between the superior cornu and
the superior median fissure; 2, a
lateral, between the upper and
lower cornu; and 3, a lower region,
between the inferior cornu and
the inferior median fissure.
Fig. 174.—Under Surface of Horse's Brain
A, Temporal Lobe.          B, Crura Cerebri.          c, Pons
Varolii.           D, Medulla Oblongata.            E, Cerebellum.
F, F, Convolutions of Cerebrum. I, Olfactory Nerve or 1st
Nerve. n, Optic Nerve or 2nd Nerve. HI, Motores
Occulorum or 3rd Nerve. IV, Pathetici or 4th Nerve,
v, Trifacial or 5th Nerve, vi, Abducent Nerve, vii, Facial
or 7th Nerve. VIII, Auditory or 8th Nerve. IX, Glosso-
pharyngeal or 9th Nerve.
         x, Pneumogastric or 10th
Nerve. xi, Spinal Accessory or 11th Nerve. XII, Hypo-
glossal or 12th Nerve.
In some instances the fibres
constituting these divisions con-
duct impressions forwards, in
others backwards. Some are
chiefly made up of sensory nerves,
whilst others are essentially motor.
Others again are mixed, and con-
vey impulses both upwards to the
medulla oblongata, cerebrum, and cerebellum, and downwards from these
centres to the muscles.
The Bulb, or Medulla Oblongata.—This portion of the nervous
system (d, fig. 174) occupies a position intermediate between the spinal
cord and the pons (c, fig. 174), and is continuous with both. It forms
a kind of capital to the cord, and possesses a highly intricate structure-
It is the seat of origin of some of the most important nerves in the
body, particularly of those which confer sensibility upon the face and
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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
383
head, which perceive sounds, and which are instrumental in carrying
°n the function of breathing, and as these last are essential to life,
destruction of the medulla oblongata is immediately fatal.
The Pons (c, fig. 174) is a broad and thick band of transverse fibres
running across from one hemisphere of the cerebellum to the other,
it is traversed by the continuation of the columns of the spinal cord.
These emerge from the front border of the pons, and form the diverg-
ing crura cerebri (b, fig. 174), the fibres of which radiate outwards to
the cortex of the brain. Effusions of blood affecting these columns cause
paralysis.
Above the pons are the four eminences named the corpora quadri-
gemina, which are intimately connected with the function of sight, and
are seen in section just above N in fig. 176.
We now reach the great ganglionic masses situated at the base of
the brain, shown in fig. 175.
These are large, and composed of gray substance, and therefore contain
many cells, in which it is probable many of the nerve-fibres in the crura
cerebri end, whilst on the other hand they are brought into relation
"With the cortex of the brain by radiating fibres. The hinder pair are
the optic thalami, and are closely connected with the optic tracts. The
front pair are the corpora striata, so termed because the gray substance
*s traversed by bands of white fibres. These great ganglia are connected
Dy transverse fibres forming the gray and white commissures, and the
rest of their opposed surfaces form the lateral boundaries of the third
ventricle.
The Brain.—The large mass of nervous substance which fills the
cavity of the cranium or skull, to which the term brain is ordinarily
aPplied, in reality consists of two parts—the cerebrum or brain proper,
ar*d the cerebellum or little brain, the proportion of these organs to
each other by weight being about as 7:1. Both together weigh in the
horse about one pound and a half, which, as compared with the weight
°f the body, is about as 1 :600, or about 26 grains for each 1 lb. av. of
body weight.
The Cerebrum, or brain proper, is divided by a deep fissure running
from before backwards into two lateral halves. It consists of an immense
Dllt thin sheet of gray nerve substance externally, chiefly composed of
Qerve- cells, and internally of a mass of white substance composed of
ubres proceeding from, or running to, the cells of the gray substance.
Externally the brain is covered by three protective membranes, as well
as by the bones of the skull and skin. These three membranes are the
Pl(*> mater, which is closely attached to the brain, and is composed
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384                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
principally of blood-vessels; the arachnoid, which is a serous mem-
brane, and is next outwardly placed; and the dura mater, which is a
tough fibrous membrane, and lines the interior of the skull.
The outer layer of gray nerve substance being very much larger than
the surface of the brain, is folded, and, as it were, crumpled, and made
to dip down some distance into the organ. The folds are named con-
volutions
(fig. 175 a), and the depressions or grooves between them sulci
(fig. 175 b).
OLF.BULB                                                                        rrn                      1 , •                                  4-
Aid* iwk                                    J-ne convolutions appear at
first sight to be quite irregu-
larly disposed, nor will their
arrangement be found exactly
the same in any two brains;
yet by tracing their develop-
ment, and by observing the
effects of injuries, a general
similarity has been demon-
strated in their position, and
the function of each has become
pretty well known.
If the brain be sliced hori-
zontally a little below the level
of the corpus callosum, a cavity
MEDULLA OBLONGATA.
is opened on each side named
the lateral ventricle. These
Fig. 175.—Upper Surface and Horizontal Section of the Brain
A, Ai, Convolutions. B, Bi, Sulci, c, Gray Matter. D, White
Matter. cob. stb., Corpus Striatum. OPT. thal., Optic
Thalamus.
two ventricles are separated by
the septum lucidum, but com-
municate with each other an-
teriorly, and with the third
ventricle
by the foramen of Monro. The floor of each lateral ventricle is
formed by the corpus striatum in front, and the optic thalamus behind, and
upon these lie numerous blood-vessels forming the velum interpositum and
choroid plexus. The third ventricle is situated between the two corpora
striata and optic thalami, and is crossed by a gray and two white com-
missures. Behind, it ends in the aqueductus sylvii, which is a tunnel
running underneath the corpora quadrigemina and pons, and opening
behind into the fourth ventricle, which is again continuous with the
central canal of the spinal cord.
The cerebellum is situated behind the brain and above the medulla
oblongata. Its convolutions are more numerous than those of the brain,
but present the same crumpled disposition of the gray and white sub-
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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
385
stance, the gray forming the external layer and the white the internal.
J-he tree-like appearance presented when the cerebellum is cut in half
has been termed the arbor vitce.
The cerebellum is divided into two hemispheres, and a central portion
named the vermiform process. At its base the white fibres forming its
fibrous substance are gathered together into three great strands, groups,
°r peduncles, on each side; the lowest or most posterior connects it with
the lateral columns of the spinal cord. The middle group forms a great
part of the pons,
and crosses to the
opposite hemisphere,
while the third group
runs forward to the
cerebrum.
We have seen
that forty - two or
forty-three pairs of
Serves arise from the
spinal cord. Twelve
**iore pairs arise from
the brain and parts
Fig. 176.—Longitudinal Section of the Brain
A, Cerebral Convolutions. B, Section of the Corpus Callosum. c, Section
of the Fornix. D, Septum Lucidum. e, Internal Extremity of the Hippo-
campus. F, Vena Plena conveying Blood from the Choroid Plexus and Velum
Interpositum. G, Pineal Gland divided. H, Gray Commissure. I, Anterior
White Commissure. J, Corpus Albicans divided. K, Section of Optic Chiasma
or Optic Decussation. L, Pituitary Gland. M, Medulla Oblongata in Section.
N, Valve of Vieussens in Section. o, Aqueduct of Sylvius. p, Section of
Cerebellum. Q, Fourth Ventricle. B, Section of Pons Varolii. s, Section
of Crura Cerebri. T, Foramen of Monro. u, Olfactory Lobule from whence
spring the Olfactory Nerves.
within the cranium,
aod are termed cere-
bral nerves.
From
the importance of
the parts the latter
SuPply they have
received distinctive
names, and appear
111 the following order:—1. Olfactory, or nerve of smell. 2. Optic, nerve
°* sight. 3. Motores oculi, nerve of motion to the muscles of the eye.
4- Pathetici, distributed to the superior oblique muscle of the eye. 5.
Sensory motor nerve, supplying the skin of the head and face with
Sensation, and the muscles of mastication with motor nerves. 6. Abdu-
^ntes, supplying the external rectus or straight muscle of the eye. 7.
acial, supplying the muscles of expression in the face. 8. Auditory,
fie nerves of hearing. 9. The glosso-pharyngeal, supplying the nerves
taste and some of the muscles ministering to the act of swallowing.
^ The vagus, which supplies the pharynx and larynx, the trachea and
sophagus, the lungs and heart, and the liver and other viscera with
fib
res> some of which are motor, while others are sensory. 11. Spinal
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
386
accessory, supplying some of the muscles of the neck and shoulder.
12. The hypoglossal, supplying the muscles of the tongue.
The Functions of the Nervous System.—Having thus acquired
some knowledge of the anatomical and microscopical characters of the
nervous system, we may proceed to consider the purposes it fulfils in
the body. Of the two constituents of the nervous system, cells and
fibres, the cells are regarded as the organs by means of which impres-
sions are perceived and registered, and impulses to motion or secretion
generated, whilst the fibres are mere conductors extending between the
cells and the particular tissues to which the nerve-fibres issuing from the
cells are distributed. Those nerves which conduct impressions from one
or other of the organs of sense—eye, ear, mouth, nose, skin, &c.—to the
spinal cord or brain are called sensory or afferent fibres. Those which
conduct impulses from the cord or brain to the muscles or glands are
named "efferent" or "motor" nerves. The rapidity with which the
conduction of impressions or impulses is effected is very considerable.
It is obvious that if the knowledge of the proximity of food or of danger,
communicated by the senses, which are the outposts of the nervous
system, is to prove of service, it is necessary that the information should
be both accurate and prompt. The accuracy is provided for by the
special attributes of the several senses. By daylight, the eye affords
most of the information required, though in the majority of animals the
ears are constantly on the alert against the approach of an invidious
foe. At night the faculties of hearing and smell are those which are
specially exercised, and in many predatory animals their acuteness rises
to a height of which we can form but a faint idea.
By whichever of the senses the impressions are conveyed to the cells
of the central nervous system, it is important that the muscular responses
should be effected with promptitude.
At first sight it might appear impossible to acquire any definite
knowledge of the swiftness with which sensory impressions of objects
affecting the animal, and the motor impulses by which it responds to
them, are propagated. The speed of thought is proverbial, yet by the
application of electrical currents, the rapidity of which may be regarded
as covering short distances and intervals with no appreciable loss oi
time, conclusions have been arrived at showing that nervous changes,
currents or waves, travel at a much slower speed than the electric
current.
It has been ascertained that nervous impulses, whether in an afferent
or in an efferent nerve, that is, whether sensory or motor, in animal8
as different as a frog and a horse or man, travel at the rate of about
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THE NEKVOUS SYSTEM
387
a hundred feet per second, or nearly at the rate of twenty-two miles
per hour.
The most careful researches into the elements which enter into the
chemical composition of nerve tissue afford no insight into the extra-
ordinary properties it possesses. In the living state it may be regarded
as a kind or form of protoplasm, but when dead and submitted to analysis
it only presents those elements with which we are familiar in the proteids
' carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, and phosphorus, with salts
°i calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Complex substances
known as protagon and neurokeratin may be obtained by analysis, but
these are but the caput mortuum of the active, living, sentient material,
which receives impressions, retains and reproduces them, and can liberate
lnipulses. We are yet far from being able to predict function from
chemical composition or molecular arrangement. It is interesting to
notice that the gray substance of the cord and brain, which by common
consent is acknowledged to be the active part, contains no less than
from eighty-five to ninety per cent of water, whilst the white part, chiefly
composed of fibres, contains only about seventy per cent. The reaction
°f nervous tissue is alkaline to test-paper.
Speaking generally, three parts are recognizable in every nerve-fibre:
the origin, which is usually from a cell in one of the nerve centres; the
course, which is longer or shorter in correspondence with the part of the
body supplied; and the termination, which presents special modifications,
1X1 accordance with the special organ of sense to which the nerve is dis-
tributed, if it be a sensory nerve, or the muscle or gland, if it be a
*notor nerve.
The agent exciting a nerve to action is named a stimulus. Some
stimuli, as electricity and mechanical irritation, seem to be able to excite
aU nerves to action, but, as a rule, each nerve responds, or responds
Dest, to its own proper stimulus. Thus the undulations of light excite
Pacifically the nerve terminations in the retina of the eye, the vibrations
°t sound those in the ear. The change, or information of the change,
exciting the nerve endings, say, from blue to red in the case of light,
s propagated along the nerve-fibre till it reaches a special sensory cell
11 the nerve centre. The cell, if well - nourished and not already ex-
isted, is excited, and a wave of force is liberated from it which may
_ e propagated to a neighbouring cell, and may expand itself through it
Producing ideas, or movement, or secretion. The stimuli with which
e are most familiar, besides those of electricity, light, and sound already
entioned, are those of contact or of a mechanical nature, those of a
ettucal nature, as odours and tastes, those of temperature, and those
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388                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
proceeding from the exercise of the will. The last always originate within
the nerve centre, and the impulses they awaken travel from that centre
and expend themselves on muscles or glands. It is possible that some
animals may have nerves capable of responding to stimuli of which we
have no more conception than a man bom blind has of light, as they
certainly have nerves which recognize variations in the intensity ot
ordinary stimuli that are imperceptible to us. Thus the presence of water,
or the proximity of one of their own species, is recognized by many animals
when quite imperceptible to man. A stimulus may be so feeble that it
fails to be propagated to the central nerve-cells, and is then said to be
insufficient or inoperative; but though our application of the stimulus may
not be thus propagated with such intensity as to excite the cell to dis-
charge itself, it may awaken its activity if frequently repeated, and cause
it to respond, just as a touch which fails to awaken a sleeper, will do so »
repeated. This constitutes the summation of a stimulus. The chemical
stimuli are represented by the various mineral and vegetable acids, by
alkalis, by ethereal and alcoholic liquids. As a rule, any chemical sub-
stance that produces sensation when applied to a sensory nerve, will cause
contraction of muscle when applied to a motor nerve, but experiment has
shown that the motor nerves are more strongly affected than the sensory
by alkaline solutions.
The spinal cord is primarily to be regarded as formed by the union
or joining together of many nerve centres, that is to say, of many groups
of cells, which commonly act together or in an orderly sequence, producing
purposive actions, without any voluntary effort, beyond perhaps supplying
the first incentive or stimulus. Even this may be entirely absent, and
the animal may have no consciousness of the nerve stimulus or of the
muscular actions that follow it. The complete independence of a segment
of the spinal cord is well shown in cases where the spinal cord has been
crushed in the region of the back by a fall, or a musket-ball, or a sabre-
cut. The voluntary movements of the hind limbs are abolished, the
animal can neither move them nor feel any injury inflicted upon them-
It is said to be paralysed, yet if the skin of the limb be pinched, °r
touched with a hot body, it will immediately respond by kicking, or by
some other spasmodic movement of the paralysed limb. Similarly, by
appropriate stimulation the bladder or the rectum may be made to dis-
charge its contents. Such actions or movements are said to be reflet'
It can be shown that a stimulus applied to the skin excites a wave
which travels up the nerve, enters the cord by the superior root of one
or more of the spinal nerves, and reaches one of the nerve-cells in the
superior cornu. From this it passes into the inferior cornu and reaches
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THE NEKVOUS SYSTEM
389
°ne of the motor cells, and this immediately liberates an impulse, which,
emerging by the inferior root, travels down the motor nerve to the
ttiuscle. As many sensory nerves are always stimulated, many motor
Serves are called into action, and these are so connected and associated
together as to produce purposive movements.
In the illustration just given, the reflex movements are said to be
Without consciousness, and they are analogous to those that are constantly
taking place in the uninjured animal in the movements of the intestine, of
the heart and blood-vessels, of respiration, and of the ducts of glands; but in
a large number of cases reflex acts are accompanied by consciousness, as in
the case of winking when the eyelashes are touched or the eye is exposed
to a bright light, or of coughing or vomiting from tickling the throat with
a feather, or of micturition from over-distension of the bladder. When the
amrnal desires to perform one of these purposive and complex movements,
|t does not transmit a separate impulse to the several muscles implicated
111 the act, for it knows nothing of them, but by an act of the mind it
transmits a mandate to a group of cells which have learned to act together
111 a definite order and to produce the required effect. Such centres are
framed co-ordinating centres or nuclei, and of these there are many, as, for
eXample, those governing the movements of the rectum and bladder in the
a°ts of discharging the faeces and urine; those required for parturition,
aud for the erection of the penis and the ejaculation of semen, which are
ehiefly situated in the lumbar and sacral regions of the cord; and finally,
fre contraction of the blood-vessels of the abdomen and lower limbs,
hich are chiefly situated in the dorsal region.
There appears also to be present in the cord, centres that control the
fr°duction of animal heat and of the secretion of sweat, these effects being
part due in both instances to changes in the size of the blood-vessels,
nd in the case of the sweat secretion to direct action of the nerves on the
sweat glands.
We must regard the cord as endowed to an eminent degree with im-
Pressionabilitys and the power of inducing reflex acts without consciousness.
ut the cord is not a receiver of nervous impressions and a generator of
rve impulses only; it is also a conductor transmitting impressions made
P°n the skin to the medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and cerebrum on the
e hand, and impulses originating in these parts to the muscles of the
los and trunk, and to the other organs of the body.
J-he medulla oblongata, while it is a prolongation upwards of the spinal
dj and transmits impressions both from the cord to the brain and cere-
. ' mm, and downwards from these parts to the cord, is also itself a very
Portant centre, containing many groups of cells which preside over and
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
390
govern the complex muscular movements of mastication, insalivation,
deglutition, winking, breathing, with its accessory movements of coughing
and sneezing.
The corpora striata and optic thalami, or great ganglia, at the base oi
the brain, are probably the regions where consciousness first appears, con-
sciousness of the different forms and kinds of nervous stimuli, and the
place where conscious efforts or muscular movements are made in response
to them. These ganglia are particularly connected with the sense of sight-
They are relatively large in the horse, for whilst in man their proportion to
the brain may be taken as 5 : 100, in the horse it is 13 :100.
The outer layer or cortex of the brain is the highest centre of all. It lS
the seat of the emotions of judgment, memory, reason, and the will. *>e
have seen that it consists of gray substance containing many nerve-cells,
which give off fibres that extend to and from the ganglia below and to the
periphery of the body. It has often been exposed as the result of accident,
and has uniformly been found to be insensitive to direct stimulation, so
that large portions have been cut away without pain being experienced
even in man. Evidence has accumulated during the past few years, show-
ing that the several convolutions have definite functions, so that one set Is
concerned with the initiation of movements of the head and neck, another
with those of the fore-limbs, and others with those of the trunk and hind-
1
limbs. Special lobes of the brain are also connected with the several
senses, the occipital lobes being especially connected with the visual sense,
the temporo-sphenoidal lobes with the hearing.
The horse appears to be an animal endowed with a remarkable power ot
association of definite movements with certain mental stimuli, and with aD
excellent memory. It will stop before the customers' doors, the sound °l
tile rider's voice will cheer and direct it, and in military evolutions the
bugle-calls are quite as well known by the horse as by its rider. *■"
will remember events that are long past. It enters into the spirit oI
trials of speed and strength, and of games, as those of polo and steeple'
chasing, with the utmost zest and enjoyment.
The horse owes his proud position with the dog, as the friend of man,
to his docility, his gentleness, his great muscular strength and swiftness-
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MUSCLES OF THE LIMBS—I
NERVES, ARTERIES, AND
I. Inner Dekp
1.   Adductors.
2.   Obturator externus.
3.   Semimembranosus.
4.   Biceps femoris.
5.   Semitendinosus.
6.  Gastrocnemius.
7.   Semimembranosus.
8-
  Adductor magnus.
9.
  Vastus internus.
10. Pectineus.
11- Sartorius.
SPECT OP THIGH
12.   Tendon common to proas magnus and
iliacus.
13.   Pectineus.
A. Obturator artery.
b.   Great sciatic nerve.
c.   External popliteal nerve.
D. External saphenous nerve.
e. Femero-popliteal artery.
F.   Femoral artery.
G.   Deep femoral artery.
H. Prepubic artery.
r of Fore-Limb
24.   Anterior radial artery.
25.  Ulnar artery.
26.   Brachial artery.
27.  Deep humeral artery.
28.   Artery to latissimus dorsi.
29.   Subscapular artery.
a.   Subscapularis.
b.   Supraspinous.
c. c. Coraco-lmmeralis.
d.   Posterior deep pectoral.
e.   Biceps.
r. Extensor metacarpi magnus.
g, G. Flexor metacarpi internus.
h. Extensor metacarpi obliquus.
i, i. Teres major,
j. Latissimus dorsi.
k. Caput magnum.
L. Caput parvum.
m. Radial head of flexor metacarpi medius.
n. Ulnar head of flexor metacarpi medius.
o. Ulnaris accessorius.
r. Conjoined tendon of flexor metacarpi
interims.
II. Inner Aspect
1-  Suprascapular artery.
2.   Circumflex nerve.
3.  Ulnar nerve.
4.   Roots of median nerve.
5-
  Axillary artery.
6.   Musculo-spiral nerve.
7.   Nerve to biceps.
8-   Prehumeral artery.
9-   Median nerve.
10. Musculo-cutaneous nerve.
11- Artery to biceps.
2. Posterior radial artery.
13.   Internal plantar nerve.
14.   Anterior digital nerve.
15-  Oblique branch connecting the internal
with external plantar nerve.
16-   Internal metacarpal vein.
17.   Large metacarpal artery.
18.   Small metacarpal arte.y.
19.   Large metacarpal artery.
20.  External plantar nerve.
21-   Ulnar artery.
22-   Ulnar nerve.
23. Ulnar nerve.
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$>
NERVES, ARTERIES, AND MUSCLES OF THE LIMBS-1
I. Inner Deep Aspect of Thigh. II. Inner Aspect of Fore Limb,
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CEREBROSPINAL NERVES                                       391
CEREBKO-SPINAL NEEVES
THE CRANIAL OR ENCEPHALIC NERVES
If we examine the base of the brain, a number of nerves are seen to
°ome off from its surface. They vary in size, as they do also in function,
and among them are numbered the nerves of the special senses of smell,
sight, taste, and hearing. The cranial nerves are arranged symmetrically on
either side of the base of the brain, and for the most part distribute their
branches to parts on the side from which they arise. There is a want of
agreement in this country between human and veterinary anatomists as
to the enumeration of the cranial nerves. By the one they are described
as nine, by the other as twelve. We need not, however, enter into the
pios and cons of this question here, but we give below the numerical
designations of each:—
Veterinary.               Human.
1        ......        1
2        ......        2
3        ......        3
4        ......        4
5        ......        5
6        ......        6
1}     ......      '
10[     ......       8
llJ
12        .......        9
Name.
Olfactory Nerves ...
Optic Nerves
Oculomotor Nerves
Pathetic Nerves ...
Trifacial or Lingual Nerves
Abducent Nerves
Facial Nerves (Portio dura)
Auditory Nerves (Portio mollis)
Glosso-pharyngeal Nerves
Pneumogastric or Vagus Nerves
Spinal Accessory Nerves ...
Hypoglossal Nerves
First Pair, Olfactory.—The first pair of cranial nerves is the olfac-
tory, a number of fine filaments whose superficial origin is the olfactory
bulbs. These bulbous bodies are lodged in the ethmoidal fossse of the
ethrnoid bone, two depressions in front of the cranium, in which a number
°f minute openings appear and allow of their passage out of the cranium
*nto the superior parts of the nostrils, where they are distributed over the
Schneiderian membrane.
The olfactory nerves are the first pair of special nerves, whose function
ls that of receiving the impressions of odours, which they carry to the
°rain.
Second Pair, Optic Nerves.—These nerves are derived from two
thick bands which wind round the crura cerebri in their course from
heir deep origin in the corpora quadrigemina.
On reaching the inferior surface of the cranium, the two optic bands
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
392
combine to form the commissure or chiasma of the optic nerves, which
is lodged in a depression at the base of the cranium-—the optic fossa.
It is important to understand the behaviour of these nerves on reaching
the commissure. To look at, it would almost seem as if the nerves pro-
ceeding from the optic tracts had crossed in their course, and had gone
to the eye on the side opposite to that on which they first appear before
the chiasma is reached, but this is not exactly the case.
As a matter of fact, the great bulk of the nerves do cross, but a certain
number of filaments continue on the original side and pass into the eye
on that side. We find, therefore, that fibres from the left side mingle
with fibres from the right, and together form the right optic nerve, and
vice versa. It should also be noticed that some of the fibres are believed
to cross from right to left in the optic chiasma, and to pass backward
through the opposite optic tract to the brain.
When the nerve leaves the commissure it passes out of the cranium
through the optic foramen, and reaches the orbital cavity to pierce the
sclerotic coat of the lower part of the globe of the eye, and after passing
through the choroid coat, opens out and forms a thin nervous expansion
termed the retina.
The function of the optic nerve is to transmit to the brain the
impressions made upon it by external objects, or, in other words, it is
the nerve of sight.
Third Pair, MotoreS Oculorum.—These nerves have their super-
ficial origin in the under surface of the cerebral peduncles. From this
point they proceed in a forward direction, and enter the orbit through the
foramen lacerum orbitale.
This nerve supplies the elevator muscle of the upper eyelid, the internal
rectus, the superior and inferior rectus, the retractor oculi, and the small
oblique muscle.
It also gives motor branches to the lenticular ganglion, and through it
supplies the ciliary muscle and the circular fibres of the iris. It is essen-
tially a motor nerve, and may cause all the parts named to contract.
Fourth Pair, Pathetici.—A very thin, long, and slender nerve
originating behind the corpora quadrigemina, from which it descends in
a forward and downward direction to the supra-sphenoidal fissure. By
this it is conducted to the pathetic foramen, through which it passes into
the orbit, and thence to its ultimate destination, the superior oblique
muscle of the eye. It is a nerve of motion.
Fifth Pair, Trigeminal.—This is much the largest of the cranial
nerves, and the variety and importance ot its functions imbue it with
more than ordinary interest.
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CEREBROSPINAL NERVES
393
To commence with, it possesses (l) a sensory and (2) a motor root.
The sensory root springs from the anterior part of the pons varolii,
and has upon it a large elongated body, the Gasserian ganglion. From
this spring three branches, termed respectively the ophthalmic, superior
maxillary, and inferior maxillary nerves.
The motor root is the smaller of the two, and is situated on the
inner side of the longer one, with which it takes origin from the pons
varolii. From this point it proceeds forward to unite with the inferior
maxillary nerve, which is now both sensitive and motor.
The superior maxillary division is the largest of the several branches
of this nerve; it leaves the cranium through the foramen rotundum. The
ophthalmic, which is the smallest, passes out by the foramen lacerum
orbitale, and the inferior maxillary division by the anterior opening in
the foramen lacerum basis cranii.
On emerging from these openings the ophthalmic branch gives off—
1.   The Frontal or Supra-Orbital after emerging from the supra-orbital
foramen is distributed to the skin of the forehead and the upper eyelid.
2.   The Lachrymal Nerve to the lachrymal gland and the muscles and
3kin of the ear.
3.   The Palpebro-Nasal Nerve to the inner angle of the eye, the
lachrymal apparatus, and the lower eyelid. It also supplies the membrana
mctitans, and sends a branch to the sensitive roots of the ophthalmic
ganglion.
The Superior Maxillary Nerve emerges from the cranium at the
foramen rotundum and enters the superior dental canal. It gives off,
among others—
1.   The Orbital branch to the eyelids and skin.
2.   Great Anterior or Palatine Nerve traverses the palatine canal and
ls distributed to the hard palate and gums.
3.   The Staphyline or Posterior Palatine Nerve to the velum palati and
s°ft palate.
4.   Nasal or Spheno-Palatine Nerve to the mucous membrane of the
nose.
5.   The Dental Nerve to the superior molar, incisor, and canine
teeth.
6.   The Infra-Orbital Nerve to the nostrils and upper lip, after uniting
ith a branch of the facial nerve.
The Inferior Maxillary Nerve, as we have already pointed out,
stains both sensory and motor filaments. It gives off—
!• The Masseteric Nerve, to the masseter and temporal muscles.
2- The Buccal Nerve, to the external pterygoid muscle, to the orbital
vOL. I                                                                                                                                                          27
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
394
portion of the temporal muscle, the molar glands, the buccinator muscle,
and to the lips.
3.   Nerve of Internal Pterygoid Muscle, to the internal pterygoid
muscle.
4.   Superficial Temporal or Subzygomatic Nerve furnishes small fila-
ments to the guttural pouch and the parotid gland. It sends a branch
to join the seventh nerve as it passes on to the face.
5.   The Gustatory Nerve, the larger of the branches of the inferior
maxillary trunk, is distributed to the mucous membrane of the tongue,
and the sublingual and submaxillary glands. This is the nerve of taste.
It is joined near its origin by the chorda tympani, a branch of the
facial nerve.
6.   The Mylo-Hyoidean Nerve to the mylo-hyoideus, and the lower
belly of the digastricus.
7.   The inferior Dental Nerve enters the dental canal in the inferior
maxillary bone, and gives sensory branches to the teeth.
8.   The Mental Nerve to the lower lip.
Sixth Pair, Motores Oculorum.—This is a small nerve arising
from the anterior part of the medulla oblongata, just behind the pons
varolii. It proceeds in a forward direction in company with the superior
maxillary nerve in order to reach the foramen lacerum orbitale, by which
it enters the orbit with the ophthalmic division of the fifth.
It gives off a small branch to the retractor muscle of the eye, and is
then distributed solely to the outer straight muscle of the eye (external
rectus).
Seventh Pair, Portio Dura or Facial.—Arising from the medulla
oblongata immediately behind the pons varolii in company with the
eighth.
From this point it is directed outward, and, with the eighth nerve,
enters at once the internal auditory meatus. Then it passes into the
aqueduct of Fallopius, and gives off the chorda tympani nerve to join the
lingual, and soon emerges from the stylo-mastoid foramen of the petrous
temporal bone. Here it gains the under surface of the parotid gland,
from which it reaches the face by passing between the gland and the
inferior maxilla below its condyle. It blends with the fibres of the sensory
subzygomatic branch of the inferior maxillary division of the fifth nerve
and forms a plexus (pes anserinus) on the outer side of the masseter muscle.
This nerve supplies the ear and muscles about the poll, the upper
belly of the digastricus, the guttural pouch and parotid gland, the
stylo-maxillaris, the corrugator supercilii, the orbicularis palpebrarum,
the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi, and cervical panniculus, and
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CEBEBRO-SPINAL NERVES
395
gives its ultimate fibres to the cheeks, nostrils, and lips. A branch
from this nerve joins the infra-orbital nerve, and is distributed to the
upper lip.
Eighth, the Auditory Nerve, arises in company with the seventh
nerve from the medulla oblongata, immediately behind the pons varolii.
It enters the internal auditory meatus at once, and divides into two
branches, one of which is supplied to the cochlea and the other to the
vestibule and semicircular canals.
This nerve is for the special sense of hearing.
Ninth, GlosSO-pharyngeal.—This nerve arises from the outer edge
of the medulla oblongata, and passes from the cranium through the back
part of the foramen lacerum basis cranii. At this point it has upon it
Andersch's ganglion, from which the nerve of Jacobson is derived.
It now descends behind the great cornu of the hyoid bone to reach the
base of the tongue, where it supplies filaments to the mucous membrane
and sends others to the muscles of the pharynx.
Branches given off in its course:—A very fine filament (Jacobson's
nerve), which enters a small foramen in the petrous portion of the temporal
bone to be distributed to the tympanum.
Two or three filaments to the superior cervical ganglion.
A branch which, with some sympathetic filaments, go to the common
carotid.
A pharyngeal branch. This passes to the upper wall of the pharynx,
and, with the pharyngeal filaments of the pneumogastric and sympathetic
nerves, forms a somewhat intricate plexus.
Tenth, Pneumogastric or Vagus.—This is a most important nerve,
Dot only on account of its wide distribution, but equally so in reference to
the variety and complexity of its functions.
It is a mixed nerve, and arises from the side of the medulla oblongata
^mediately behind the ninth nerve. It then passes out of the cranium
through the posterior part of the foramen lacerum basis cranii, where it
Joins the inner division of the eleventh nerve, with which it unites for
a<X>ut an inch of its course.
In the foramen the nerve presents an enlargement—the jugular gan-
gbon. This gives off the auricular branch of the vagus, which enters the
deduct of Fallopius to join the seventh nerve, and subsequently passes
°ut with it to be distributed to the lining membrane of the external
auditory canal. Below the occipital artery it becomes united with the
Cervical sympathetic cord, and joined in this way it passes down the neck
_ xth the carotid artery as far as the entrance to the chest, where it resumes
ts independence. From this point it passes onwards above the division
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396
HEALTH AND DISEASE
of the trachea, and assists in forming the bronchial plexus. It now gives
off the oesophageal nerve, which goes to the stomach and the solar plexus.
In its course the pneumogastric nerve gives branches—
(1)  To the superior cervical ganglion of the sympathetic.
(2)   The pharyngeal branch unites with a branch of the ninth pair
given off near the termination of the common carotid, and these, together
with a branch of the sympathetic, form the pharyngeal plexus, which
distributes fibres to the pharynx and commencement of the oesophagus.
(3)   The superior laryngeal nerve enters an opening beneath the
appendix of the superior border of the thyroid cartilage, and supplies the
mucous membrane of the larynx with sensibility. It also gives branches
to the mucous membrane of the root of the tongue, the pharynx, and
oesophagus, likewise to the crico-thyroid, and crico-pharyngeus muscles.
The inferior laryngeal differs not only in its point of origin, but likewise
in the course it subsequently takes.
The right inferior laryngeal or recurrent nerve arises from
the parent trunk near to the dorso-cervical artery at the entrance to the
chest. It passes round the root of this vessel and escapes from the
chest between the carotid artery and the trachea, to which and the
oesophagus it gives filaments. It then passes up the neck in company
with the former as high as the larynx, and gives its fibres to the pos-
terior crico-arytenoideus, the lateral crico-arytenoideus, the arytenoideus,
and the thyro-arytenoideus muscle. Before leaving the chest this nerve
gives branches to the cardiac plexus, and communicates with the middle
cervical ganglion of the sympathetic.
(4)  The left inferior laryngeal or recurrent nerve is given off
from the pneumogastric opposite the root of the aorta; it then courses
its way round that vessel, as did the right round the cervico-dorsal artery.
Passing out of the chest between the two first ribs, it follows the carotid
artery up the neck to reach the larynx. Here it distributes its branches
to the posterior and lateral crico-arytenoideus, the arytenoideus, and the
thyro-arytenoideus muscles.
It is longer than the right nerve, having to pass round the aorta, and
when paralysed gives rise to the disease known as " roaring and whistling".
A branch of the pneumogastric amalgamates with the middle or inferior
cervical ganglion of the sympathetic, and a pulmonary plexus is formed at
the bifurcation of the trachea; branches from it follow the divisions of the
bronchi along their ramifications, and others enter into the cardiac plexus.
Eleventh, Spinal Accessory.—This nerve arises from the whole
cervical spinal cord, and passes up the neck between the superior and the
inferior roots of the cervical spinal nerves. In its course along the neck
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CEREBROSPINAL NERVES                                       397
it gradually becomes thicker by the addition of fresh fibres from the cord,
and enters the cranium through the foramen magnum. It receives some
fibres from the posterior part of the medulla oblongata, and then, united
with the pneumogastric for about an inch of its course, passes out through
the foramen lacerum basis cranii. Beyond this point the nerve is directed
backward beneath the mastoido-humeralis muscle, giving branches to the
superior cervical ganglion, the sterno-maxillaris, the mastoido-humeralis,
and finally terminates in the cervical and dorsal trapezius.
It is a nerve of motion.
Twelfth, Hypoglossal.—Originating from the posterior part of the
medulla oblongata the hypoglossal nerve leaves the cranium through the
anterior condyloid foramen and descends between the pneumogastric and
spinal accessory nerves on the exterior face of the guttural pouch. Passing
over the side of the pharynx and larynx it is continued onwards beneath
the mylo-hyoid and hyo-glossus brevis muscles, and distributed to all the
muscles of the tongue.
Soon after leaving the anterior condyloid foramen the hypoglossal
nerve receives a considerable twig from the inferior branch of the first
cervical pair, and it is further connected with the superior cervical ganglion
on the outer part of the guttural pouch.
It is a motor nerve, and excites contraction of the muscles of the
tongue during feeding or whenever they are required to move.
SPINAL NERVES
These nerves differ from those last described, in the fact that each of
them arises from the side of the spinal cord by two roots—one sensitive,
the other motor. The sensitive root is the upper one and has upon it a
ganglion. The motor root is the one below. They pass out of the spinal
canal together through the intervertebral opening, and then the two roots
join their fibres to form a compound nerve, a nerve having motor and
sentient properties. Each spinal nerve now divides into a superior and
mferior division, and from the latter sends a branch to the sympathetic.
Cervical Nerves.—Of these there are eight pairs. The first cervical
nerve leaves the spinal canal through the antero-internal foramen of the
atlas. The superior branches accompany the occipital artery and vein to
between the rectus capitis posticus and the obliquus capitis superior. At
its origin it gives branches to the small muscles about the poll. The
mferior branch passes downwards and is distributed to the thyro-hyoid,
subscapulo-hyoid, sterno-thyroid, and sterno-hyoid muscles. It sends a
small branch to the hypoglossal nerve, and another to the superior cer-
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398                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
vical ganglion of the sympathetic. It also supplies the skin of the ear
on the inner and lower part.
The second cervical nerve leaves the spinal canal through an opening
at the anterior part of the dentata, under cover of the obliquus capitis
inferior. The inferior branches of this nerve are distributed to the
mastoido-humeralis and skin of the ears; the superior branches go to the
superior and inferior oblique muscles of the neck. The sixth and seventh,
and sometimes the fifth, together with a branch from the brachial plexus,
form the diaphragmatic nerve.
From the second to the sixth they communicate with each other, and
then divide into three sets of branches; one set joins the vertebral nerve,
and goes to the sympathetic or middle cervical ganglion, another is distri-
buted to the mastoido-humeralis, longus colli, rectus capitis anticus major,
the scalenus, and to the phrenic nerve, and a third to the skin. The sixth
nerve also furnishes branches to the levator anguli scapulae and rhom-
boideus muscles, and the brachial plexus receives a twig from its phrenic
branch. The superior branches of the last six cervical nerves supply the
splenius, trachelo-mastoideus, semi-spinalis colli, and complexus muscles,
and the skin in the region of the mane.
The seventh and eighth cervical nerves are expended in the formation
of the brachial plexus. Each nerve supplies a branch to the middle cer-
vical ganglion, the former joins the vertebral nerve, the latter passes
directly to the ganglion.
BRACHIAL PLEXUS
The mixing or joining together of nerves to form plexuses is one of
the methods which nature adopts in order to establish a material relation of
distant parts, and to some extent a dependency of one part upon another,
so that the whole shall be capable of co-ordinating and acting simul-
taneously and together. The brachial plexus is a large fasciculus or bundle
of nerves resulting from the combination of the inferior divisions of the
last three cervical and first two dorsal roots. It is chiefly intended for
the supply of the fore-limb with the nerves which animate it.
The branches going to make up the brachial plexus converge together
after leaving the spine, the dorsal division winding round the front of the
first rib and joining the cervical portion to form a broad flat band which
passes between the superior and inferior heads of the scalenus muscle, and
subsequently breaks up into the following branches:—
1.  The Diaphragmatic.
2.  The Suprascapular Nerve.
3.  Nerves to the Pectoral Muscles.
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AND MUSCLES OF THE LIMBS-H
Aspect of Thigh and Leg
14.   Adductor parvus.
15.   Pectineus.
16.   Adductor magnus.
a. Branch of obturator nerve.
B. Branch of deep femoral artery.
c. Femoral artery.
i, Bifurcation of posterior tibial nerve
into internal and external plantar
nerve.
e. Anterior crural nerve,
p. Branch of femoral artery to quadriceps,
o. Deep femoral artery.
h. Prepubic artery.
NERVES, ARTERIES,
I. Inner
1.   Os innominatum.
2.   Gracilis.
3.   Rectus femoris.
4.   Vastus interims.
5.   Sartorius.
6.   Popliteus.
7.   Plexor metatarsi.
8.   Extensor pedis.
9.   Flexor pedis perforans.
10. Flexor pedis accessorius.
H. Gracilis.
12.   Semitendinosus.
13.   Semimembranosus.
II. Outer Aspect of Hind-Limb
a.   Flexor metatarsi.
is.   Extensor pedis.
c.   Extensor brevis.
D.  Lumbricalis.
e.   Flexor pedis perforans.
F.   Flexor pedis perforatus.
«.   Gastrocnemius.
H.  Flexor pedis.
i.   Peroneus.
1.   Anterior tibial artery
2.   Large metatarsal arte
3.  Internal metatarsal ve
4.   Coronary plexus.
5.   Digital vein.
6.   Digital artery.
V.
  Perpendicular artery.
8.   Large metatarsal bon
9.   Small metatarsal bone.
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,rtf -
NERVES., ARTERIES, AND MUSCLES OF THE LIMES—11
I. Inner Aspect of Thigh and Leg. II. Outer Aspect of Hind Limb.
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399
CEREBEO-SPINAL NERVES
4.  Nerve to the Subscapularis.
5.  Nerves to Serratus Magnus and Levator Scapulae.
6.  The Circumflex Nerve.
7.  Nerves to Teres Major and Latissimus Dorsi.
8.  The Musculo-spiral Nerve.
9.  The Median Nerve (two roots).
10.  The Ulnar Nerve.
11.  The Subcutaneous Thoracic Nerve.
The Phrenic or Diaphragmatic Nerve is formed mainly by the
union of the sixth and seventh cervical nerves, and sometimes also by a
small branch of the fifth. It then enters the chest by passing between the
two first ribs, and crossing the pericardium reaches the diaphragm, where
it terminates. It is a motor nerve to the diaphragm.
The Suprascapular Nerve is short and somewhat thick. It is
derived from the sixth, seventh, and eighth cervical roots, and passes
between the supraspinatus muscle and the subscapularis. After winding
round the anterior border of the scapula it gives branches to the supra-
spinatus, and is ultimately expended in the infra-spinatus.
The Anterior Deep Pectoral Muscle receives its nerve supply from
the seventh and eight cervical nerves, while the superficial pectoral muscle
obtains its fibres from the two roots of the median. A branch also passes
to the posterior deep pectoral, and another longer and thicker follows the
course of the spur vein.
Nerve to the Subscapularis.—All the cervical roots of the brachial
plexus contribute to form the nerve going to the subscapularis. After
crossing the supra-spinatus some of the fibres pass between it and the
subscapularis, and the rest are distributed to that muscle.
Nerve to SerratUS Magnus is derived from the seventh and
eighth cervical nerves, which pass through the upper division of the
scalenus muscle, and uniting distribute branches to the serratus magnus
muscle.
Nerve of the Teres Major is a small nerve situated beneath the
shoulder on the inner face of the subscapularis. It springs from the
seventh and eighth pairs in common with the circumflex nerve, and gives
*ts fibres to the teres major.
Latissimus Dorsi branch,—A long nerve situated beneath the
scapula, and derived mainly from the root of the eighth cervical nerve,
aiad to some extent also from the dorsal roots of the brachial plexus.
It crosses the subscapularis and teres major to gain the latissimus dorsi,
where its fibres are expended.
Nerves to the Levator Anguli Scapulae.—The levator anguli
capulge, together with the rhomboideus, receive their supply from the
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400                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
inferior branch of the sixth cervical nerve, and the levator also receives
a slight contribution from the seventh.
Radial or MuSCUlo-Spiral Nerve.—This nerve derives its fibres
from the seventh and eighth cervical pairs, and also from the first dorsal
root. It is the largest of the branches furnished by the brachial plexus.
From its point of origin it passes downwards, crossing over the inferior
part of the subscapularis and the teres major muscles. It then dips down
and takes an outward course under the great head of the triceps, winding
round the humerus in the musculo-spiral groove to gain the front of the
elbow-joint, where it is found beneath the extensor metacarpi and extensor
pedis muscles. In its course it gives branches to the great and small
heads of the triceps, and to the scapulo-ulnaris muscles, the caput medium,
and anconeus.
Its terminal branches are destined to the extensor metacarpi magnus,
flexor metacarpi externus, the flexor pedis, extensor os suffraginis, and skin.
Median Nerve.—The median nerve is formed by the union of two
branches: one comes from the sixth, seventh, and eighth cervical, the other
from the eighth cervical and the first dorsal. It passes down the limb
at first in front of the humeral artery, and continues its downward course
in company with the posterior radial artery until a short distance above
the knee. Here it divides, the inner branch forming the internal plantar
nerve, the outer uniting with the ulnar to form the external plantar nerve.
Its branches are distributed to—1, the superficial pectoral; 2, a consider-
able branch which passes between the coraco-humeralis, to which it gives
fibres, and expends itself in the biceps; 3, a branch which leaves the parent
trunk at the middle of the humerus, goes to the brachialis anticus, and
sends off a branch to the skin of the forearm; 4, to the flexor metacarpi
internus and the flexor pedis perforans and perforatus.
The Ulnar Nerve.—This nerve is chiefly derived from the dorsal
roots of the brachial plexus. It is less considerable in size than the one
just described. Placed behind the humeral artery, it dips down beneath
the scapulo-ulnaris, between it and the caput parvum, to reach the
posterior part of the inner condyle of the humerus. From this point it
proceeds to the back of the forearm, and following the posterior border of
the ulnaris accessorius, terminates by joining a branch of the median just
above the knee. It assists in forming the external plantar nerve, and
gives some twigs to the front of the carpus. The branches given off in
its downward course supply the superficial pectoral muscle, the skin of
the forearm, and, excepting the external and internal flexors of the meta-
carpus, all the muscles behind the radius.
Subcutaneous Thoracic Nerve.—A long slender nerve situated
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CEREBROSPINAL NERVES
401
on the side of the chest beneath the panniculus and above the spur vein,
whose course it follows, to be lost in the panniculus of the flank. It is
formed mainly of the dorsal roots of the thoracic plexus, and to a small
■extent from the eighth cervical nerve. In its course backwards it gives
■off branches which anastomose with the second and third perforating
intercostal nerves, and forms a net-work over the inner surface of the
panniculus. The panniculus extending over the shoulder and arm receives
fibres from this nerve.
Circumflex or Axillary Nerve.—This is a nerve of considerable
*ize; it is derived from the seventh and eighth cervical roots, and after
crossing the subscapularis soon enters the interspace between that muscle
and teres major. It then passes behind the shoulder joint, accompanied
by the posterior circumflex artery, and distributes its branches to the teres
minor deltoid, mastoido-humeralis, and ultimately reaches the integument
in front of the arm.
Behind the shoulder it gives small twigs to the scapulo-humeralis
posticus.
Dorsal Nerves, eighteen pairs.—These nerves on issuing from the
spinal canal divide into two sets of branches, as we saw occur in the case
of the cervical nerves. The upper divisions, which are the smaller, ascend
to reach the dorsal muscles and skin of the back, to both of which they
are distributed. The inferior divisions descend, and having gained the
intercostal spaces, pass downwards along the posterior border of the ribs
beneath the pleura as the intercostal nerves.
In their course they give branches to the panniculus and skin, and
^he first seven or eight terminate in the pectoral muscles and skin cover-
ing them, and the last ten are distributed to the rectus abdominis, the
^fcransversalis abdominis, and the skin of the belly. The first and second
intercostal nerves send branches to the brachial plexus from their inferior
'divisions.
Lumbar Nerves, six pairs.—The lumbar nerves, like the dorsal,
divide, after leaving the spinal cord, into a superior and inferior branch.
J-he former, passing in an upward direction, ramify through to the muscles
°f the loins, and ultimately reach the skin, where they terminate. The
inferior branches are variously distributed. Those of the first two, after
Applying the psoas magnus, pass over the edge of that muscle, and are
distributed to the muscles of the flank, the skin, and some fine filaments
to the muscles of the thigh. The inferior branch of the third nerve
Supplies the psoas magnus, psoas parvus, and quadratus lumborum, and
^s ultimate fibres are expended in the skin of the thigh. The fourth,
■kft-h, and sixth lumbar branches contribute to form the lumbo-sacral
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
402
plexus. All the inferior branches of these nerves are connected with
the great sympathetic.
Sacral Nerves, five pairs. — There are five sacral nerves. The
first four pass out of the spinal canal by the sacral foramina, and the fifth
by the opening between the last sacral foramen and the first coccygeal
bone. After emerging from the spine, they each divide into a superior
and an inferior branch. The former of these pass upwards through the
supra-sacral openings, and are distributed to the muscles on the side of
the sacral spine and to the skin of the croup. The lower branches are
much the larger of the two, and pass in a direction downwards and back-
wards, to be distributed as follows:—The first and second, by joining with
the third, fourth and fifth lumbar, form the lumbo-sacral plexus.
The third and fourth pass along the inner side, or even within the
texture of the sacro-sciatic ligament, and are joined together by a branch
going from one to the other.
The third forms the internal pudic nerve, which winds round the
ischial arch, and with its fellow on the opposite side gains the dorsal
border of the penis, along which it runs, and ends in the mucous mem-
brane covering the glans penis. In its course from behind forward it gives
numerous branches to the corpora cavernosa and the urethral canal, and
while in the pelvis, two small ramuscules go to the perineal region, and
hsemorrhoidal branches to the anus.
The fourth, together with a branch of the third, innervates the sphincter
muscle of the anus and surrounding skin, and the fifth, after giving *
branch to the first coccygeal nerve, is expended in the muscles and in-
tegument about the base of the tail and the root of the penis.
Coccygeal Nerves.—These number five or six pairs, which decrease
in volume from the first to the last. The first coccygeal communicates
with the last sacral nerve, and then with others passes backwards, and
is expended in the muscles and skin of the tail.
LUMBO-SACRAL PLEXUS
This is a combination of nerves for the supply of the hind-limb. I*
corresponds with the brachial plexus of the fore-limb in being formed by the
inferior branches of the fourth, fifth, and sixth lumbar, and the first and
second sacral nerves.
The branches given off from this plexus are as follow:—
1.   Iliaco-Muscular Branches.—Small branches given to the psoas
magnus, psoas parvus, and iliacus muscles.
2.  Anterior or Great Crural Nerve.—This is a nerve of considerable
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HORSE'S HEAD
Fig. II
A. Common carotid artery
. b. External carotid artery,
c. Internal carotid artery.
D. Occipital artery.
e. Internal maxillary artery.
F.   Superficial temporal artery.
G.  Posterior auricular artery.
H, H. Right and left submaxillary artery
ht. Hyoid bones (divided).
i, i. Eight and left submaxillary veins.
j. Buccal vein.
k. Alveolar vein.
l. Buccal plexus.
m. Infra-orbital nerve.
n. Superior maxillary nerve.
o. Inferior maxillary nerve.
p. Inferior dental nerve.
q. Lingual or gustatory nerve.
k. Mylo-hyoid nerve.
s. Masseter nerve.
t. Ophthalmic nerves and vessels.
u, u. Glosso-pharyngeal nerve.
v. Submaxillary gland.
w. Thyroid gland.
x. Section of lower jaw.
y. Tempero-maxillary articulation.
z. Hypoglossal or twelfth nerve.
a. Larynx.
ANATOMY C
Fig. I
A- Seventh nerve.
B- Posterior auricular vein.
c- Anterior auricular vein.
d.  Temporalis muscle.
e.   Corrugator supercilii.
r. Orbicularis palpebrarum.
Q- Levator labii superioris alaeque nasi.
H. Levator labii superioris proprius.
i. Dilatator naris lateralis.
J- Orbicularis oris.
K. Zygomaticus.
l. Depressor labii inferioris.
H. Buccinator.
N. Stenson's duct.
°. Submaxillary artery.
r. Submaxillary vein.
Q. Masseter muscle.
R- Temporal vein.
s. Maxillo-muscular artery.
t. Parotid gland.
u. Submaxillary vein.
v. Jugular vein.
W. Maxillo-muscular vein.
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«
B
ANATOMY OF THE HORSE'S HEAD
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CEREBROSPINAL NERVES
403
size formed by fibres from the fourth and fifth lumbar roots, and in part
also from the loop between the third and fourth. Descending between
the psoas magnus and parvus, it passes downwards at the outer side of
the external iliac artery under cover of the sartorius, and after crossing
the conjoined tendon of the psoas and iliacus muscles, ends in a number
of branches, which pass between the vastus internus and rectus femoris
to be distributed to the extensors of the legs.
It gives off the internal saphenous nerve, and sends branches to the
rectus femoris.
3.  The Obturator Nerve is situated beneath the peritoneum on the
inner side of the pelvis, and follows the course of the artery of the same
name through the obturator foramen to the internal aspect of the thigh.
It is derived from the fourth and fifth lumbar roots, and gives branches to
the obturator externus, adductors of the thigh, the pectineus and gracilis
Muscles.
4.  The Anterior and Posterior Gluteal Nerves, also called the
stttall sciatic nerves. These nerves leave the pelvis by the great sciatic
ttotch. The anterior gluteal consists of four or five branches, which are
distributed to the gluteus medius, the tensor vagina femoris, vastus ex-
ternus and internus, and the gluteus externus. The posterior gluteal nerve
ls represented by two branches—a superior and inferior. The superior
supplies the superficial gluteus, the middle gluteus, and the biceps femoris.
The inferior branch, after passing over the outer side of the tuber ischii, is
destined to the skin of the thigh, the semitendinosus, and with a branch of
the internal pudic nerve to the structures of the perineum.
The Great Sciatic Nerve is the largest in the body. It is derived
lr°rn the lumbo-sacral plexus, and issues from the great sciatic opening
as a broad white band; thence it takes a downward course between the
sacro-sciatic ligament and the gluteus maximus. On reaching the thigh
Jt is lodged between the biceps femoris and semitendinosus, having the
emimembranosus and great adductor of the thigh supporting it within.
On nearing the leg it passes between the two heads of the gastrocnemius
Muscle, when it takes the name of the internal popliteal nerve. This is
°ntinued on as the posterior tibial, which dividing, forms the internal and
^xternal plantar nerves. In its course down the limb it supplies a slender
ranch to the obturator internus, pyriformis, gemelli, and quadratus femoris.
The External Popliteal Nerve is a branch of considerable size given
n from the great sciatic near to the gemini muscles. It then passes
°wnward and forward between the biceps femoris and the outer head of
.fte gastrocnemius. On reaching the outer lateral ligament of the stifle
it a '
divides into the musculocutaneous nerve and the anterior tibial.
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104                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
The Musculo - Cutaneous branch is situated beneath the tibial
aponeurosis. It passes down the leg along the union of the peroneus
and extensor pedis, and ultimately is distributed to the skin on the outer
side of the metatarsus. In its course it gives branches to the peroneus.
The Anterior Tibial Nerve, after leaving the one last described,
passes underneath the extensor pedis muscle, and having supplied branches
to it, the flexor metatarsi, and short extensor of the foot, continues its
course downwards in front of the leg as far as the hock joint; it then
accompanies the large metatarsal artery, and finally ends in the skin on
the outer side of the canon.
The Internal Saphenous Nerve.—This is a branch of the anterior
crural nerve, from which it is given off at the brim of the pelvis. From
this point it passes downwards in company with the femoral artery, and
gives branches to the sartorius muscle.
About the middle of the thigh it reaches the surface by passing between
the last-named muscle and the gracilis, accompanied by the saphenous vein
and artery. It divides into an anterior small and a posterior larger branch,
which supply the inner and front and the posterior and back parts 01
the thigh respectively.
Its ultimate fibres are distributed to the skin on the inner and bac>
part of the leg as low as the hock.
The External Saphenous Nerve leaves the great sciatic, and passes
over the outer head of the gastrocnemius under cover of the biceps femoriSi
where it receives a branch of the external popliteal nerve. It then passes
down the leg in company with the saphenous vein on the outer and fron
part of the gastrocnemius tendon, and continuing its course over the hoc^
joint, is ultimately expended in the skin of the outer part of the metatarsus-
The Internal Popliteal Nerve.—This nerve consists of a buncUe
of nerve branches proceeding from the great sciatic. Passing downward
and forwards between the two heads of the gastrocnemius muscle, it give
branches to it, to the flexor perforatus, the soleus, the perforans, and flexo
pedis accessories. Finally it gives off a long branch, which passes betwee
the perforatus and the inner head of the gastrocnemius as the posteri
tibial nerve.
                                                                                                      ,
The Posterior Tibial Nerve.—The posterior tibial is a branch c
the internal popliteal. In passing down the leg it is situated benea
the inner head of the gastrocnemius. It then becomes enclosed in
deep fascia of the leg, on the inner side of which it descends, and at
hock divides into two parts to become the internal and external plan
nerves. These enter the tarsal sheath in company with the plan
arteries, and separate from each other behind the hock.
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DISEASES OE THE NEBVOUS SYSTEM
405
From this point they proceed down the leg along with the perforans
tendon, and divide as in the fore-limb to supply the foot.
The Anterior Tibial Nerve commences on the outer side of the stifle
Joint, and dips down between the peroneus and extensor pedis muscle,
Under cover of which it passes down the leg. On reaching the hock it
bears outwards, and, together with the large metatarsal artery, passes
down the limb to the fetlock joint, and expends itself in the skin on the
outer side of the os suffraginis. It gives branches to the extensor pedis
and flexor metatarsi, and on reaching the front of the hock some twigs
to the extensor brevis.
DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Affections of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal
cord, must necessarily be of a very grave character. Physiologists allow
that the brain is chiefly concerned with the mental functions, but, in
addition, it also presides over special movements, some of which are volun-
tary while others are of the excito-motor character. Derangement affecting
any important part or nerve centre, either in the form of excess or de-
ficiency of blood, undue pressure, or structural changes, produces either
halted function, or drowsiness going on to stupor, or paralysis.
Disease of the cerebellum or smaller brain causes giddiness and failure
°t the normal power to regulate the functions of locomotion.
The causes of cerebral derangement are numerous. As the brain pre-
Sldes over many important functions of the body, it is also sympathetically
aflected when the organs which perform those functions become the seat of
structural or functional changes due to accident or disease.
The brain is invested by certain membranes which afford protection on
lhe one hand, and on the other act as a medium through which pass the
vessels carrying the necessary supply of blood for the nourishment of its
ls§ues and the exercise of its function.
CEEEBRITIS AND MENINGITIS
Very early in the history of veterinary science the French writers
Separated diseases of the brain into two distinct forms, which were desig-
ned by different terms—cerebritis when the substance of the brain was
ttected, and meningitis when the inflammation attacked the membranes
Meninges) which cover the brain.
The necessity for the distinction was at one time disputed, but it is
°w quite clearly recognized; in fact, the two conditions of disease are
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406                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
indicated by totally different symptoms. When inflammation affects the
intimate structure of the brain the prominent signs are loss of sensibility
and consciousness more or less complete, and various degrees of paralysis.
None of these symptoms are present in inflammation of the meninges,
of which violent excitement, pain, tenderness, delirium, and convulsions
are the chief manifestations. In the case of disease being confined to the
brain there is seldom any marked disturbance in the circulatory system,
but in meningitis both the pulse and respiration are excited in a high
degree. To put the differences concisely, it may be said that in disease of
Fig. 177.—Sleepy Staggers
the brain substance, diminished sensibility, loss of power of motion, and
deranged volition are the characteristic features, while inflammation of tne
investing membranes of the organ is indicated by spasms, convulsions,
violent pain, delirium, and frenzy. Impaired consciousness may arise
from disease of the stomach. The affection which is described as " stomacn
staggers " might probably be, in popular phrase, referred to as a sick head-
ache due to an attack of indigestion, the brain being sympathetically
affected. The symptoms of the disorder are generally observed after a ful
meal, which the horse probably swallows rapidly owing to a previous loD»
fast. The first indication is a slight dulness, the eyelids being drooped, an
the nose rested against the manger. If compelled to move, the anima
staggers; hence the name given to the disease.
In very pronounced cases the drowsiness may be followed by delirium
or sometimes severe convulsive twitchings of the muscles. Now and the
a violent excitement supervenes, and the animal throws himself abou
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
407
m various directions in a condition of actual frenzy. In some of these
erratic movements the horse may injure himself, or the attendant if he
happens to come in his way, but it is evident that there is no intention to
do mischief.
The treatment of the disease, to be successful, must be adopted as soon
as the first indications are apparent. The animal should be removed to
a loose-box and freed from all restraint; food should be kept out of his
reach, but he may be allowed to drink any quantity of water. In former
times the treatment on which the greatest reliance was placed was the
immediate employment of the lancet and the withdrawal of a large quantity
°f blood. This system, however, has been discontinued for many years
Past, and instead it is usual to rely on the administration of a strong
aperient, together with antiseptic agents, as hyposulphite of soda. Four
to six ounces of solution of aloes, or more, according to the size of the
horse, forms a useful purgative; and if the drowsy condition is extremely
Marked, aromatic spirit of ammonia in doses of from one to two ounces
every two or three hours, while the condition remains, is likely to be
effective. Benefit will also be derived from sponging or douching the head
with cold water at short intervals, or by the application of ice-bags to
the poll.
VERTIGO
Vertigo, megrims, or giddiness may be associated with organic disease
°f the brain, or be occasioned by derangement of the liver or other organs
°f the digestive system. A fit of vertigo may also arise from the action of
the sun's rays upon the unprotected head, or it may be due to the retention
°t blood in the vessels of the brain consequent upon pressure of a tight
c°Uar. A single attack, which may occur at any time during a journey, is
s°naetimes difficult of explanation; when a hot sun and a tight collar are
both present they will naturally be looked upon as the cause of the fit, but
m the absence of either it will be impossible for anyone to decide whether
lt Was due to some chronic disorder in the brain or to derangement of the
^hgestive organs. In these cases a direct diagnosis is only possible when
the history of the animal is known. It may, however, be suggested that a
Sudden and violent attack, under the influence of which the horse suddenly
stopS) raises and shakes his head, and then drops down in a state of partial
Consciousness, is most likely to be consequent on some cause which is
°ting at the moment, such as heat, pressure on the vessels of the neck, or
So*ne acute disturbance of the liver.
Vertigo which arises from organic disease of the nervous centres, is in
0st cases a disorder of gradual development. The first attack is extremely
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408                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
slight, and probably attracts very little attention; the driver may notice
that the horse occasionally shakes his head, or turns it to one side as though
he were annoyed by something which had entered the ear; after a short
time the animal ceases to behave strangely, and finishes the journey with-
out any further indication of disturbance. Nothing more may be thought
of the matter until the recurrence of the attack after the lapse of a week or
Fig. 178.—Vertigo or Megrims
more, and even then no suspicion of megrims is probably excited until
a more severe attack occurs.
Post-mortem examinations have been made of horses which have
suffered from chronic vertigo, the fits occurring at intervals of a fewT weeks
or months during several years of the animals' lives. The results oi
such examinations were in some cases unsatisfactory; in others calcareous
nodules and tumours, varying in size from a pin's head to a pigeon's egg
or larger, have been found in the plexus of vessels in the lateral ventricles
of the brain. Frequently, however, the search for morbid appearances 1°
the brain and spinal cord has been attended with disappointment.
Attacks of vertigo may sometimes happen in consequence of injur/
to the head; a blow accidentally or intentionally inflicted may produce
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
409
slight concussion, or may even result in the depression of some of the bones
forming the cranial cavity, in which case stupor will result, and will con-
tinue until the depressed portions of bone are elevated by means of a
surgical instrument.
When the injury is slight, the fit of giddiness which follows generally
passes off in a short time and leaves no trace behind; but the rider or
driver, being probably unaware that the animal has been struck on the
head, is disposed to look upon the attack as a case of megrims of the
ordinary kind. The fact, however, of the attack not recurring would be
a sufficient evidence that the injury is not permanent.
Treatment.—As the occurrence at irregular intervals of fits of vertigo
ls at the least annoying, and cannot be said to be unattended with danger
to the rider or driver, it is naturally a subject of enquiry as to what can be
done in the way of prevention. If any positive cause, such as a tight collar,
ls detected, the remedy is of course perfectly obvious. Should symptoms of
disease of the liver be present, a dose or two of aloes with calomel may be
given with benefit; but if there is no obvious cause, the conclusion will
Necessarily be that there is some morbid condition of the central nervous
system, and beyond attending to the animal's general health by judicious
Ceding and properly regulated work or exercise, nothing can be done.
Worses suffering from chronic brain disease should never be hurried or
ealled upon to undergo severe exertion. Moreover, they should be fed two
0r three hours before being employed in any kind of work, and food should
"e given in small quantities and often.
ABSCESS IN THE BRAIN
A more serious result of a blow on the head is the formation of abscess
11 one of the hemispheres of the brain, or inflammation of the membranes,
which is usually indicated by violent excitement. Abscess in the brain also
ecurs not uncommonly when, in consequence of a vessel being punctured
11 the act of opening an abscess, a quantity of pus may get into the blood-
stream, causing the condition which is known as pycemia. Abscesses in
arious parts of the body are the result of this contamination of the blood,
^d the brain is a very favourite situation for the deposit of pus. The
, st indication of the occurrence is the appearance of drowsiness, gradually
leasing to unconsciousness, in which condition the animal dies. No
reatrnent is likely to be of any avail.
Vol. i
28
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
410
EPILEPSY
Epilepsy, eclampsia, catalepsy, and chorea (St. Vitus' dance) are all
disorders of the nerve centres, and are associated with eccentric muscular
action, and often with derangement of consciousness, but horses are very
rarely attacked by any of them.
Epilepsy is a peculiar affection almost unknown in the horse, but not
uncommon in the dog. The exact pathological conditions of the brain
or spinal cord on which the intermittent attacks or epileptic fits depend
are not known. It is even uncertain whether the origin of the malady is
centred in the brain or spinal cord, although recent experiments lend
considerable force to the view of the brain rather than the spinal cord being
the seat of the derangement. Characteristic epileptic fits may be produced
in dogs while under chloroform after complete disconnection of the brain
from the spinal cord. Injection of a minute dose of absinthe into the
circulation in an animal thus: prepared is quickly followed by all the signs
of epilepsy, and dogs utter maniacal cries, which, of course, are purely the
result of reflex action, the dog being at the time unconscious.
The Symptoms of an epileptic fit are well known. Usually there is
no marked premonitory sign of an approaching attack. An animal in a
state of health, apparently, may suddenly reel and fall over on its side, in
the case of a dog uttering cries which soon cease, while the whole muscular
system is in a state of convulsive action. Urine and faeces are involun-
tarily discharged; a quantity of foam collects about the mouth. In a
short time the convulsions cease and the animal regains consciousness,
and is soon restored to its ordinary condition, showing no further symp'
toms of illness until the sudden occurrence of another fit.
Considering the great difficulty of disconnecting severe forms °*
megrims in the horse from epilepsy, it is not remarkable that somc
writers record cases of equine epilepsy. It is, however, rarely if ever tne
case that the horse suffers from this disease, and certainly not in tb*5
typical form in which it is seen in the dog.
Several forms of epilepsy are described by writers, for example, spoD'
taneous, symptomatic, traumatic, and reflex epilepsy, and in all these th®
attack may be serious or benign. Spontaneous epilepsy is the result °
functional disturbance of the brain, amounting to general irritability, whi°^
disposes the subject to an attack under trifling influences, such as fear °
any kind of mental excitement. Horses are said to have suffered when
alarmed by a display of fireworks, or the passing of a train, or li*°°
suddenly passing from a subdued to an intense light. Symptomatic ep1
lepsy is the form of the disease which is associated with structural change
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
411
in the central nervous system, as thickening of the membranes of the brain,
deposits of pus, or the presence of parasites. Traumatic epilepsy is due
to injury, as, for example, blows upon the cranium causing compression
of the nerve structures from effusion of blood or the depression of the
bony boundaries of the cavities in which the brain and spinal cord are
contained. Reflex epilepsy may occur in consequence of irritation affecting
the terminal branches of nerves in remote parts. Such irritation depend-
ing upon pressure exercised by foreign bodies, irritation caused by parasites
in the digestive organs, affections of the mouth due to the changes which
occur in course of dentition. All the above forms of epilepsy, when con-
nected with special liability to nervous excitement, may be considered as
hereditary.
ECLAMPSIA
This disease borders so closely upon the one previously considered,
epilepsy, that its manifestations are allowed to be identical with those of
reflex epilepsy. It is also stated that eclampsia may be transferred into
true epilepsy; the main distinction appears to be that the convulsive
spasms affect chiefly the extensor muscles, and appear without any disturb-
ance of the mental conditions and independent of any structural alterations.
In fact, the disease is really one of pure motor-nervous excitability.
CHOREA (ST. VITUS' DANCE)
This disease is perfectly well known as it affects the dog. It is fre-
quently one of the results of distemper; its chief manifestation is constant
rhythmical contraction and spasm of some of the muscles of the neck or
extremities, usually the fore extremities. Animals which suffer from this
disease frequently retain their health for a considerable time, but when
°horea affects dogs which have recently recovered from distemper, the
eoiistant excitement arising from the incessant muscular spasms interferes
with the complete restoration of the animal, and occasionally ends in fatal
Paralysis. Cases of localized muscular spasm have been described in the
horse under the name of chorea, but it must be allowed that the disease
111 that animal, if it occurs at all, is extremely rare.
STRINGHALT
This condition, which is very well known to horsemen, is another of the
^-defined affections of the nervous system. The condition is indicated by
pasrnodic movement of the muscles of one, sometimes of both hind-legs,
and occasionally one or both of the fore-legs. The effect of the spasm is to
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412                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
cause an extraordinary jerking upwards of the affected extremities,
after which the foot is brought forcibly to the ground. The disease
differs from chorea, as the symptoms are only developed during pro-
gression, whereas in chorea the muscular spasms are constant even during
sleep.
In some cases stringhalt is only exhibited occasionally and under
special conditions, as when the horse is made to turn sharply round, or
when observed while quietly moving in his box, but it generally becomes
more pronounced as the animal advances in age or when he is excited.
No treatment has been found to be effective in controlling the muscular
movements.
APOPLEXY
In very hot seasons horses which are called upon to undergo violent
exertion are likely to suffer from cerebral derangement due to determina-
tion of blood to the vessels of the brain. This condition is correctly
described as sunstroke.
According to the duration of the active causes the final consequences
will vary. In the first instance, symptoms will consist of dulness, general
depression varied by periods of excitement. If the causes continue, the
voluntary movements of the animal may be interfered with, and finally
it may fall in a state of unconsciousness. The worst consequence which
is to be apprehended is the rupture of some of the overcharged vessels 01
the brain and escape of blood into the tissue of the organ. If the
hemorrhage is sudden and considerable the result will be an apoplectic
fit, which may be immediately fatal. The fit will probably be preceded
by an irregularity in the animal's movements, trembling, turning round
or backing, ending in a sudden fall, loss of consciousness, and possibly
death in a few minutes. A partial recovery may, however, take place,
and the animal may live for some days or weeks, but a fatal result lS
almost certain to follow.
When the hemorrhage is slight the symptoms will be those which have
previously been described, i.e. irregular movements followed by drowsiness,
from which the animal will gradually recover, but in such instances a smal
clot of blood may be left in the substance of the brain and lay the founda-
tion for future mischief.
Treatment.—On this subject a great difference of opinion exist8'
bleeding and cold applications are advocated, or, on the other hand'
stimulants are suggested in order to overcome the drowsy and depresse
state into which the animal has fallen. It is probably the case that ic
bags to the head and bleeding would be beneficial when the animal l
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM                            413
suffering from an apoplectic fit, while the use of stimulants might be
resorted to when the more urgent symptoms have ceased.
In all cases where the power to swallow exists, a strong dose of physic
should be promptly administered.
CRIB-BITING
In connection with diseases of the nervous system it is necessary to
refer to certain abnormal actions commonly described as nervous habits,
which are not usually recognized as diseases, but which, as they are not
normal, i.e. are not in accordance with the rule as applied to the actions
of healthy animals, must be classified as abnormal.
"Cribbing" or "tic", "wind-sucking", and "weaving" may be taken
as examples of diseases which are more or less connected with some
ill-defined derangement of the ner-
vous system. Tic or cribbing has
been carefully studied in its various
forms by Continental veterinarians.
Friedrich Berger and Frohne, in
their work on the pathology of the
domestic animals, allude to the
causes of cribbing as being complex
and variable in their nature. Idle-
ness is said to be one cause of the
acquirement of the habit. Horses,
            Fig. i79.-Throat-8traP for crib-biting
like other creatures, are supposed
to invent some kind of pastime when left alone in a stall or box, and
the manger, drinking-trough, or piece of chain or rope lends itself to
this kind of indulgence. In the case of some animals it seems that no
assistance from external objects is necessary, as they succeed in per-
forming the actions of a crib-biter without seizing the manger with
their teeth or obtaining any other support. By contracting the muscles
°f the neck they contrive to keep the head in a fixed position, and can
ttiake the peculiar noise which is common to crib-biters.
Among the causes of cribbing heredity is referred to as having con-
siderable influence. Horses it is said become crib-biters and wind-suckers
aPparently from imitation, although it would seem that a certain amount
°f nervous excitability is necessary as a predisposing cause, as it may be
that only one animal out of a very large number which are exposed to
the same temptation acquires the habit.
The habit of cribbing or wind-sucking has somewhat fancifully been
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414                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
attributed to the use of a curry-comb in the act of cleaning, as when the
instrument is used with much force it causes a good deal of irritation,
which the animal indicates by biting at anything within its reach; and it
is supposed that the habit of biting and making spasmodic movements
of the lips and other parts at the same time might finally lead to
cribbing.
Cribbing and so-called wind-sucking induce occasional attacks of colic
from the quantity of air which is developed in the stomach, and both are
associated with an irritable condition of the mucous membrane of the
digestive organs, which we believe to be a cause of these remarkable acts.
In a legal point of view cribbing and wind-sucking would amount to
unsoundness if that term is construed strictly, and in some parts of the
Continent the habit is recognized as sufficient to constitute a breach of
warranty. In any case, a horse addicted to crib-biting or wind-sucking,
or both, can hardly be said to be as useful for its intended purpose as
an animal which is free from such defects. If there were no other objection
to be urged, it would be sufficient to point to the well-known fact that
the animal loses flesh and becomes thin.
Treatment.—The owner of a crib-biter or wind-sucker is very anxious
to find out some means of cure, and various mechanical appliances have
been suggested for the purpose. The plan of using movable mangers
and troughs, and avoiding all projecting posts on which the animal may
place his teeth and get a point of support, has been said to be successful
in cases of crib-biting, but it is obviously of no use in the case of a wind-
sucker, which does not require such assistance. In most instances of crib-
biting and wind-sucking the ordinary throat-strap (fig. 179), which is
arranged to be buckled round the throat, acts as a preventive, but to be
effectual it must be constantly employed while the animal is in the
stable.
The other habit which has been referred to under the term weaving,
consists in swaying the head and fore part of the body from side to side
like a bear. Although perhaps less objectionable than wind-sucking, it
is, nevertheless, a serious fault, since the animal which is addicted to it
is constantly using his legs when he should be resting them. Weaving
is most commonly seen in horses which are tied to the manger by means
of two side-ropes fixed to the head-collar and carried through rings on
each end of the manger. At the end of each rope a perforated wTooden
block is fixed on purpose to prevent the removal of the halter-ropes from
the rings.
The habit of weaving may sometimes be corrected by keeping the
animal in a loose-box without any head-collar or halter-ropes. This, ho^-
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OEDEMA OF CHOROID PLEXUS
BRAIN TUMOUR
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
415
ever, is not always successful, as in some cases the animal continues the
lateral movements of the head even when it is left altogether without
any means of restraint.
TUMOUES IN THE BRAIN AND CRANIUM
Tumours in the brain are not of rare occurrence in the horse, although
they are very limited in variety. Moreover, they are seldom found to
exist save in the lateral ventricles or cavities within the hemispheres.
They are almost invariably of that variety termed " psammoma", a structure
comprising a quantity of fibrous tissue, in the mesh-work of which are
found granules of earthy matter, fatty particles, and thin glistening plates
of cholesterine.
These tumours are developed in the fringe of vascular membrane,
termed the "choroid plexus", which is situated on the floor of the lateral
ventricles.
They vary in size from a pin's head to a hen's egg, and frequently
occur in both ventricular cavities. Being slow in their growth they
seldom produce any obvious disturbance in the conduct of the animal
until they have reached considerable dimensions, although in the course
of their development the ventricles become much dilated, and a consider-
able amount of brain matter is caused to be absorbed by the pressure
which they make upon it. They are usually ovoid in form, of a bluey-
gray appearance, smooth on the surface, and firm to the touch.
Brain tumours in the horse are mostly found in the adult and later
periods of life, although the writer has removed them from the ventricles
of so young a horse as a four-year-old.
Cause.—As to the origin of these formations, nothing definite can be
said; inasmuch, however, as they are more prevalent in harness horses
than others of the riding class, it has been suggested that the pressure
of tight, ill-fitting collars on the jugular veins may, by interrupting the
circulation from the brain, be the means of causing their development,
and it is very likely this may be a predisposing or even an exciting
cause.
Symptoms.—The symptoms developed as the result of the continued
growth of these formations may be of a chronic or an acute and fatal
character.
In the former the animal suffers periodic attacks of loss of power and
unconsciousness for some time, the intervals between each attack becoming
shorter as time goes on, and the attacks more and more severe. They
are specially excited when the horse is worked on a full stomach, or urged
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
416
too freely uphill when the pressure of the collar is increased, or driven
in face of a hot sun. The frequent occurrence of these symptoms in the
early spring and during the summer is mainly on account of exposure to
the last-named cause.
The attack comes on without warning. The animal stops and suddenly
falls to the ground, the muscles quiver or are rigidly set, the eyes roll,
there is loss of consciousness, and for a time also of feeling and muscular
power. After a brief period the stricken beast regains his lost powers
and is able to rise, but for several days he remains dull, feeble, and
stupid, and altogether unfitted for work. In other cases the animal hangs
his head, and presents an expression of drowsiness and an indisposition
to move. In less severe attacks he will suddenly stop while being driven,
lay back his ears, shake his head violently, or throw it up and down
without any obvious reason, and in a few minutes resume his journey
as if nothing had happened.
In the more severe attacks the patient is stricken down paralysed and
unconscious and quickly succumbs.
Treatment in these cases is of no avail, and although something may
be done to ward off the attacks by a judicious system of general manage-
ment and feeding, horses affected with brain tumours are dangerous beasts
to possess, and should be destroyed.
(EDEMA OF THE CHOROID PLEXUS
This is a condition in which the choroid plexuses of the ventricles are
infiltrated with fluid which has escaped from the fine net-work of veins of
which they are mainly composed. So far as is known it is of somewhat
rare occurrence. It may, however, be more common than is generally
supposed, were post-mortem examinations more frequently made of
the brain in those cases where death follows upon sudden and complete
coma.
The causes of oedema of the choroid plexuses is not well established^
but in the case of which an illustration is here given (see Coloured Plate)
the horse had been the subject of influenza, and appeared to be making &
good recovery. He was, however, suddenly seized with dulness, followed
by deep coma, and death occurred twenty-four hours later.
Post-mortem examination showed clots of coagulated blood obstructing
the veins leading from the plexuses into the veins of Galen.
There was nothing either in the history of the case, or in the post-
mortem inspection, to show why the blood should have clotted and
obstructed the circulation in these veins. A blow on the head in such
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DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM                            417
circumstances might have caused it, or it may have resulted from some
change in the blood consequent on the disease.
Where, as in this instance, the choroid plexuses were torn up, treat-
ment could be of little avail.
EXOSTOSES OR BONE TUMOURS
Hard ivory-like growths from the petrous temporal bone sometimes
extend into the cavity of the cranium and occasion pressure upon and
absorption of the brain substance. These tumours, developing very slowly,
afford the neighbouring parts an opportunity to accommodate themselves
for a time to the altered state, but sooner or later the pressure they impart
to nerves and vessels produces various forms of structural and functional
derangement, among which may be mentioned deafness, paralysis of the
muscles of the face, loss of motor power, unsteady movements, convulsive
fits, followed by apoplexy and death.
Exostoses or bone tumours sometimes occur on the floor of the cranium
as the result of a blow on the poll or back of the head, such as would
be inflicted by a horse falling backward or striking the head violently
against some fixed object. In these cases blindness may follow as a con-
sequence, from pressure on the optic nerves at their bifurcation; or the
muscles of the eye may suffer paralysis, and disorders of some of the
other nerves issuing from the base of the brain may result.
THICKENING OF THE MEMBRANES
Professor Williams, in his Principles and Practice of Veterinary
Medicine,
refers to a case in which the dura mater or outermost covering
of the brain attained a thickness varying from one inch at the base to
several inches at the anterior part of the cranium, causing absorption
of the frontal and ethmoid bones, and closing the frontal sinuses. The
horse in which this was discovered had presented signs of brain disease,
sleepiness, partial paralysis, blindness, and paralysis of the muscles of
mastication for a considerable period before its death.
"It is very probable", Professor Williams remarks, "that this condition
was the result of an injury, such as a blow upon the head, causing chronic
inflammation."
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418                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
DISEASES OF THE SPINAL CORD AND ITS MEMBRANES
ACUTE SPINAL MENINGITIS—INFLAMMATION OF THE
MEMBRANES OF THE SPINAL CORD
Acute inflammation of the coverings of the spinal cord is of seldom
occurrence, and mostly involves the two innermost membranes—the pia
mater and arachnoid.
The causes which give rise to this disease are for the most part the
result of injury, but it may also follow upon exposure to cold easterly
winds and wet, especially in the case of a horse that is heated after a fast
run with hounds and much jumping, or after a period of heavy draught.
Tumours in the spinal canal, and the bursting of abscesses into it from
disease of the vertebrae, may also occasion it.
Symptoms.—These will vary in severity, according to the intensity
of the cause. They may either be sudden and severe in their onset or
slowly progressive. In the former case the disease is ushered in by rigors
or shivering, followed by paroxysms of pain in the course of the spine,
exhibited more especially when the animal is made to move. Later,
sudden and repeated fits of spasmodic contraction of the muscles of the
limbs appear, causing them to be suddenly jerked upward and forcibly
brought to the ground. The movements become unsteady and the fet-
locks knuckle over, the patient loses the power to stand, and sooner or later
becomes completely paralysed. When on the ground he makes repeated
attempts to rise, during which there are violent fits of struggling and
painful spasms of the muscles of the limbs and back.
During these paroxysms the face wears a drawn and anxious expres-
sion, deep groans are emitted, the breathing becomes hurried, the pulse
quickened, and sweat covers the body. Short intervals of ease follow the
convulsive seizures, but growing muscular weakness, followed by complete
paralysis of both motion and sensation, sooner or later ends in disablement
or death.
ACUTE MYELITIS—INFLAMMATION OF THE SPINAL CORD
The causes which give rise to inflammation of the membranes of the
cord are also responsible for inflammation of the cord itself, and mostly
affect both structures in varying degrees at the same time.
Symptoms.—At the onset of the disease more or less stiffness is ob-
served in the spine. The animal, when made to turn, does so in a wide
circle. Firm pressure over the spine occasions pain. The hind-limbs are
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PARALYSIS
419
repeatedly moved and sometimes strike the ground, or they are shaken
as if to detach something objectionable adhering to them. Sensibility
becomes diminished, and a rolling movement behind is observed when
the animal attempts to walk. Muscular paralysis of the parts behind the
seat of disease soon follows, and the patient falls to the ground unable
to rise. The bladder now may fail to empty itself and become distended
with urine. The faeces escape involuntarily in consequence of paralysis
of the muscle (sphincter ani) which closes the anus. The bowels are con-
stipated, but there is little, if any, rise of the bodily temperature. The
farther forward the disease exists in the cord the more extensive will be
the paralysis. When in the region of the neck the fore-limbs as well as
the hind will become disabled, and the muscles of respiration will at the
same time be involved, and occasion great difficulty of breathing and more
or less disturbance in the action of the heart.
These affections of the spinal cord and its membranes usually become
complicated with some rapidly destructive lung disease, or with inflamma-
tion of the bladder or kidney disease, to which the victim sooner or later
succumbs. Should he escape these immediately fatal affections he remains
paralysed and useless. Little, therefore, is to be expected from treatment
of an animal so affected, and both humanity and economy will be best
served by his immediate destruction.
PARALYSIS
By paralysis is understood a loss of power in the muscles to contract,
and consequently greater or less impairment of voluntary motion. There
is also a second form of paralysis, by which a part may be deprived of the
sense of feeling. The former constitutes paralysis of motion, the latter
paralysis of sensation.
They frequently occur together, but when this is so the loss of power
usually exceeds that of sensation. Each may exist alone. The more
common of the two as separate ailments is paralysis of motion.
Paralysis is not a disease, but a symptom of some disorder going on
either in the brain or spinal cord, or the nerves connecting them with the
paralysed part. If for any reason the brain fails to develop and to give
out voluntary impulses, the influence of the will ceases to act upon those
parts over which it ordinarily exercises control.
The nerves, although healthy in themselves, receiving no nervous force
from the affected centre, become incapable of exciting muscles to contract.
On the other hand, the brain or nerve centre may be perfectly free from
disease, but owing to some pressure or disease in the course of the nerves
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
420
the impulses developed by the healthy brain fail to travel along the dis-
eased nerves, with the result that paralysis ensues in the part to which
they are distributed.
The nerve centres and the nerves are liable to become disabled from a
number of diverse causes. Lack of nourishment, the consequence of in-
sufficient blood supply; certain poisons introduced from without or formed
within the body, such as lead or the accumulation of urinary or biliary pro-
ducts in the blood; mechanical injury or pressure; rupture of blood-vessels
in or upon the brain; the formation of tumours; inflammation and its con-
sequences, are all found to produce paralysis at one time or another. From
what has been stated it will be seen that paralysis may originate—(1)
in the brain (cerebral), (2) in the spinal cord (spinal), (3) in the nerves con-
nected with the one or the other (peripheral paralysis). Hence it follows
that the disease presents a considerable variety of forms, of which only
those of the more common kind will be considered here.
HEMIPLEGIA
In this form of paralysis one lateral half, the right or the left side of
the body, is involved. It is a rare affection in the horse, but in man it is
one of the most common forms of the disease, and usually appears suddenly
in what is commonly known as a " stroke". The parts affected in hemi-
plegia are the fore and hind extremity, the muscles of the face, especially
those of mastication, and the tongue on one side.
The loss of power may either be complete or incomplete, according
to the intensity and extent of the cause, which commonly arises out of
rupture of the vessels of the brain, with more or less escape of blood into
the tissues of the organ.
Symptoms.—Hemiplegia is usually sudden in its onset. The affected
animal falls to the ground in a more or less unconscious condition, and the
limbs on the paralysed side are incapable of movement. In a case quoted
from M. Gerard by Percival the sensibility of the left, the affected side,
proved extremely acute. The lips and alge of the nose were drawn to
the right side, the contrary to that to which the head and neck turned.
A blowing noise was made by the air in its passage through the
nostrils. The left ear was paralysed and the tongue distorted. When
oats were laid before the horse it seized them with the right side of the
mouth, the left remaining motionless. There was great difficulty in masti-
cation, and some of the food was not swallowed, but became lodged between
the cheek and the molar teeth. In feeding, the horse plunged its muzzle
into the middle of its food and opened its mouth wide. In drinking?
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PARALYSIS
421
its mouth was thrust deeply into the water. It could walk, but could
hardly sustain itself after but a short exercise. On the fourth day the
animal was unable to stand, sank down, and after several ineffectual
struggles to rise, rolled over and lay upon its right side. Its pulse
and respiration remained undisturbed. It died on the seventh day.
PARAPLEGIA—SPINAL PARALYSIS
Paraplegia indicates some disorder of the spinal cord, and consists of
paralysis of the posterior half (more or less) of the body. The extent
of the disablement will depend upon the seat of the disease, being greater
in proportion as it is situated in a forward direction. Injury affecting the
spinal cord in the region of the back or loins would paralyse the hind-
quarters equally or unequally, but if it occurred in the neck, the fore and
the hind limbs also, and the rest of the trunk behind the damaged cord,
would also be deprived of the power of motion. Paraplegia in the
horse is most commonly the result of injury inflicted on the dorsal or
lumbar portion of the cord or its membranes, as when from some cause
the latter become thickened and unduly press upon the former, or when
they contain large quantities of fluid as the result of injury.
Bony growths projecting inwards from the spine sometimes press upon
the cord and cause paralysis, or the same results may follow dislocation of
the vertebrae.
Earely spinal paralysis is due to causes originating in organs quite
away from the spine, as when mares suffer during oestrum, or foals in
consequence of worms in the bowels. This is termed "reflex paralysis",
a form of the disease from which animals affected frequently recover.
Here uterine irritation in the one case, and intestinal irritation in the
other, is the cause of the failure of the spinal cord to innervate the
muscles.
Symptoms.—In paraplegia there is more or less complete paralysis
of the hind-quarters. When it is complete the animal occupies a re-
cumbent posture and is unable to rise. When the skin of the paralysed
region is pricked with a pin there is usually no sign of feeling, but in
some instances the paralysis may be almost exclusively that of motion,
while sensation remains intact, in which case the prick will be felt and
expressed by the animal's movements in front. The urine may be dis-
charged involuntarily, and the fasces too may escape in consequence of
paralysis of the sphincter ani.
In incomplete paraplegia the hind-quarters roll from side to side, the
animal crosses his hind-limbs, sometimes trails the toes, or knuckles over
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422                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
with the fetlock joints. Movement aggravates the symptoms, and may
cause the animal to fall, when more or less difficulty or complete inability
will be experienced in rising.
Paraplegia in the horse, save when arising out of reflex causes, offers
very little encouragement to treatment. Injury to the brain or cord of a
paralysing nature seldom yields to medicine. In cases of a slight character
it may be desirable to administer a dose of physic, to apply hot cloths over
the loins, and to place the animal in slings or on a good bed of peat-moss,
and later to administer iodide of potassium and nux vomica for two or
three weeks and apply a blister along the back; but these are cases which
should be promptly placed under the care of a qualified person.
PERIPHERAL OR LOCAL PARALYSIS
When paralysis is confined to muscles supplied by a particular nerve it
is said to be " peripheral". The most common example of this form of the
malady is that in which the seventh nerve is involved. The seventh nerve
after leaving the brain emerges from the cranium through a canal in the
Fig. 180.—Facial Paralysis, a, Partial. B, Total.
petrous temporal bone, and on reaching the surface passes underneath the
joint formed by the lower jaw and the temporal bone, and then over the
cheek, where it gives off branches to the muscles of mastication, the
nostrils, and the lips.
Injury to this nerve gives rise to paralysis of the muscles of the face,
hence it is termed " facial paralysis". It may occur on one side, as is
mostly the case, or both nerves may be simultaneously affected.
Causes.—Facial paralysis may result from injury to the nerve as it
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CEREBROSPINAL MENINGITIS                                   423
passes through the canal in the temporal bone. This may be the result of
disease of that bone, or of some effusion into the sheath of the nerve from
inflammatory conditions.
Injury to the nerve after leaving the canal is the more common cause,
such as blows beneath the ear when rolling, or being cast, or from other
causes. Pressure from tumours or abscesses, or inflammatory swelling in
its course, will also produce it.
Symptoms.—Where a nerve is paralysed the angle of the mouth on
the sound side is drawn upward, while that on the paralysed side is
lowered. The lips hang loose and pendulous, the eye cannot be closed, the
nostril of the affected side cannot be dilated, the cheek is flaccid and has
lost its firmness to the touch. In feeding, the patient seizes his food with
the teeth instead of gathering it up with his lips. In drinking, the mouth
is pushed into the water for some distance, and during mastication food
falls from the mouth on the paralysed side.
Treatment.—When due to abscess or inflammatory swelling hot
fomentations and poultices should be applied to the affected part.
If possible the abscess should be laid open and emptied, so as to remove
the pressure on the nerve. This should be followed by iron tonics and nux
vomica to restore the lost power to the muscles, and, if necessary, the
•application and repetition of iodine blisters. Where a tumour or inflam-
matory swelling exists, a purgative followed by iodide of potassium in
full doses should be given.
CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS
A fatal affection among horses implicating the spinal and cerebral
membranes appears to have been known for a long period in various parts
of the world. In the United States of America cerebro-spinal meningitis
is recorded to have been investigated in 1850. In Germany it was known
in 1865, and in Egypt ten years later. About the year 1881 a fatal form
of paralysis attracted notice in this country, and Professor Axe described
■outbreaks which occurred almost simultaneously in Essex, London, and
Norfolk. A peculiarity of the disease at the time was its limitation to
certain parts of the year, the majority of cases occurring between the end
of February and the beginning of May. Mares seemed to be more sus-
ceptible to the affection than horses, and animals of all ages were attacked.
Climatic conditions did not appear to have any marked influence on the
progress of the malady. When it was first recognized in 1881 the weather
"was cold and wet, but since then cases have been observed in the latter
Part of the summer during hot bright weather.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
424
On the first appearance of the affection it was looked upon as a totally
new malady which had probably been introduced from America.
Percival in his Hippo Pathology refers to a form of epizootic paralysis
occurring on cold wet pastures in spring and autumn. Professor Axe
mentions an article by Mr. Small in the Veterinarian for 1857 describing
outbreaks of paralysis occurring in his district in that year. Other writers
have also mentioned cases of the periodical occurrence of a form of paralysis
in different parts of the country, and there is very little doubt that these
cases were of the same character as those which have been recently
designated cerebro-spinal meningitis.
With regard to the propagation of the disorder Professor Axe notices
the communication of the disease to other animals than the horse. On
this part of the subject he says:—" At the time when the disorder prevailed
in the county of Essex, Mr. Ellis, veterinary surgeon of Maldon, resolved
upon trying the efficacy of venesection. Several horses were consequently
bled, and the blood removed from them was, contrary to instructions,
thrown down in a yard adjoining the stables. During the day large
numbers of sparrows were observed to partake freely of the clot, and after
a short period to become paralysed in their wings, and unable to rise
from the ground. On the following day a sow and a dog, which had also
consumed some of the blood, were similarly affected, the latter so much
so as to lead to his destruction. Several young pigs, offspring of the sow
referred to, were at the same time seized with convulsive twitchings of the
voluntary muscles, accompanied by a greater or less degree of paralysis.
These latter animals, it should be mentioned, had not partaken of the
blood of the horse, but were at that time subsisting exclusively on the
milk of the dam."
Symptoms.—Indications of the disease in the majority of instances
appear suddenly, but in other cases before there is any appearance of
paralysis the animals show some premonitory signs of drowsiness, unsteadi-
ness in their movements, catching the toe in the ground in walking. More
commonly, however, without any warning the affected horse is found
down and almost incapable of moving. In many cases the loss of power
is apparent in the posterior half of the body, and during the progress of
the affection nearly all the muscles of motion are involved. Sometimes the
loss of power is particularly marked in muscles connected with swallowing,
so that the animals cannot take fluid or solid; in other instances the power
to eat and drink remains, while paralysis gradually extends over the body-
In the advanced stages of the disease excitement is frequently present,
alternating with spasmodic contraction of some of the muscles. The
excitement may be followed by total loss of consciousness, or it may be
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mmiiii
A- P°nio„ of spinal cord showing engorgeme„t of vessels and hemorrhagic points and patches in
g           
Arteritis.—
o-spinal meningitis.
Portion, of aorta laid open, showing patches of arteritis.                                T^irra-vtes in
C
»"»—iransverse section ot artery mnmateu ™, „?» ..-- , .                                        coat_
tunica adventitia or external coat. (*) Leucocytes infiltrating tunica mea a
n
           M Leucocytes causing irregular thickening of tunica intima or internal coat.
U- Arteritis. -Longitudinal section of inflamed artery, (a) Leucocytes infiltrating vessel wall.
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THE ABSOBBENT SYSTEM
425
exaggerated and end in frenzy. These symptoms usually indicate that
a fatal termination is at hand. During the course of the disease the
temperature is but little affected, and, excepting when complications arise,
the pulse and respiration are nearly normal. On post mortem examination
it has been found that the membranes of the brain and spinal cord are
charged with blood, and effused blood and serum are frequently found on
the brain and spinal cord. The digestive and respiratory organs, and also
the spleen and kidneys, show considerable changes in their texture.
No satisfactory explanation has been given of the origin of the disease.
It has been looked upon as infectious, and recent experience of the malady
goes to prove pretty conclusively that it is so. The fact of its recurrence
occasionally and under very different conditions is sufficient in itself to
prove that it is not due to any of the ordinary causes. Whatever the
cause may be, it is quite certain that it only exists at intervals, and also
that it affects a considerable number of animals in the district in quick
succession. The cessation of the disease is sometimes as sudden as its
appearance.
Treatment.—Of the different plans of treatment which have been
tried none has proved so successful as to claim any pre-eminence. Laxa-
tives, cold applications to the head, and in cases where muscular spasms in
the neck, for example, are present, injections of morphine have been tried
with partial success.
For the prevention of the spreading of the affection it is desirable to
remove healthy animals from the immediate neighbourhood of the sick.
Efficient cleansing and disinfection of the stables in which sick horses have
stood must on no account be neglected, and a complete change of food is
also desirable.
5. THE ABSOEBENT SYSTEM
This important system is composed of two parts, of which one is
Specially connected with the alimentary canal, whilst the other is widely
distributed throughout the body. The former is named the lacteal system,
the latter the lymphatic system. Both are composed of vessels presenting
a general resemblance to those which convey the blood, and both ulti-
mately discharge their contents into the thoracic duct, a tube which lies
beneath the vertebral column and opens directly into the anterior vena
eava. Both are interrupted in their course by glands—the lymphatic
glands—of which those in relation with the lacteals are chiefly situated
Vol. I                                                                                                                                                          29
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426                                      HEALTH AND DISEASE
in the abdomen at the root of the mesentery, whilst those connected
with the lymphatics are found in the axilla, groin, neck, thorax, &c.
The purpose of the laeteals, which have their origin in the intestine, is
to absorb or take up the constituents of the
food, in which they are assisted by the blood-
vessels, whilst the lymphatics, which are
everywhere distributed through the tissues
of the body, reconduct to the larger blood-
vessels the plasma of the blood which, having
passed through the walls of the smaller blood-
vessels, is in excess of the requirement of the
tissues, and contains some of the products of
their disintegration. As there are some dif-
ferences between the lacteal and lymphatic
vessels it will be expedient to describe them
separately, though it must be borne in mind
that they are only parts of the same system.
The Lacteal System.—It is justifiable
in common parlance to say, when an animal
has eaten a hearty meal, that it has got its
food inside it, but from a physiological point
of view the food is still in reality outside
the body, and no matter what quantity has
been ingested it is unavailable for the nutri-
tion of the tissues, or the production of heat
or of nervo-muscular force, until it has been
absorbed and assimilated. The starches, oils,
and proteids which form the staple of the
typical foods such as oats, barley, wheat,
and other cereals are, in the raw state, in-
capable of passing through the walls of the
intestine. In order that they may do so it
is necessary that they should be rendered
soluble, and this duty devolves on the
various digestive secretions, that we have
Fig. 181.—Sketch of the Lymphatic Vessels                             °
of the Fore-Leg (inner aspect)            seen are poured forth from the numerous
glands connected with the alimentary canal.
By these juices starches are converted into sugars, oils into very
fine
emulsions or into soaps, and proteids into peptones, being in each case
so modified that they are rendered capable of permeating the intestina'
walls and the vessels ramifying upon them, and thus truly entering
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THE ABSORBENT SYSTEM
427
the body and becoming first assimilated to and then incorporated
with it.
The process by which the solutions of sugar, oil, proteids, or salts
penetrate the wall of the alimentary tract is termed "osmosis", and can
easily be shown by immersing a bladder filled with thick syrup in a
jar of pure water, when a double current is immediately established.
Some of the sugar solution escapes into the surrounding water, whilst
a much larger proportion of pure water passing through the membrane
to the syrup enters the bladder, dis-
tending it to the utmost and even to
bursting.
The lacteal system may be said to
commence in the delicate velvet pile-
like processes or villi which line the
whole of the small intestine, and which
are shown in the accompanying wood-
cut (fig. 182, 1).
Each villus contains a net-work of
minute blood - vessels, not here de-
picted, surrounding a vessel of larger
size (2), which is the lacteal. The
latter, commencing near the summit
in a blind extremity or a loop, passes
down to the base of the villus, where
it joins with others to form a net-work.
Fig. 182.—Section through the Small Intestine
1 Villi. 2 Lacteal Vessels. 3 Muscular Coat.
4 Serous Coat.
These, after meeting together, emerge
from the intestine as vessels of con-
siderable size (2, 2), which accompany
the blood-vessels of the mesentery, and, gradually uniting to form larger
and larger trunks, terminate beneath the spine in a kind of sac or
bladder (receptaculum chyli) which represents the hinder end of the
thoracic duct. Whilst still contained within the villi, the lacteals are
surrounded by muscular fibres, and when these fibres contract, the villi
are changed in form from long finger-like processes into short projections,
and the fluid they have absorbed, to which the term chyle (Greek chulos,
juice) is applied, is consequently driven into the underlying net-work of
vessels. The villi thus constitute small force-pumps which, though in-
dividually feeble, yet as a result of their numbers become important agents
lri the onward movement of the lacteal fluid. The vessels forming the
net-work are provided with valves in their course which do not allow any
backward current, but compel the fluid absorbed to move on towards the
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428                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
receptacle into which it is to be poured. During fasting the lacteals only
contain a clear fluid, and were on this account long overlooked. It is
only after the consumption of oily foods or of some such fluid as milk
that they present the white appearance which has led to the name of
lacteals (Latin lac, milk) being applied to them.
Although the lacteals are highly important agents in the absorption
of the soluble constituents of the food, the part played by the blood-
vessels which ramify on the wall of the alimentary canal must not be
overlooked. In the lower Vertebrata, as in fishes, no lacteals exist, and
therefore all materials absorbed must be taken up through the walls of
the blood-vessels in these animals, while it is obvious that the presence of
a swift current of a thick fluid like blood on one side of the vascular wall
must constitute a favourable condition for the absorption of a thinner
and more diffusible fluid from the other side.
The Lymphatic System.—This system commences in the skin,
and in the little spaces between the elements of the tissues in almost all
parts of the body. It can be easily demonstrated by means of injections,
for if a needle with a fine bore be plunged into the skin or into the
muscles, and mercury or warm solution of gelatine holding some colouring
material in suspension, as vermilion or Prussian blue, be forced through
it with syringe, a beautiful and very close net-work of channels comes
into view, which is quite distinct from the blood - vessels, and has no
direct communication with them. The minuter blood - vessels, although
they come into very close relation with the cells of glands and the fibres
of muscle, do not actually touch them. There is always a layer of fluid,
named lymph, between the two, so that, separating the blood from the
actual constituents of every tissue, there are the wall of the blood-vessel
and the layer of lymph outside that wall, as well as the walls of the
vessels in which the lymph is contained, which indeed consists only of
very thin cells. It is in the irregular spaces that are thus formed that
the lymphatics arise. The spaces thus lined by flat cells soon, instead
of being irregular, become tubular.
The Lymphatic Glands. — These bodies may be likened to oval
or rounded masses of sponge, into which the lacteals convey chyle and
the lymphatics lymph.
Fig. 183 represents the structure of one of these glands. The gland
has an investing coat or capsule (7) which completely surrounds it. From
the capsule fibrous strands (6) pass into the gland, dividing it off like
partitions into spaces. The spaces round the circumference (or cortex) ot
the gland are of considerable size, and are more or less oval (3), while
the spaces towards the centre (or medulla) are irregular in shape, and
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THE ABSOEBENT SYSTEM
4i!9
smaller. The spaces are almost completely filled with masses of material,
consisting of a net-work of very delicate connective tissue, in which
white cells (4) of various sizes are entangled. This sort of tissue is called
" adenoid", or gland tissue, from the Greek, adeen, a gland. But the
masses of tissue do not quite fill the spaces. Between the outer surface
of the mass and the wall of the space are channels (5), and the channel
round one mass communicates with that of another, and those round the
edge communicate with those in the centre, so that the gland might be
looked upon as a mass of gland tissue broken up into numerous little
clumps by a series of irregularly winding and communicating channels.
The channels, moreover, are
not perfect fair-ways. They
are crossed and recrossed by
spans of the delicate tissue of
the gland, so that the whole
structure becomes not unlike
that of a sponge. Now the
lacteal vessels join the mes-
enteric gland at the margin
or outside (l), and pour their
fluid contents into the chan-
nels there. From them the
fluid filters its way to the
channels of the centre, bath-
Fig. 183.—Section of Lymphatic Gland (diagrammatic)
1 Afferent Lymph Vessel. 2 Efferent Lymph Vessel. 3 Cor-
tical Substance.
           4 Lymphatic Tissue.           5 Lymph Path.
6 Trabecule sent in from 7 Fibrous Capsule.
ing and penetrating the gland
tissue in its course, and finally joins other vessels (2), by which it is
carried away from the gland. Through these comparatively free channels
the chyle or lymph makes its way, easily entering the gland by the
afferent, and escaping by the efferent vessels, and it then carries away
from the gland but few leucocytes. When, however, the pressure of the
fluid entering the gland is augmented, either by the process of digestion
and the contraction of the villi in the case of the lacteals, or by active
niuscular movements in the case of the lymphatics, the lymph then per-
colates the substance of the gland and carries off with it by the efferent
vessels large numbers of white cells, which are swiftly poured into the
Mood, and are believed to constitute one of the sources from which the
blood corpuscles are recruited.
The main agents in effecting the movement of the lymph along its
vessels are: (l) The force of the heart, which drives the plasma through
the walls of the blood-vessels into the tissues; (2) the muscular move-
ments of the body, generally aided by the valves present in all lymphatic
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
430
vessels and the minute muscles surrounding the lacteals in the villi.
The pressure under which the lymph moves is very low, and it is dis-
charged from the thoracic duct into that part of the blood vascular system
where the pressure is lowest, namely, into the veins just before their entry
into the right auricle of the heart.
When the outward movement of the lymph towards this point is
impeded it accumulates in the vessels beyond the obstruction. This
condition is more marked, and appears earlier if the obstruction be of
such a nature as to affect the venous system as well as the lymphatic.
The conditions known as oedema and dropsy are then established.
The composition of the lymph is very similar to that of the plasma
of the blood, but it contains more water and less proteid matter. In the
case of the horse there are about ninety-five to ninety-six per cent of
water, and four or five per cent of solids, of which about three parts are
albuminous or proteid substances, the remainder consisting of salts, the
most abundant of which is common salt or sodium chloride.
The composition of chyle, consisting chiefly of the digested materials
contained in the alimentary canal, varies with the nature of the food
and the period of digestion at which it is examined. In the fasting
animal it does not differ materially from the lymph, but, with an oily
diet like milk, the proportion of fat undergoes great increase, and the
lacteals become conspicuous by their white colour. After passing through
the lymphatic glands, the lymph and chyle alike acquire the power of
coagulating or clotting, though in both instances the clot is feeble and
soft.
6. THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION
THE BLOOD
From the earliest ages the blood has been held to be one of the most
important constituents of the body, for it was natural, when death was
seen to follow alike in animals and in man the infliction of a small wound
(providing it opened a large vessel), to believe that as the blood drained
away, the life itself was leaving the body. The practice of strict JewTs of
all periods of their history, acting up to the command: " But flesh, with the
life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat", is evidence of the
strong impress the constant association of loss of blood and of life has made
on the mind of man. In many points of view it is indeed the river of life,
for its flow supplies to all parts of the body the materials requisite for their
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THE BLOOD                                                    431
development, maintenance, and repair, whilst it is in addition charged with
the vivifying oxygen it has absorbed at the lungs. On the other hand, it
carries away from each part the products of disintegration and decay, and
conducts them to the organs by which they may be severally eliminated
from the system, the most important being the carbon dioxide, which is
discharged at the lungs, and the urea, which is excreted or thrown off by
the kidneys.
The blood of the horse, like that of other mammals, is of a deep-red
colour, but brighter in the arteries than in the veins. The taste is mawkish,
the odour faint but peculiar, and its reaction to test-paper invariably alka-
line. Its specific gravity is about 1'061. It is clammy or slippery to
the touch, and is remark-
ably opaque, transmitting
but little light even in
thin layers. It is in con-
stant movement in the
body. The quantity of
the blood contained in a
horse of average size is
estimated to be about one-
eighteenth of its body
weight, or from 40 to
45 lbs., and it is con-
sidered that one-fourth is
contained in the heart and
-Blood Corpuscles
A, Coloured Blood Corpuscles adhering together in Columns
(rouleaux).
          B, Coloured Corpuscle, showing concave surface,
c, The same seen edgewise. D, E, F, Colourless Corpuscles.
larger blood-vessels, one-
fourth in the muscles, one-fourth in the liver and intestines, and the
remaining fourth in the other organs of the body. To the unassisted
eye, the blood as it issues from a wound appears to be perfectly homo-
geneous, but when examined with a microscope of moderate power it is
seen to be composed of a transparent fluid named the plasma, in which
are suspended a large number of corpuscles (fig. 184). The existence of
corpuscles in blood was first noticed in the hedgehog by the celebrated
Italian physician and anatomist Malpighi in the year 1661, who thought
they were globules of fat. They had previously been seen, in 1658, by
the Dutch anatomist Swammerdam in the frog, but this investigator lost
the credit of the discovery in consequence of his failing to publish his
observations. The real merit of recognizing the corpuscles as constant
arjd essential elements of the blood is due to another Dutch microscopist
framed Leeuwenhoek, who in 1673 observed and described them in man
aiid many other animals. Great attention has been bestowed upon them
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432                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
by numerous observers, and three chief forms of corpuscles have been
distinguished, named, respectively, red corpuscles, white corpuscles, and
blood platelets.
The red corpuscles are pale-yellow circular discs, each resembling a coin,
with edges thicker than the central part, and they are hence said to be
biconcave. Their consistence is like that of moderately firm jelly. They
have no nucleus. The transverse diameter is about 3J00 inch, and their
thickness about y^wo inch. They are a little heavier than the fluid in
which they are suspended, and consequently have a tendency to fall to
the bottom of the vessel when blood is removed from the body. This
disposition to gravitate may be observed in the living animal, since if
blood be gently drawn with a small syringe from the upper and lower
parts of a large horizontal vein—like the external jugular or neck vein
when the animal is recumbent—the number of the corpuscles contained
in the specimen taken from the lower part of the vein will be found to
be much greater than in the specimen taken from the upper part. The
number of the corpuscles in the body of a horse is inconceivably great,
but they may be counted in small quantities of blood which have been
diluted with water, and it has been ascertained that there are no less
than five or six millions in a cube -%j inch on the side, which would be
represented by a very small drop. In every hundred parts of the red
corpuscles there are about seventy parts of water and thirty parts of solids,
and if the solids be examined after the water has been evaporated, every
hundred parts are found to consist of eighty-eight parts of haemoglobin,
ten parts of proteid substance of the nature of globulin, and two parts of
lecithin and cholesterin. The haemoglobin then is the most abundant, as
it is the most important, constituent of the blood. It is to it that the blood
owes its colour, and it possesses several remarkable properties. In the first
place, it is one of the prime factors in the process of respiration, being the
carrier of oxygen between the air and the tissues, combining with this gas
in the lungs, but holding it with so weak a grasp as to surrender it to the
tissues during the brief period that it is in proximity with them whilst
traversing the more minute or capillary vessels. It is possible, although it
has not as yet been proved, that haemoglobin presents similar relations
with carbon dioxide, taking up that gas in the tissues, in exchange for the
oxygen with which it parts, and permitting its escape at the lungs in
exchange for the oxygen it there absorbs. In this case it would serve as a
carrier for both oxygen and carbon dioxide, its relations to each gas being
governed by the degree of chemical affinity between the haemoglobin and
the gas and by the tension of the gas at the moment of exposure to it-
Experiment has shown that every ten grains of haemoglobin is able to
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THE BLOOD
433
absorb about a cubic inch of oxygen gas. Its relation to carbon dioxide
is less accurately known. Another peculiarity of haemoglobin is its capa-
bility of forming crystals (fig. 185), some of the forms of which are here
shown. The shape of these crystals in the horse is prismatic, as is usual
in mammals. They are soluble in
wrater. When by various means, such
as freezing and again thawing, or by
the addition of a little chloroform or
ether to fresh blood, the haemoglobin
is rendered soluble in the plasma, the
blood retains its colour, but becomes
transparent like port wine. It is then
named laky blood. The chemical
composition of haemoglobin is extra-
ordinarily complex, one of the latest
Observers giving the formula-----                                 Fig. 185.-Crystals of Hemoglobin
Carbon.               Hydrogen.              Nitrogen.                Oxygen.           Iron and Salts.
712 ... 1130 ... 214 ... 245 ... 2
The coloured corpuscles of the blood are constantly undergoing destruc-
tion, whilst new ones take the place of those that disappear. If such a
renewal did not occur, every large loss of blood would inflict permanent
injury on the animal, whereas experience shows that recovery soon takes
place, even from abundant hemorrhage, temporary weakness being followed
by perfect restoration to health and strength. As much as a gallon of
blood may be withdrawn from the veins of a horse every month for several
months together without impairing its health. The seats of formation,
or the factories as they may be called, of the coloured corpuscles, appear
to be the absorbent glands and their tributaries; the cancellous or spongy
tissue in the heads of the long bones; the liver; spleen; thymus and
thyroid bodies, and the gland-like tissue forming the sub-mucous coat of
the alimentary canal. This difference in their place of origin may account
for minor differences observed in the size, form, and colour of both the red
and the white corpuscles. As the red corpuscles grow old they seem to
enlarge, to lose their coloured contents, and either to break up in the
vessels or to be seized upon in the spleen or other organ and consumed by
large colourless cells named phagocytes.
Additional reasons for believing that their term of life is not a long one
are, first, because great numbers of colourless corpuscles, some of which
become coloured, are added to the blood after every meal; and, secondly,
because if the blood of one animal be injected into the vessels of another,
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
434
the corpuscles, if capable of being distinguished, do not long persist in their
new host.
The white or colourless corpuscles, named also leucocytes and lympho-
cytes, are present in the blood in much smaller number than the red. The
proportion that they have to each other is not, however, a constant one,
owing to the fact just stated, that a large accession to the numbers of the
white corpuscles occurs after every meal. In the fasting state there is
about one white corpuscle to every fifteen hundred red corpuscles, whilst
after food the proportion may rise to one white to three hundred red, or
even higher. Perhaps, taking the average, the proportion is about 1:500
or 1:1000.
The white corpuscles are spheroidal in form, dotted or granular in aspect,
the granules they contain being in some instances coarse, in others fine,
indicating in all pro-
bability a difference
in their place of ori-
gin. By the action
of various chemical
substances a nucleus
is brought into view,
and sometimes two
or three appear with
Fig. 186.—Colourless Blood Corpuscles, showing successive changes of outline preat         distinctness
during a period of ten minutes                                         ^
Their diameter is
about as^o inch. Their most remarkable character is the power they
possess of undergoing changes of form and of moving from place to
place (fig. 186). They act, in fact, as if they were parasites, living in
the blood, but not necessarily confined to that medium. If a drop of
blood be received upon the warmed stage of a microscope, and evaporation
be prevented, they may be seen to exhibit perfectly independent move-
ments, thrusting out little processes in this or that direction and with-
drawing them again, exactly as an amoeba would do if placed under the
same conditions. By this means they are able to pass through the walls
of the smaller blood-vessels and then wander freely through the outlying
tissues, a process that is termed diapedesis.
The small corpuscles known as platelets are flattened, disc-shaped, or
irregular particles, in regard to the nature of which little has been ascer-
tained.
The plasma of the blood, in which the corpuscles are suspended, is a.
clear fluid having a specific gravity a little less than that of the corpuscles,
which, therefore, when the blood is at rest, have a tendency to fall to the
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THE BLOOD
435
bottom of the vessel. It contains a large proportion of nutritive material
in the form of albuminous constituents, amongst which fibrinogen, serum-
globulin, and serum-albumin are the most important, and it is also the
solvent of many other bodies on their way to the tissues, or which result
from the decay and disintegration of the various organs. Thus sugar,
fats, urea, uric and hippuric acids, cholesterin and lecithin, and many
salts are constant constituents. The following table shows the results
obtained from the analysis of the blood-plasma of the horse by two excel-
lent chemists, No. I being the result obtained by Professor Hoppe Seyler
and No. II that of Professor Hammarsten.
Hoppe Seyler only examined the blood-plasma of one horse; Professor
Hammarsten of three, of which he took the mean.
No. I.                     No. II.
908-4 ......       917-6
Solids
Total albuminous bodies
Fibrin            ......
Globulin
Serum albumin
Fat .........
Extractives ...
Soluble salts ...
Insoluble salts
91-6 ......        82-4
77-6 ......         69-5
10-1 ......          6-5
— ......        38-4
— ......        24-6
1-2^1
1-7 J
The Coagulation of the Blood.—When the blood is withdrawn
from the body, it sets, coagulates, or clots, becoming converted from a fluid
into a jelly. This process occasionally occurs in disease, whilst the blood is
still contained within the vessels. It takes place in different animals with
various degrees of rapidity; thus in the blood of birds less than a minute
suffices to complete the change, while a quarter of an hour or twenty
minutes may elapse before the blood of the horse becomes a solid mass.
Violent muscular efforts made by the animal before the blood is drawn, or
the rapid cooling of the blood, effected by surrounding the vessel into which
it is drawn with ice, retard coagulation almost indefinitely. If the process
of coagulation be carefully watched, it will be seen that on account of the
corpuscles being heavier than the plasma, they sink through that fluid,
tl, eir descent being aided by their disposition to adhere together by their
broad surfaces, forming rouleaux (see fig. 181), and so presenting their
edges to the fluid. The white corpuscles, though heavier than the plasma,
are lighter than the red, and hence form a thin layer on the surface of the
latter, the whole being surmounted by a moderately thick layer of plasma.
Whether this separation of blood into layers have taken place or no, the
whole mass becomes first viscous and then solid, the difference resembling
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
436
that seen in the white of egg before and after boiling, or in gelatine before
and after setting. The consistence of the clot is about equal to that of red-
currant jelly. After the lapse of a few minutes a further change may be
seen. The clot contracts, and minute drops of a clear fluid begin to exude
from the surface. This is the separation of the serum from the clot; and,
as the contraction continues for many hours, the clot is ultimately covered
and surrounded by a layer of clear fluid of considerable depth. When the
separation of the freshly-drawn blood into three layers has taken place, the
contraction of the upper layer of plasma, being unhindered by the presence
of corpuscles, causes the upper surface to be much depressed in the centre,
and its colour being yellowish, such clot is spoken of as being " buffed and
cupped ". It is, of course, not observed when clotting has taken place too
quickly for the corpuscles to sink through the plasma. Coagulation of the
blood is believed to result from the breaking up into two parts of a proteid
substance named fibrinogen, naturally existing in solution in the plasma.
One of these parts is a globulin which, under the influence of a ferment
existing in the white corpuscles, remains in solution; the other is fibrin,
which immediately solidifies, forming a delicate net-work in the meshes of
which the corpuscles are entangled, and which, subsequently contracting,
squeezes out the serum. The calcium salts also play an important part in
the process.
THE MECHANISM OF THE CIRCULATION
The blood, the characters of which have just been considered, circulates
through the body by the agency of the heart and blood-vessels. The
heart is a portion of the vascular system, consisting of a compact but
hollow mass of muscle that acts rhythmically as a pump, and, owing to
the presence of valves suitably placed, drives the blood in one constant
direction through the body. It is placed in the thorax or chest, and is
protected from injury by the breast-bone and the firm but elastic ribs
and spine, and also owing to its being enveloped to a large extent by
the spongy tissue of the lungs. It is enclosed in a tough membranous
bag named the pericardium, lined internally by a serous membrane, the
smooth and polished surfaces of which, moistened with the fluid they
secrete, reduce friction to a minimum. The general course pursued by
the blood is from the heart, through the arteries and their ramifications,
named capillaries, onward to the veins, by which it is again conducted
to the heart. Although in appearance single, the heart is really a double
organ, the two parts being united for the sake of economy of space and
material, and also to enable them to work eqjably and simultaneously-
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIRCULATION
437
One of these hearts, the right, forces the blood through the pulmonary
artery to the lungs, from whence, by the pulmonary veins, it returns to
the left heart. The right heart is therefore called the pulmonary heart,
a*id is the effective agent in the lesser or pulmonary circulation. The
left heart is by far the stronger of the two hearts, and drives the blood
through the aorta and its branches over the system at large, from whence
*t is returned to the right heart by two large veins (venae cavae). Hence
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
438
it has been named the systemic heart, and is the main agent in effecting
the greater or systemic circulation. The right heart forces dark or venous
blood, charged with carbon dioxide, through the lungs, where, becoming
aerated by losing that gas and absorbing oxygen, it returns to the left
heart as bright or arterial blood, and is distributed to the body generally.
The heart as a whole weighs about 7 lbs. Its length is about 10 inches,
and its width at the base about 7 or 8 inches. It is of conical form,
the base being directed to the spine. The capacity of each cavity is
estimated to be about lj pint. The heart is composed of a form of
muscular tissue intermediate between the striated and unstriated. The
Figs. 189 and 190.—Diagrammatic Views of the Heart, showing Valves open and closed
A, Pulmonary Artery, b, Posterior Vena Cava, c, Anterior Vena Cava. B.A., Eight Auricle. * Auriculo-
Ventricular Opening (open in the first figure and closed in the second).
        R.v., Right Ventricle. ■»—► Course
of Blood. s.v., Semilunar Valves (closed in the first figure, open in the second).
external or superficial layers run obliquely over both ventricles; the inner
or deeper layers are confined to the right and left ventricles respectively-
Each heart presents two cavities, an upper one, named the auricle, and
a lower one, named the ventricle; so that there are two auricles and two
ventricles, or four cavities in all. The right auricle receives the two
venae cavse or large systemic veins above, and opens by a wide orifice
into the right ventricle below, the aperture being guarded by the
tricuspid valve. From the upper part of the right ventricle the pul-
monary artery arises, the orifice of which is also guarded by the three
semilunar valves. A similar arrangement exists on the left side. The
pulmonary veins have no valves. They open into the left auricle above,
and this communicates by a large orifice, guarded by the bicuspid valve,
with the left ventricle below. From the left ventricle arises the aort»>
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIRCULATION
439
the orifice of which is also guarded by three semilunar or sigmoid
valves.
The heart of the horse beats in health about forty times in the minute.
The order of succession in the contraction is that the two auricles beat
simultaneously, and then the two ventricles. Then there is a pause. The
duration of the contraction is nearly the same as the pause. The con-
traction of the heart is named the systole. During the systole the whole
heart becomes shorter and more conical in form, and twists a little upon
its long axis towards the right. This contraction of the heart commences
above at the opening of the great veins, which, being here surrounded
by muscular bands, nearly close, and thus greatly impede, but do not
altogether prevent, the backward
flow of the blood from the heart
into the venous system. From
the great veins a wave of con-
traction instantly spreads over the
auricles, driving the blood they
contain through the auriculo-
ventricular valves into the ven-
tricles, which, already containing
a little blood that has gravitated
into them, are now distended to
the utmost. There is no appreci
able interval between the contrac-
tion of the auricles and that of
the ventricles, but the wave of
contraction continuing, without
Fig. 191.—Section of the Heart, showing the Valvular
Apparatus
A, Aorta. B, Pulmonary Artery, c, Mitral Valve.
D, Tricuspid Valve.
stay or stop, to spread from the
auricles, makes the ventricles close upon their contents. The first effect
of this is to raise the auriculo-ventricular valves and approximate their
edges, and thus to prevent any return of blood into the auricles. The
next is to propel the blood contained by the ventricles into the pulmonary
artery and the aorta, for distribution through the lungs in the one case and
over the general system in the other. In so doing the blood forces open
the semilunar and sigmoid valves in these vessels and compels the whole
mass of blood to move onwards. But as the column of blood resting on
the valves just before they are forced open is quiescent, a brief period is
required to overcome its inertia, and a remarkable provision against the
J&r that would otherwise be felt through the body, from the vigour and
suddenness of the heart's systole, is found in the elasticity of the coats
°f the large vessels. Whilst, then, a part of the heart's force drives the
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
440
blood forwards, a part is expended in dilating the arteries. As soon as
the contraction is completed, relaxation immediately follows, and the
heart passes into the state of commencing dilatation. The great vessels
into which the blood has been forced now retract, and the first effect is
to close the semilunar valves, and thus to prevent the return of the
blood into the ventricles, whilst the next is to compel the onward move-
ment of the blood in the vessels; the elastic reaction of the stretched
walls restoring to the circulation during the diastole the force temporarily
borrowed from the heart. The wave which is produced by the injection
of blood into the vessels when the heart contracts is the pulse, but the
closure of the semilunar valves is so sudden, and follows so immediately
upon the contraction, that a reflex wave from the valves succeeds the
main systolic wave and forms a part of the pulse. This is known as
the dicrotic wave.
If the ear be applied to the chest two sounds may be heard to accom-
pany the action of the heart; the first is dull and prolonged, the second
is shorter, sharper, and ends abruptly. The first sound owes its origin
mainly to the sudden tension of the auriculo-ventricular valves in the right
and left hearts, but is almost certainly intensified by the muscular sound
of the contracting ventricles. The second sound is exclusively due to the
sudden tension of the aortic sigmoid, and pulmonary semilunar valves
which guard the orifices of the aorta and pulmonary artery respectively.
Both sounds are therefore valvular, and any rent, or inequality, or imper-
fection in the valves, permitting the blood to flow in the wrong direction,
or causing friction, as in heart disease, causes alteration in the characters
of the sounds easily recognized by the practised ear. The frequency of
the beats of the heart is increased by exercise, by food, and by mental
emotions. They are more frequent in the morning than at night, in the
young than in the old, and in the female as compared with the male.
The Nerves of the Heart.—The heart continues to beat in an
orderly and regular manner even when quite removed from the body,
and in the process of development the speck which represents it in the
young begins to beat rhythmically long before any nerves are formed.
These circumstances show that its action is to a large extent independent
of the great centres of the nervous system, whilst on the other hand the
readiness with which the heart responds to disturbing conditions of the
general system, in regard alike to the frequency and the strength of its
beats, clearly indicates that it is under the control of certain nerves which
can be demonstrated by anatomical as well as by physiological evidence
to have intimate relations with it. The nerves distributed to the heart
are derived from the spinal cord and medulla oblongata, as well as from
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIRCULATION                       441
the sympathetic nerve. They have been divided into the accelerating
and the restraining or inhibitory nerves. The accelerating nerves leave
the spinal cord at the fore part of the dorsal region, and pass to the first
dorsal ganglion of the great sympathetic chain, and after a short course
are distributed to the heart. Stimulation of these branches causes the
heart to beat more frequently.
The inhibitory or restraining nerves of the heart are derived from the
medulla oblongata, and run in the vagus nerve. Their peculiarity is that,
instead of causing contraction of the muscle to which they are distributed,
they induce relaxation, so that when stimulated they stop the heart in
diastole, that is, in a condition of relaxation; whilst when less strongly
stimulated they cause it to beat more slowly. The effect is not, however,
persistent, for even if the vagal branches continue to be strongly stimu-
lated, the heart after a time recommences to beat more quickly and more
strongly than before. The administration of belladonna, or of its active
principle atropine, prevents the inhibitory effect from manifesting itself
when the vagus is stimulated, and a similar action is exerted by curara
and by nicotine. On the other hand, muscarin, a poison obtained from
a mushroom (Amanita muscaria), seems to stimulate or intensify the
inhibitory influence.
The heart is in unceasing movement day and night. Yet it has, like
other muscles, its period of rest; for expenditure of force is only taking
place during contraction, which occupies about one-half of the whole cycle
of its action. It differs, therefore, from the ordinary muscles that are under
the control of the will only in the circumstance that, instead of long spells
of greater or less activity occurring alternately with the complete rest of
sleep, its periods of work and rest have only short intermissions. The
force it exerts is immense. If we estimate that the quantity of blood
driven out of the left ventricle at each contraction is the low amount of
1 pint or pound, and that it is raised about 10 feet, which represents the
blood pressure, the work done is 10 foot-pounds per beat. Taking the
number of beats at 40 per minute, we have 400 lbs. raised 1 foot per
minute, or 1 lb. raised 400 feet. If this be multiplied by the number
of minutes in an hour, and of hours in the day, the surprising number
of 576,000 foot-pounds, or more than 257 foot-tons, raised in twenty-four
hours is obtained, which represents the work done by the left ventricle.
The work of the right ventricle is estimated at one-third of this amount.
The duration of one complete circulation of all the blood is about 27
seconds.
The Blood-vessels.—The first vessels into which the blood is driven
by the beat of the heart are the arteries. These are tubes which conduct
Vol. I                                                                                                                                                          30
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442                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
it from the heart to all parts of the body. Of large size where they
commence, the pulmonary artery from the right ventricle and the aorta
from the left ventricle, they divide and subdivide almost always at an
acute angle till they terminate in the capillaries. They possess three
tunics or coats. The outer one, sometimes named the adventitia, is thin,
strong, and resistant, and is composed of connective tissue, with some
elastic fibres; in it run the small vessels and nerves which supply the
walls of the vessels themselves. The middle coat differs according to
whether a large or a small artery is under observation. In the larger
arteries it is chiefly composed of elastic
fibres, with a few unstriped muscular fibres
interspersed amongst them. In the smaller
arteries the elastic tissue becomes progres-
sively less and less marked as they diminish
in size, being replaced by the muscular
tissue, which at last forms almost the whole
thickness of the middle coat, the fibres for
the most part running in a circular direc-
tion. The internal coat is composed of a
sheet of elastic tissue with large apertures
in it. It is lined by a layer of flat, endo-
thelial cells, which are therefore in contact
with the current of blood traversing the
vessels. The nerves of the arteries form
net-works in the substance of the vessel
Fig. 192. —Transverse Section through a
small Artery and Vein
wall. The several coats of the arteries
endow them with strength to enable them
A, Artery. V, Vein, a, Endothelial Cells
with Nuclei.
          b, Elastic Layer of Tunica
Intima. c, Tunica Media, d, Nuclei of its
Muscular Fibres, e, Tunica Adventitia, show-
ing Connective-tissue Fibres and Corpuscles.
to resist the pressure of the blood, and also
with elasticity and contractility. The elas-
ticity is best marked in the large arteries,
the contractility in the smaller ones. Both
properties fulfil very important purposes. With each beat of the heart
a pint or more of blood is suddenly injected into each of the great
arteries. The shock and jar that this would produce through the entire
system is almost entirely abolished by the great elasticity of the walls
of the pulmonary artery and aorta. These vessels yield, and, greatly
widening, receive the new column of blood with facility. But on the
instant of the heart ceasing to deliver the last drop of its contents, they
immediately recoil. The first effect of the recoil is to close the semilunar
valves, the next to cause the blood to move onwards and distend the
next part of the artery in front. This having expanded, though to &
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIBCULATION
443
less degree (for part of the blood in the arteries is escaping into the
capillaries), now retracts on the blood within it, and as the arteries at
each division present a larger area, and therefore a broader stream,
whilst more and more blood is entering the great capillary sea, the inter-
rupted current observed in the larger vessels, due to the intermittent
action of the heart, is gradually converted in the smaller vessels into a
uniform, steady, and continuous stream. Thus the pulse, which is very
perceptible in the larger vessels, becomes imperceptible in the smaller
ones. Subsidiary purposes for which the elasticity is useful are that it
enables the limbs to be freely bent and stretched and otherwise moved
without risk of rupture. It also enables the arteries to accommodate
themselves to the considerable variations that occur in the absolute
quantity of blood in the system. Lastly, the elasticity of the vessels
reduces the chances of death by hemorrhage, partly by retracting the
cut artery in its sheath, and partly by diminishing its calibre. The elas-
ticity of the vessels is not a new or active force in effecting the circulation;
it is passive, and represents the stored-up energy of the heart, which,
during contraction, is expended in dilating the large vessels, and is given
out again by them during the period of quiescence or relaxation of the
heart.
The Pulse.—The pulse is the wave-like movement which traverses
the arteries with each beat of the heart, and which is perceived when a
vessel is slightly compressed with the fingers against an unyielding surface.
The arteries, in health, are always distended with blood, as shown by the
spurt which takes place when one is divided, and when a fresh quantity
"is injected into it by the heart.
The Contractility Of the Arteries, unlike the property of elasticity,
is feebly marked in the larger trunks and their primary branches, whilst it
becomes more conspicuous in the smaller vessels. It is the means by which
the supply of blood to the several organs is regulated in accordance with
their condition of activity or repose. To take an example amongst many
that might be given, the stomach during fasting receives a supply of blood
sufficient to minister to the nutrition of the tissues of which its walls are
composed. The vessels in this condition are contracted, and the colour of
the organ is a pale pink; but after a hearty meal, when the process of diges-
tion is in course of active performance, when gastric juice is being poured
forth and absorption is proceeding, a much larger supply of blood is needed.
Under the influence of certain (dilatator) nerves, by means of which the
muscular tissue of the wall of the vessels is caused to relax, their calibre
enlarges, a freer current of blood passes through them, and the whole organ
becomes congested and of a deep rose-red hue. When the digestive process
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444                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
is completed, and the blood-supply is no longer required, the contractility
of the vascular walls comes into play again under the influence of another
set of nerves (constrictor), chiefly proceeding from the sympathetic system.
The vessels now contract, the mucous membrane becomes pallid, secretion
and absorption cease, and the organ resumes its normal condition in the
fasting state. A similar succession of events may be observed in every
organ of the body that undergoes variations in functional activity, as in
the brain during mental effort, and in the muscles during exercise.
Blood Pressure.—That when the skin is cut the blood spurts out is
a proof that it is subject to pressure within the vessels. The Rev. Stephen
Hales, the rector of Faringdon in Hampshire, was the first, at the beginning
of the eighteenth century, to estimate what the degree of that pressure is in
the living animal, and the animal he selected was the horse. He caused a
mare to be tied down on her back, opened the main artery of the thigh,
inserted into it a brass pipe the bore of which was ^ inch in diameter, and
to this, by means of another brass pipe, which was accurately adapted to it,
he fixed a glass tube, of nearly the same diameter, which was 9 feet in
length. On untying the ligature previously placed on the artery, he
observed the blood to rise in the tube 8 feet 3 inches perpendicular above
the level of the left ventricle of the heart. This experiment was an original
and a highly instructive one. It has often been repeated, not only in the
horse, but in many other animals. The result of many observations has
been to show that the pressure of the blood in the vessels is equal to that
of a column of mercury 150 to 200 millimetres, or from 6 to 8 inches in
height. But Hales pushed his experiment a step farther. He proceeded
to investigate the effects of loss of blood on the general blood pressure.
He measured the blood as it ran out of the artery, and after each quart of
blood had escaped he refixed the glass tube to the artery " to see how much
the force of the blood was abated ". This he repeated to the eighth quart,
and then, its force being much lowered, he applied the glass tube after each
pint had flowed out. He noted several remarkable circumstances. First,
that as each quart of blood was removed the blood pressure sank consider-
ably, but after the lapse of a minute, more or less, it again began to rise,
and although it did not rise to its original level, yet it ultimately attained,
on each occasion, a level higher than that to which it had previously fallen-
This, there can be no reasonable doubt, was mainly due to the vessels
accommodating themselves by virtue of their elasticity and their con-
tractility to the reduced volume of their contents. Again, it was found-
that the decrease in the blood pressure was not strictly proportionable to
the quantity of blood withdrawn; indeed, it sometimes rose above the level
attained during the previous emission, which was probably due to variations
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIRCULATION
445
in the degree of contraction and relaxation of the muscles in the walls of
the vessels, and in the strength of the contraction of the heart. The blood
pressure immediately rose when the animal strained its muscles to get loose
—an effect that was due to the muscular contractions, especially those of
the abdominal muscles, forcing much blood towards the heart. In this cele-
brated experiment about a quart of blood was lost in making the several
trials, and Hales estimated that about 17 quarts were lost in all before the
animal died. Taking into account the blood that was obtained from the
vessels after death, he considered that 44 lbs. was a low estimate of the
total quantity of blood in the horse.
The cause of the blood pressure is twofold. On the one hand the heart
is always engaged in driving into the vessels, which are already distended,
or more than full, an additional quantity of blood; and on the other the
current of the blood experiences great resistance to its onward passage in
the smaller vessels, owing to their reduced diameter and the great friction
that it consequently experiences in traversing them. The blood pressure
would be much greater than it is were it not that, owing to the large
number of the capillary vessels, the channel is greatly increased, the
united area of the capillaries having been estimated to be eight hundred
times greater than that of the aorta.
The rate of movement of the blood through the arteries is estimated to
be about 1 foot 8 inches per second.
Prevention of Death by Hemorrhage.—Several circumstances
concur to prevent the loss of life that would certainly occur, owing to
the fluidity of the blood, when even a small vessel is divided. The first
and most important of these is the almost complete closure of the opening
of the tube by the contraction of the muscular tissue forming its walls.
This tissue, as has been already stated, is most abundant in the small
vessels which are chiefly exposed to such injuries. The closure of the.
vessel is of course aided by the elastic coat, which, being less and less
distended, recoils as the blood pressure falls with the escape of blood
from the system. Then the arteries are enclosed by a loose sheath, and
when cut their proper walls retract to a considerable distance within it,
leaving a narrow and tortuous passage, which impedes the exit of the
blood. Again, the innermost coat of the artery is highly elastic, and has
a tendency, when divided, to roll up within the artery, and thus to form a
kind of valve, which is an additional obstacle to the escape of the blood.
The coagulation of the blood of course plays an important part in arresting
hemorrhage; a clot speedily forms in the loose tissue near the arterial or
venous wound, which gradually stops up the opening and forms a plug for
some distance up the vessel. Moreover, when much blood has been lost
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
446
the heart beats more rapidly, indeed, but much more feebly; and with faint-
ness and loss of consciousness the current of blood almost ceases. Finally,
the convulsions that are the precursors of death drive the few remaining
drops to the heart, and, by stimulating it to contract, afford the last chance
of life being preserved.
The Capillaries.—As the arteries proceed to the proper tissues of the
body, they divide and subdivide till they are no longer visible to the un-
assisted eye, and they finally break up into minute vessels named capillaries,
the size of which is tolerably uniform for each organ. These communicate
freely with each other and form a mesh or web, the arrangement of which
presents variations corresponding to the structure of the organ in which
they exist, being ladder-like in muscle, tuft-like in the kidney, and basket-
like round the lobules of fat and of glands.
The wall of the capillaries is formed of a delicate basement membrane
with a lining of flattened cells (endothelium), or even of the cells alone.
Through this thin wall the white corpuscles of the blood seem to be able to
bore without leaving any rent behind them, just as a needle may be thrust
through the wall of a soap-bubble and withdrawn without causing the
bubble to burst. The corpuscles then become free, and can move about in
the interspaces of the adjoining tissues; but whether they die there or re-
enter the vessels is unknown. This process, in which the white corpuscles
pass out of the vessels, is named diapedesis. The current of blood is not
always the same in the same capillary vessel, the direction being dependent
upon the increase of pressure behind, that is, on the arterial side, or the
relief of pressure in front or on the venous side. In examining the circula-
tion in the capillaries it will be seen that they are not large enough in
many parts to admit two coloured corpuscles abreast, and they consequently
follow each other in single file; but in the somewhat larger vessels the red
corpuscles occupy the centre of the stream, whilst the white corpuscles roll
lazily along at the margin in close contact with the inner surface of the
wall of the vessel. It is in the play of the fluids within and without
the capillary vessels that an important part of the processes of nutrition
is transacted, the blood surrendering to the fluid which moistens their
external wall the soluble materials for the nutrition of the tissues, whilst
it takes up from that fluid the soluble products of the degeneration
and decay of the tissues. The capillaries of the lungs are very large,
and form a close net-work. Those of the brain are minute and less
close. The average diameter of the capillaries may be taken to be &
little larger than the diameter of the corpuscles of the blood of the same
animal. The pressure of the blood in the capillaries is considerable, being
capable of supporting a column of mercury about 1 inch in height. The
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THE MECHANISM OF THE CIECULATION
447
blood flows through them at the rate of about one twenty-fifth of an inch
in a second.
The veins have thinner walls than the arteries, are more numerous than
they, and have much greater capacity, containing, according to the estimate
of Haller, about twice as much blood. They communicate with each other
by large branches very frequently in their passage to the heart, and in
structure very much resemble the arteries. The principal instance where
veins do not convey the blood directly to the heart is the great portal vein,
which conducts the blood from the intestines to the liver, and there breaks
up into a second system of capillaries, which unite together again to form
the hepatic vein; a similar arrangement occurs in the case of the kidney.
In the veins of the neck and limbs, however, differences are found in
the form of numerous valves, usually arranged in pairs, and at tolerably
regular distances from each other. These valves are composed of a reflexion
of the inner coat, strengthened with some connective-tissue fibres, and near
their base have also a small amount of involuntary muscle. The function
discharged by the veins is to convey the blood back to the heart. The
veins collectively, though there are a few exceptions, convey the blood to
the heart, and run side by side with the arteries after which they are
named. The radial artery is thus accompanied by the radial vein or veins,
the brachial artery by the brachial veins. There are often two or more
veins to one artery. The veins are more exposed than the arteries, as is
seen in those of the neck, face, body, and limbs. Their capacity is greater
than that of the arteries, and the blood flows through them with a uniform
and continuous current, but more slowly, the velocity of the current being
about 1 foot per second. They communicate freely with one another, and
hence obstruction in any one vein is of less importance than in the case of
an artery, since the flow of blood hindered or arrested in one channel of the
former easily finds escape by another.
The Chief Arteries and Veins.—We may now, with advantage,
take a short survey of the chief vessels that have their origin in the
heart, and which are engaged in the distribution of the blood through the
system. The large arteries rarely join each other as do the veins, and
the blood which traverses them always pursues the same direction. The
capillaries, on the other hand, freely anastomose or unite together, and
the blood they contain sometimes runs in one, sometimes in the opposite
direction, through them; and as many arteries open into the same capillary
net-work, this arrangement effectively prevents the serious consequences
that would result in the case of obstruction or division of an artery, unless,
indeed, the artery injured is a very large one, and is the parent trunk of
the several arteries which open into the same capillary plexus. If, for
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
448
example, the aorta in a rabbit is tied above its division into the two
iliacs, thus depriving the lower limbs of their whole supply of blood, the
legs soon begin to drag, and become permanently paralysed, though even
then, if the limbs are kept warm and preserved from injury, by placing
the animal on cotton-wool, a secondary circulation through collateral vessels
above and below the point of ligature may in course of time become estab-
lished, and the power and action of the limb be restored.
The pulmonary artery is a great trunk which arises from the upper and
left side of the right ventricle. Its orifice is guarded by three semilunar
valves (fig. 191, d), which are forced open at each contraction of the heart,
but close during its relaxation, and then completely prevent the return of
the blood into the right ventricle. It conducts the blood to the lungs,
and after a short course divides beneath the trachea into a right and left
branch, which accompany the respective bronchi to the lungs, where they
break up into many branches, and terminate in the capillary net-work that
surrounds the alveoli or air-cells. The pulmonary artery conveys impure
or venous blood to be aerated at the lungs from whence it is returned,
charged with oxygen and freed from carbon dioxide, by the pulmonary
veins to the left auricle. Just before the pulmonary artery divides, an
oblique cord (fig. 187, da) runs from it to the posterior aorta. This is
an obliterated blood-vessel named the "ductus arteriosus Botalli", which
before birth transmitted the impure venous blood mainly returning from
the head and fore extremities to the trunk and hind-limbs. Immediately
after birth, and as a result of the change in the circulation and the entrance
of air into the lungs, this vessel ceases to convey blood and undergoes
atrophy, becoming an impervious band.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE SYSTEMIC ARTEKIES
Excepting as regards the lungs, all the arteries distributed over the
system have their origin in the aorta (fig. 193). This vessel, the largest
in the body, arises from the base of the heart, where it is continuous with
the left ventricle, from which it is separated by the semilunar valves. It
receives the blood discharged from that cavity at each contraction.
The Aorta is a very capacious but short vessel, measuring only from
2 to 3 inches in length. After leaving the ventricle it soon divides into two
unequal parts—the anterior and the posterior aortse; but before doing so
it gives off two vessels, whose branches enter the substance of the heart
for the nourishment of its tissue. These are the right and left coronary
arteries.
Anterior Aorta.—This vessel, the smaller of the divisions of the
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DISTEIBUTION OF ARTERIES—I
Anterior Mesenteric Artery
1.   Posterior aorta.
2.   Anterior division of anterior mesen-
teric artery.
3.   Right division of anterior mesenteric
artery.
4.  Artery of the arch of the csecum.
5.   Superior csecal artery.
6.   Ilio-cascal artery.
7.   Bunch of arteries to small intestine
8.   First artery to single colon.
9.   Right colic artery.
10. Left or retrograde colic artery.
a.   First part of colon.
b.   Suprasternal flexure.
c.   Second part of colon.
d.   Pelvic flexure.
E.   Third part of colon.
F.   Diaphragmatic flexure.
0.   Fourth part of colon.
h.
  Caecum.
i.   Ilium.
j.   Great mesentery,
K.   Small intestine.
1.   Duodenum.
Arteries of Stomach,
1.   Left lobe of liver.
2.   Middle lobe of liver.
3.   Right lobe of liver.
4.   Vena porta.
5.   Hepatic artery.
6.   Right sac of stomach.
7.   Left sac of stomach.
8.  Gastric splenic omentum.
9.   Anterior gastric artery.
10.  Posterior gastric artery.
11.   Gastric artery.
12.   Right gastro-omental artery
13.   Left gastro-omeutal artery
14.   Spleen.
15.   Splenic artery.
16.   Pyloric artery.
17.   Duodenal artery.
Spleen, Liver, Kidneys, &c.
18.   Duodenum.
19.   Right kidney.
20.   Suprarenal capsule.
21.   Right renal artery.
22.  Ureter.
23.   Left kidney.
24.   Left renal artery.
25.   Left suprarenal capsule.
26.   Left ureter.
27.   Anterior mesenteric artery.
28.  Cceliac axis.
29.  Posterior aorta.
30. 30. Circumflex iliac arteries.
31.  31. External iliac arteries.
32.  32. Internal iliac arteries.
33.   Posterior vena cava.
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Arteries to stomach, spleen, liver, kidneys, &c.
Anterior mesenteric artery.
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ARTERIES—1
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DISTRIBUTION OF THE SYSTEMIC ARTERIES
449
common aorta, is about 2 to 2\ inches in length. On leaving its parent
trunk it passes in a forward direction beneath the trachea or windpipe,
and soon divides into two unequal branches, one passing to the right and
the other to the left. The right one is the arteria innominata, and the
left one the axillary artery. The right branch is much the larger of the
two, for in addition to giving blood to the fore-limb and the anterior
part of the trunk, like its fellow, it also supplies the head by means of
a large branch, the cephalic artery. Each of these vessels, on leaving
the anterior aorta, gives off eight branches of considerable size, as
follows:—
1.  Dorsal.                                                 5. External Thoracic.
2.  Superior Cervical.                                6. Inferior Cervical.
3.  Vertebral.                                            7. Supra-scapular.
4.  Internal Thoracic.                                8. Subscapular.
These vessels divide and subdivide in their course, and furnish blood to the
withers, the neck, the shoulders, and the walls of the chest. The vertebral
artery requires special notice, inasmuch as it courses along the neck, partly
enclosed in small bony canals in the transverse processes of the six anterior
cervical vertebrae. In its course it supplies many branches to the deep
cervical muscles, and others which enter the spinal canal and are distributed
to the spinal cord.
After giving off the arteries above-named, the axillary descends along
the inner aspect of the upper arm, where it takes the name of the brachial
or humeral artery.
Brachial or Humeral Artery.—This vessel descends on the inner
aspect of the humerus and distributes branches to the muscles of the upper
arm and other adjacent structures, the larger and more important of which
a,re—
1.  Prehumeral, or Anterior Circumflex.                    3. Ulnar.
2.  Deep Humeral, or Humeralis Profunda.               4. Artery of the Biceps.
On nearing the upper extremity of the radius or forearm the humeral
artery divides into two unequal branches, the anterior and posterior radials:
one, the smaller anterior radial, passes in a forward direction, and after
distributing several small vessels to the extensor muscles, courses its way
down the front of the leg as far as the knee, to which it furnishes
numerous small branches.
The Posterior Radial, much more voluminous than the anterior,
descends on the inner side of the radius or forearm, where it is covered
by the flexor metacarpi internus muscle. In its course along the limb
the posterior radial gives off branches to the elbow-joint, the flexor
and extensor muscles, the skin, and also to the knee-joint. On reaching
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
450
the latter it divides into two: (1.) The small Metacarpal Artery. (2.) The
large Metacarpal Artery. The former,
superficially placed at first on the
inner side of the knee, dips clown
behind the head of the canon-bone.
It crosses to the outer side by pass-
ing between the suspensory and the
subcarpal ligament. Here it anasto-
moses with a branch from the supra-
carpal arch to form the subcarpal
arch, which then proceeds to give off
the anterior and posterior interosseous
arteries, which supply blood to the
structures behind and in front of the
canon-bone, to the bone itself, to its
periosteum or covering, and to the
5-fe
flexor tendons.
The large metacarpal artery de-
scends on the inner side and some-
what in front of the flexor tendons
until it reaches the sesamoid bones,
where it divides into two parts, the
internal and external digital arteries.
These vessels pursue a downward
course over the fetlock-joint, giving
off branches before and behind to
the tissues in the region of the pas-
tern, and finally, entering the foot,
Fig. 193.—Diagram of Circulation
A, A, Posterior Vena Cava. B, Anterior Vena Cava.
C, Pulmonary Artery. D, Hepatic Veins. E, Vena
Porta.
           F, Renal Vein.           R, Spermatic Vein.
H, Posterior Mesenteric Vein.         2 Pulmonary Vein.
2 Anterior Aorta. 3, 4 Posterior Aorta. 5 Splenic
Artery.
          6 Hepatic Artery.          7 Gastric Artery.
8 Anterior Mesenteric Artery.             9 Renal Artery.
10 Spermatic Artery. n Posterior Mesenteric Artery.
L.K., Left Kidney, r.k., Right Kidney. DIA., Dia-
phragm.
         E.L., Right Lung.          L.L., Left Lung.
E.V., Right Ventricle. L.v., Left Ventricle.
stom. , Stomach. sp., Spleen.
they break up into a number of
vessels and supply the frog, the coro-
nary cushion, the sensitive laminae,,
the coffin-bone, and other parts con-
tained within the hoof. This artery
is situated between the plantar nerve
behind and the internal metacarpal
vein in front.
Cephalic Artery.—This vessel,
as we have previously pointed out,
is a branch of the right axillary and runs forward beneath the trachea
until it reaches the entrance to the chest, where it divides into a right
and left carotid artery.
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DISTRIBUTION OF THE SYSTEMIC ABTEEIES                   451
Carotid Arteries.—These vessels ascend the neck, one on the right
and the other on the left side of the trachea, in company with two
important nerves, the vago-sympathetic and the recurrent. On reaching
the larynx, they each divide into three vessels—the external carotid, the
internal carotid, and the occipital.
1.   The External Carotid supplies on each side the external parts of
the head. It runs beneath the parotid gland, behind the angle of the jaw,
and distributes its branches to the muscles of mastication, the submaxillary
and sublingual salivary glands, the tongue, the -palate, the pharynx, the
lips, the ear, the teeth of the upper and lower jaw, and parts of the eye
and membranes of the brain.
2.   The Internal Carotid ascends on the outer side of the guttural
pouch and enters an opening (Foramen lacerurn) at the base of the skull;
while on the floor of the cranium it unites by a cross branch with its fellow
on the opposite side, and forms with it an arterial circle (Circle of Willis).
It sends branches upward into the substance of the brain at different
points, and thus ministers to its nourishment. The chief vessels of the
brain are: The Anterior Cerebral. Middle Cerebral. Anterior Communica-
ting. Posterior Cerebral. Posterior Communicating. Anterior Cerebellar.
Posterior Cerebellar.
3.   Occipital Artery.—This artery, given off by the carotid, is the
third division. It passes up to the atlas or first bone of the neck, and
after giving off the retrograde, mastoid and occipito-muscular branches to
the small muscles of the poll, enters the spinal canal by an opening in the
first vertebra, and divides into the cerebro-spinal and occipito-muscular
branches. The former on entering the spinal canal divides into two
branches, one passing backwards along the spinal cord, and the other, going
into the cranium, joins with its fellow on the opposite side to form the
basilar.
Posterior Aorta. — This is a large vessel of considerable length
situated immediately beneath the spine, along which it runs from the
seventh or eighth dorsal vertebra as far back as the sacrum. It is the
largest division of the common aorta, and in the first part of its course
describes an arch backward, termed the aortic arch. The anterior portion
of the vessel is situated within the chest, and is hence distinguished as the
thoracic aorta, while the posterior segment occupies the abdomen, and is
known as the abdominal aorta. It is, however, one continuous vessel, and
these different terms are only used to denote its anatomical relations. As
it proceeds backwards it passes from the chest into the abdomen through
the hiatus aorticus, an opening between the two pillars of the diaphragm.
The posterior aorta in its course beneath the spine gives off a number
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
452
of branches, some of which are distributed to the walls of the chest and
abdomen, while others go to the various organs they contain. The former
set include: (l) 13 posterior intercostal vessels, which run downward
between the ribs and give off branches upward to the muscles of the back
and to the spinal cord. The first intercostal artery is derived from the
superior cervical artery; the second, third, and fourth from the subcostal
branch of the dorsal. (2) The phrenic, a branch going to the diaphragm
or midriff. (3) Branches to the muscles of the loins.
The second group comprise: (1) The bronchial arteries to the air-tubes
and oesophagus or gullet. (2) The cseliac
             short thick vessel, which,
after leaving the under surface of the aorta, divides into three unequal
branches
             ^ The Spienic ^ The Gastric. (c) The Hepatic
The first goes to the spleen, the second to the stomach, and the third to
the liver. A little farther back it gives off (3) the great mesenteric artery,
a short vessel of considerable size, whose branches are distributed to the
large and small intestines. The next to appear are (4) the renal arteries,
two short thick vessels, which spring from the sides of the aorta and enter
the substance of the kidney. Still farther back come (5) the spermatic
vessels.
These arteries, two in number, are of considerable length, and
take a peculiar winding course downward to reach the testicles. In the
female the uterine and ovarian arteries spring from this point, and, as
their names imply, supply the uterus and the ovaries. Then comes the
small mesenteric, whose branches are distributed to the posterior part of
the large bowel, which is not supplied by the large mesenteric. Finally,
the posterior aorta divides into two pairs of vessels, one pair going to the
right and the other to the left. These are distinguished as—
1. The Internal Iliac Arteries.         2. The External Iliac Arteries.
The Internal Iliac Artery breaks up into several divisions, which
convey blood to the organs within the pelvis—the bladder, rectum, prostate
gland, as wrell as parts of the uterus and vagina in the female and the
penis in the male. They are: (l) the two last lumbar arteries; (2) the
internal pudic artery; (3) the lateral sacral artery; (4) the ilio-lumbar
artery; (5) the gluteal artery; (6) the ilio-femoral artery; (7) the
obturator artery.
The External Iliac Artery, on leaving the aorta, runs down the
inner side of the pelvis in an oblique direction backwards and outwards.
On reaching the anterior border of the pubis it enters the thigh and takes
the name of the femoral artery. In its course it gives off the circumflex
iliac artery, which is distributed to the flank and to the thigh. A small
-ocr page 549-
DISTRIBUTION OF ARTERIES—II
Arteries of Male Pelvis
1.   Retractor penis.
2.   Suspensory ligament of rectum.
3.  Sphincter ani.
4.   Rectum.
5.   Vesiculse seminales.
6.   Urinary bladder.
7.  Ureters.
8.   Prostate gland.
9.   Cowper's gland.
10.   Vesico-prostatic artery.
11.   Erector penis.
12.   Suspensory ligament of penis.
13.   Penis.
14.  Posterior dorsal artery of penis.
15.   Anterior dorsal artery of penis.
16.  Vas deferens.
17.   Epididymis.
18.  Testicle.
19.   Spermatic artery.
20.   Subcutaneous abdominal artery.
21.   External pudic artery.
22.   Posterior abdominal artery.
23.   Deep femoral artery.
24.   Prepubic artery.
25.   Obturator artery.
26.   Umbilical artery.
27.   Posterior aorta.
28.   Second last lumbar artery.
29.   Internal iliac artery.
30.  Last lumbar artery.
31.   Lateral sacral artery.
32.   Gluteal artery. -
33.   Ueo-femoral artery.
34.  Internal pudic artery.
35.   Artery of the corpus cavernosum.
36.   External iliac artery.
Arteries of the Brain
1.   Anterior cerebral artery.
2.   Middle cerebral arteries.
3.   Anterior communicating arteries.
4.   Internal carotid arteries.
5.  Posterior communicating arteries.
6.   Posterior cerebral arteries.
7.   Bifurcation of basilar artery.
8.   Anterior cerebellar arteries.
9.  Basilar artery.
10.   Posterior cerebellar arteries.
11.   Cerebral branches of cerebro-spinal
artery.
a.  Cerebral hemispheres.
B.   Cerebellum,
c.   Olfactory bulb.
D.   Optic commissure.
e.   Pituitary body.
F.   Corpus albicans.
G.   Olfactory tract.
H.
  Crura cerebri.
I.
   Pons varolii.
j.   Medulla oblongata.
-ocr page 550-
Arteries of the male pelvis
Arteries of the brain
DISTRIBUTION OF THE ARTERIES-II
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DISEASES OF THE HEART                                      453
branch goes to the spermatic cord, which in the mare goes to the uterus,
and the prepubic artery, a vessel which divides into the posterior abdominal
and the external pudic arteries.
The Femoral Artery extends from the os pubis above to the lower
part of the femur, where its name changes to the popliteal. In its course
downward it gives off several considerable branches, which are distributed
to the muscles of the thigh.
The Popliteal Artery, a continuation of the femoral, lies behind
the femoro-tibial articulation or stifle-joint, and in front of the popliteal
muscle. After distributing small branches to the structures around,
it divides into two parts—the anterior and posterior tibial arteries.
Anterior Tibial Artery.—This is the larger of the two, and, as its
name implies, is situated in front of the tibia or second thigh, down which
it passes beneath the flexor metatarsi muscle. On reaching the tibio-tarsal
articulation or hock-joint it takes the name of the great metatarsal artery.
In its course down the leg it gives off a number of branches to the tibio-
femoral articulation and to the muscles in its course, especially those in
front of the tibia.
Pedal or Great Metatarsal Artery.—This vessel is a continuation
of the anterior tibial. It commences in front of the hock-joint, and passes
obliquely outwards beneath the peroneus and the short extensor of the foot,
to reach the furrow formed by the large canon and the outer splint-bone,
along which it runs until nearing the fetlock-joint, where it passes inwards
between the suspensory ligament and the large metatarsal bone, and
divides into two branches—the right and left digital arteries. These
traverse the sides of the phalanges or pasterns, and are ultimately destined
to the foot.
The Posterior Tibial Artery lies deeply situated behind the tibia,
and besides furnishing branches to the deep muscles of the leg it also
supplies the nutrient vessel of the bone, and furnishes branches to the
hock-joint. Finally it divides into the two plantar arteries.
DISEASES OF THE HEART
GENERAL CONSIDERATION OF THE PATHOLOGY OF
HEART-DISEASE
It seems to be agreed among veterinary writers that diseases affecting
the heart of the horse are either not so numerous as those which attack the
heart of the human subject, or that they pass to a great extent unnoticed
until an opportunity is afforded for a post-mortem examination.
Going back to the work of Gibson, who wrote in 1751, it will be
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454                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
observed that after a description in detail of the structure and functions of
the heart and large vessels, he dismisses the pathology of the organ in a
short paragraph. " I have seen ", he says, " the hearts of horses frequently
opened; sometimes there happens, as in the human body, collections of
matter within the pericardium. I have seen pollipusses in the great
vessels, sometimes a mass of slippery fat, especially within the left ventricle
of horses that have died suddenly, and sometimes the heart itself is preter-
naturally large."
Since the time of Mr. William Gibson, surgeon, knowledge has ad-
vanced, but even at the present day the subject of disease of the heart and
large vessels is dealt with by veterinary writers in a very cursory manner.
In the last edition of Mayhew's work on the horse, edited by Mr. James
Irvine Lupton, it is remarked that disease of the heart is characterized by
various names in scientific books, as carditis, pericarditis, hydrops-pericardii,
inflammation of the pericardium, &c. All such conditions, the writer
observes, in the horse were discovered by examination instituted after
death, when, unfortunately, all opportunity of observing symptoms had
ceased. Veterinary science cannot distinguish one state from another
while life exists. Mayhew goes on to state that " diseases of the heart in
horses are incurable", and suggests that it is possibly on that account
that "apparently little attention has been paid to the diagnosis and
treatment of them". Remarking on the absence of characteristic symp-
toms, he adds that auscultation affords the surest means of detection.
Any unusual sound, he says, being audible, the examiner may conclude
that the heart is diseased. In further description of symptoms it is stated
that " the visible signs are sometimes sufficiently emphatic to admit of no
doubt"; the eye is expressive of constant anguish, the countenance is
haggard, the pulse is feeble and irregular, and the heart-throbs are visible
and frequent; they are to be seen as plainly on the right side as on the
left. Eegurgitation within the jugular veins is nearly always excessive,
the blood often reaching almost to the jaw."
The difference between the estimated importance of heart-disease in
man and the lower animals is emphasized by Mayhew, and indeed is urged
in explanation of the comparative indifference with which these diseases
have been regarded by the veterinary surgeon. The veterinarian is seldom
called upon to treat heart-disease, and has not the same experience of dis-
eases affecting this organ as has the physician, for the reason that man, even
when suffering from an incurable ailment, must be treated, but the horse
in a similar state is usually sent to the knacker; consequently it is from
human medicine that the most valuable information has been received.
These remarks are strictly correct, and fairly estimate the circumstances
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DISEASES OF THE HEART                                      455
which have enabled the members of the veterinary profession to recognize
the clinical symptoms of some of the diseases of the heart of the lower
animals, which they can now diagnose with almost absolute certainty,
although it still remains true that the physician has enormous oppor-
tunities and facilities in the examination of the heart of the human subject
which are not, and cannot, under any possible conditions, be possessed by
the veterinary surgeon. The heart of the horse and other large mam-
malians is so perfectly covered by the bones and muscles of the upper part
of the fore extremities that it is absolutely impossible to apply the stetho-
scope or the ear over every portion of the organ, as can be easily done in
the human subject; further, the instrument cannot be employed with the
same advantage as it possesses in the hands of the physician. Even in
those parts which can be reached, the covering of hair interposes an ob-
struction which considerably alters and obscures the sounds which can be
recognized, and it is on this account that the majority of veterinary
surgeons content themselves with the application of the ear to the part of
the animal which they wish to auscultate instead of using the stethoscope
for the purpose. In this connection, however, it may be observed that the
ear is a very poor substitute for the stethoscope when the latter is in a
practised hand aided by an educated ear.
Of the fact that the heart in the lower animals is subject to most of the
diseases which are well known in the human subject, the experience which
has been gained by post-mortem examination has afforded abundant evi-
dence, and the veterinary pathologist has no difficulty whatever in recog-
nizing the true characteristics of the various morbid conditions which are
exhibited after death. His difficulty is confined entirely to the detection of
each special form of disease in the living animal, and while he would not
be content to accept Mayhew's imputation, that veterinary science cannot
detect one state from another while the animal is alive, he would without
hesitation admit the great difficulty of arriving at a satisfactory conclusion
from symptoms which may be present at the time of his examination.
Certainly it is the case that some of the most marked symptoms which
Mayhew describes would not necessarily suggest to him the existence of
any disease of the heart.
In connection with the subject of clinical symptoms it is fully recog-
nized by the physician that the evidences of disease, or evidences which
may be construed into signs of disease, of the heart, may be present in
parts of the system remote from the organ itself. There is nothing at all
remarkable in this proposition when it is remembered that the heart is the
organ which distributes the blood over the whole of the body, and is there-
fore connected more or less directly with every other part of the system.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
456
The natural result of this is, that diseases of remote structures or distant
organs may so adversely influence the heart as to lead to indications which
may easily, although incorrectly, be ascribed to derangement of the central
organ itself; on the other hand, disease of the heart expressing itself by
detectable alterations in its own sounds and movements is responsible for
various forms of disturbance which occur in the digestive organs, liver,
kidneys, or lungs, or some other parts. At the same time, it is thoroughly
well recognized, as a fact about which there is no question, that grave
structural and functional disturbance may affect the heart without leading
to any manifestation at all which can be recognized as relating to that
organ. In other words, an animal may die suddenly from heart-disease the
existence of which had never been suspected during its life.
Among the symptoms which are frequently referred to disease of the
heart are those which are described as subjective—that is to say, sensations
which originate in the consciousness of the individual, such as pain, either
continual or spasmodic, oppression in the chest, momentary stoppage or
disturbance in the movements of the heart, dizziness, palpitations, and
sinking. That these sensations, which are realized by the patient, are
usually attended with extreme distress and apprehension will be readily
understood, although it is a fact that all these clinical signs common in
heart-disease may be experienced without any disease of the heart itself
being present.
From the risk of error due to the existence of subjective symptoms,
which would be usually classed under the head of extreme nervousness on
the part of the subject, the veterinary surgeon is absolutely free. His
patients either have no nervous apprehensions in regard to the state of
their hearts or other organs, or, if they have, do not possess the means
of expressing them in an intelligible manner.
Admitting, as must be the case, that disease of the heart of the horse is
not so uncommon as it has been considered to be, the important question
arises as to the best method of examination, for the purpose of detecting
any obscure symptoms, which may be sufficient to direct the attention to
the condition of the heart and the vessels immediately proceeding from it.
At the commencement it must be distinctly understood that while
the veterinary surgeon is not subject to the risk of making an incorrect
diagnosis in consequence of subjective symptoms or sensations which the
horse cannot declare, he has to incur an equally prominent risk of arriving
at a wrong conclusion in consequence of the derangement of the heart
leading to disturbance of some other organs. The respiratory organs
are, of course, most likely to be acted on. Any serious derangement of
the central organ of circulation must necessarily interfere with the cir-
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DISEASES OF THE HEAET                                   457
culation of blood through the lungs; anything which leads to excessive
contraction of the right ventricle, by which the blood is forced into the
lungs directly, or any interference with the action of the left side of the
heart arising from deficient contractile power or mechanical obstruction in
the passage of blood through the left auricle or ventricle, would naturally
induce a state of engorgement of the vessels, or congestion of the lungs,
which would be indicated by symptoms which the veterinarian recognizes
without difficulty. The breathing would become rapid and oppressed, the
surface of the body would very quickly become cold, and from other signs
the examiner would very quickly diagnose congestion of the lungs. The
affection may be sufficiently severe to justify him in calling it pulmonary
apoplexy. Such a diagnosis would be in effect strictly correct, although it
may leave out of consideration altogether the real cause, viz.: the blocking
up of the vessels of the lungs with stagnant blood, not on account of any
derangement of the respiratory organs themselves, but entirely owing to
the circumstance that the heart is in such a condition that it is incapable of
carrying on the pulmonary circulation.
It does not follow that the congestion of the lungs arising from defec-
tive action of the heart should take place suddenly to such an extent as
would lead to any serious disturbance in the breathing, or justify the
diagnosis of pulmonary apoplexy. Any mechanical difficulty affecting the
circulation of blood in the lungs, whether arising from some impaired
action of the heart or from any other interference, would lead to attacks of
difficult breathing, cough, sometimes rupture of small vessels followed by
bleeding from the nostrils, noises in respiration when it becomes at all
hurried, sudden attacks of spasm, and in some cases a condition of the
breathing which may lead to the impression that the horse is suffering
from broken wind. Attacks of indigestion, and even gradually increasing
emaciation, representing that state of the system which is expressed by the
horseman's term " bad condition ", are all indications which may be really
consequent upon functional or structural derangement of the heart, al-
though there may be no symptoms which specially direct attention to it.
As disease advances, more striking symptoms become evident. The
wasting may be associated with dropsical effusions in the lower extremities
and also along the inferior part of the abdomen, and there may be also
more serious forms of dropsical effusion into the heart-sac (pericardium),
the cavities of the chest, and abdomen. Chronic derangement in the
central organ of circulation also leads to nervous derangement, in which
the brain is commonly implicated. In the human subject, under these
circumstances, the symptoms are easily recognized. The patient complains
of frequent or even constant headache, with a feeling of fulness and heat
Vol. I                                                                                                                                                          31
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458
HEALTH AND DISEASE
about the head, rushing noises, throbbings, flushing of the face, giddiness,
sleepiness, irritability, impairment of the intellectual powers, or actual
mental derangement, disturbance of vision, movement of bodies before
the eyes, twitchings in the extremities, and attacks of faintness.
It will be perceived that the majority of these symptoms would not be
recognized in the lower animals, and the few that would be apparent, such
as unsteadiness of movement, attacks of vertigo (megrims), or twitching in
the extremities, would possibly not be attributed to disease of the heart,
and would probably not be in any way connected with disturbance of that
organ. Under such conditions it is evident that a diagnosis must neces-
sarily be of an uncertain character, unless by some accident suspicion of
the true cause be aroused, and a careful examination of the heart lead
to the detection of certain morbid conditions.
Physical Examination Of the Heart and its larger vessels can only
be undertaken by an expert who is familiar with the anatomy and physi-
ology of the organs of the circulatory system, and on this part of the
subject the reader is advised to consult the sections on the anatomy and
physiology of the heart. Armed with the knowledge thus obtained, even
the tyro will be able to realize the importance of constant experience in the
use of the instruments which are employed for the purpose of the exami-
nation of the heart and vessels, even if he does not contemplate devoting
himself sufficiently to the subject to obtain the necessary skill. In the
first place, the examination which will be required will have regard to
what can be ascertained by the use of the hand applied to the cardiac
region, and also to certain of the most superficial arteries. The amount of
force exercised by the heart in its contraction produces a distinct impres-
sion to the hand of the examiner when placed upon that part of the walls
of the chest against which it strikes or beats, and the impulse communi-
cated by the heart to the blood which passes through the arteries produces
a beat as nearly as possible at the same time as the contraction of the
heart. This is described as the pulse, and upon its character and frequency
some opinion may be formed as to the general condition of the central
circulatory organ, as previously described in the section relating to the
symptoms of disease.
In the next place, percussion over the cardiac region, performed by a
light but sharp stroke with the points of the fingers, will make the
examiner acquainted with any alteration in sound as compared with that
emitted from the chest of the perfectly healthy subject. For example, where
dulness of sound is found to extend beyond the area of the healthy heart,
enlargement or hypertrophy of the organ would be suspected.
Next to percussion, auscultation is employed by the use of the stetho-
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DISEASES OF THE HEART                                      459
scope in human practice, by the application of the ear to the part where the
lower animals are concerned.
The object of this form of examination is to distinguish any abnormal
sounds which may exist in connection with the beats of the heart. These
sounds can only be distinguished by the expert who is familiar with the
healthy sounds, which may be described as far as it is possible to describe
them in words as follows:—First, there is a sound which is believed to
be produced by contraction of the ventricles. This is called the systolic
sound, and it is also distinguished as a long sound, the term being used,
of course, comparatively. This systolic sound is followed by a short
interval of silence, which is succeeded by the second, described as the
diastolic sound, which occurs when the ventricles cease to contract, and
the valves guarding the pulmonary vessels and the aorta close. The
diastolic sound is followed by a rather longer silence than that which
succeeds the first, and then the systolic or first sound recurs. The duration
of the sounds and intervals is expressed by dividing the whole period
occupied by the series into ten parts, and then subdividing as follows:—
Systolic sound -fe, first interval yo, diastolic sound -fy, and second
interval -x%. The actual character of the sounds as they strike the ear
has been expressed by Dr. C. J. B. Williams by the words "lub-dup". Very
little difficulty would be experienced in rendering the ear accustomed to
the normal sounds of the heart, but it must be clear that an acquaintance
with the abnormal sounds and their meaning could only be acquired by
long practice with the assistance of a competent instructor. The most that
the tyro could hope to achieve in this direction without such assistance
would be the recognition of a change from the normal sound of the heart or
its large vessels, and he would arrive at the knowledge simply from the
observation that the normal sound with which he had rendered himself
familiar had undergone certain modifications.
The expert, in making an examination, not only realizes the fact that
there is a change from the normal sounds to the abnormal, but he dis-
tinguishes also the seat and cause of the abnormal murmurs; for example,
variations as to the intensity of sounds, whether increased or diminished,
alteration with regard to pitch and clearness of the systolic sounds, will
inform him as to the condition of the valves and walls of the heart. A
very clear, sharp, high-pitched, systolic sound will be more commonly
heard in cases of anaemia, or extreme debility; again, alterations in the
duration of the sound give important information as to the condition of the
heart. In dilatation of the ventricles, with increase in the thickness of the
walls, the systolic sounds will be prolonged, and the diastolic sound will
probably be much shortened and very much obscured; whereas, in dilata-
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
460
tion of the cavity, without any alteration in the thickness of the walls, the
diastolic sound is longer than normal, while the systolic is shortened.
The pathologist also obtains a great deal of information while examin-
ing his patient by comparing the sounds which are heard in different parts
of the chest, especially over those parts which correspond to the lower part
or apex and the upper part or base of the heart. If the sounds are weak
at the apex and louder at the base, the evidence is accepted as serving
to distinguish effusion into the heart-sac (pericardium) from dilatation of
the cavities or fatty condition of the heart. Intense sound at the right
apex over and above that at the left may indicate either displacement
or enlargement of the right side of the heart; it also occurs when a portion
of lung unduly distended with air (emphysematous) is interposed between
the heart and the walls of the chest.
A murmur or, as it is commonly called, " bruit" is generally taken
to indicate friction at some point over which the blood is passing, and
in the majority of cases it is allowed that the murmur depends on
some morbid condition of the valves which guard the orifices of the
heart.
There are certain situations in which the murmurs relating to different
parts of the heart are most readily heard. Thus murmurs connected with the
mitral valves (fig. 191) are described as loudest just above the apex beat,
while the murmurs which are connected with the valves of the aorta are
most marked at the base of the heart. In the descriptions which are given
in works on pathology a much more intricate and extended account of the
different sounds in different positions is given, but sufficient has been
written to indicate to the reader the very abstract character of the subject,
and the enormous difficulties which attend a critical examination of the
heart with a view of making a correct diagnosis of any existing disease.
Indeed, with all the facilities which the physician possesses, including
the use of the most elaborate and perfect instruments, the power to
place his patient in any position which he thinks most convenient, and
of regulating the character of the respirations with regard to their depth
and frequency, or of arresting the action altogether for a short period,
so as to obtain absolute silence in the respiratory organs of the chest,
there is still a considerable difference of opinion existing among experts
as to the cause and meaning of certain sounds which can be recognized.
Diseases of the heart and its connections are for convenience divided
into those which affect the membranes enclosing and lining the organ, and
those attacking the muscular structure of which it is chiefly composed.
Thus we have acute or chronic inflammation of the membranous sac in the
double layer of which the heart is completely invested, and similar affec-
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DISEASES OF THE HEART                                   461
tions involving the fine membrane which lines the cavities of the heart,
and these two morbid states are designated by different terms according
with the position occupied by the structures. Where inflammation affects
the former it is spoken of as pericarditis, or inflammation of the investing
membrane; while the term endocarditis is used to indicate inflammation of
the membrane which lines the cavities of the heart and contributes to the
formation of the different valves. Inflammation of the valvular structures
is also distinguished by the term valvulitis. Inflammation, acute or
chronic, of the muscular structure of the heart is described as myocarditis,
which is commonly associated with inflammation of the membrane investing
or lining the heart.
PERICARDITIS—INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART SAC
Inflammation of the pericardium may occur under a variety of circum-
stances, sometimes in connection with rheumatism, strangles, and influenza,
or any low form of fever or specific blood disease. It may also arise from
injury, such as a wound inflicted from without, or from the passage of some
foreign body from the digestive organs, through the diaphragm into the
pericardial sac. This cause is comparatively frequent in cattle, but is
extremely rare in the horse. One case is recorded in which a sewing-
needle had passed through the oesophagus into the pericardium, and subse-
quently reached the right auricle of the heart.
As in other cases of disease connected with the central circulatory organ,
pericarditis, especially the chronic form, may exist for a considerable period
without any symptoms being present which would lead to the suspicion of
its existence. This is particularly the case in reference to what is called
traumatic pericarditis in cattle. These animals, when at pasture, frequently
swallow various extraneous substances which come in their way, and among
foreign cattle kept by small owners, and fed very much about the dwelling-
houses, it used to be extremely common to find in the rumen of the animals,
which were sent to this country for slaughter, various domestic articles,
such as brushes, tin or other toys, hair-pins, shawl-pins, skewers, knitting-
needles, and even portions of wearing apparel.
In post-mortem examination it frequently happens that a needle, or
piece of wire, or a skewer, is detected in the heart sac, and its path can
be traced through the second stomach (reticulum), which lies close to the
diaphragm, and from that organ into the pericardial sac, and sometimes
into the muscular structure of the heart. In other cases, where the body
which has inflicted the injury has been lost in the course of the examina-
tion, the path which it has taken can be distinctly followed from the
-ocr page 560-
462                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
second stomach into the heart sac. This condition of things has not un-
commonly been observed in animals in good condition sent to the slaughter-
house without any suspicion arising that they were subjects of such severe
injuries.
Symptoms.—The symptoms of pericarditis of the acute form are very
often complicated with those of ordinary inflammation of the lungs and
pleura (pleuro-pneumonia), and indeed, in fatal cases of the latter disease,
it is quite usual to find indications of inflamed pericardium.
In such cases as the above there would, of course, be great difficulty in
separating the symptoms belonging to each set of organs, but it is generally
allowed that the character of the pulse, the irregularity of the heart's action,
and the presence of a venous pulse in the jugular vein may be taken as
indications that the heart sac is implicated in the inflammatory condition.
In pericarditis resulting from injury it is certainly the case that the
disease may advance to a considerable extent before any symptoms of
illness are apparent; in some cases there may be no particular signs of
derangement until the foreign body, needle or skewer, reaches the heart.
It has been noticed at the termination of these cases, when the fact of the
existence of the disease has been made patent by a post-mortem examina-
tion, that the animals for some time before death have been subject to
frequent attacks of indigestion, associated with elimination of gas into the
rumen in the case of cattle, and into the single stomach of the horse. As
a result of the disease, a quantity of fluid, clear or turbid, is usually found
in its cavity, with adhesion of a portion of the membrane perhaps to the
heart, and sometimes considerable thickening of the structures.
Pericarditis which is independent of the passage of any foreign body or
other injury is distinguished as idiopathic, a form which seldom occurs
unless in combination with pleuro-pneumonia, and, as previously stated, it
is scarcely likely that it would be distinguished at once as a distinct disease
in the presence of inflammation of the lungs and pleural membrane. In
the event, however, of any suspicion being excited which would lead to an
examination of the heart by the application of the ear to the left side, over
the cardiac region, it would be discovered that the normal sounds of the
heart are less distinct, and if fibrinous exudation has taken place between
the two layers of the pericardium, friction sounds might be detected in the
early stages of the disease.
Treatment of the idiopathic form of pericarditis may be attempted
with some hope of success. It would include the administration of a saline
aperient, and in some instances, when the symptoms are very marked, and
the heart is affected with palpitations, digitalis is recommended. Fomenta-
tions, or the hot pack, or counter irritation to the region of the heart, may
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DISEASES OF THE HEART
463
also be employed. The body should be well clothed and the legs bandaged,
while the strictest quietude should be insisted on.
ENDOCARDITIS—INFLAMMATION OF THE LINING MEMBRANE
OF THE HEART
This disease is said to be more frequent in the horse than the one which
has just been referred to. When it occurs in association with rheumatism,
it is more likely to end fatally in a short time than ordinary inflammation
of the pericardial membrane, in consequence of the liability of the valves to
undergo thickening, and the blood to coagulate upon them and upon the
surfaces of the heart's cavities.
Symptoms indicative of endocarditis of the ordinary kind have been
differently described by different observers.
The physical signs of the disease are: excited action of the heart, and
the presence of certain sounds which are described as endocardial murmurs.
The friction or rubbing sound which is recognized in pericarditis will not
usually be present.
It is somewhat remarkable that little or no pain is manifested during
the progress of the malady. The pulse at the commencement is frequent
and full in its beat, afterwards becoming feeble and irregular. Fever is
sometimes very pronounced, and at others it tends to assume a low subdued
form. The results to be apprehended are deposits within and upon the
valves and round about some of the orifices, thus interfering with the
passage of the blood, and leading to obstruction and the formation of large
fibrinous clots. These are not unfrequently broken up into small frag-
ments by the movements of the heart, some of which are carried along
the course of the circulation, and may thus lead to fatal obstruction by
blocking up vessels in important organs.
The malignant forms of the disease, associated with the formation of
abscesses and ulcerations, have only now and again been recognized in
the horse.
Treatment.—When the disease is complicated with an attack of
rheumatism, salicylic acid and its salts must be resorted to and persevered
with to check the progress of the disease. Perfect rest must be enforced
and every form of excitement avoided. The bowels should be gently acted
upon as required by the administration of small doses of sulphate of mag-
nesia, and any manifestation of heart weakness must be met by the careful
employment of digitalis and ammonia.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
464
MYOCARDITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE MUSCULAR
STRUCTURE OF THE HEART
This disease occurs very rarely in the lower animals, and most probably
when it does happen it is connected with other diseases which have been
described, i.e. pericarditis and endocarditis, in both of which the inflamma-
tion may extend to the muscular structure.
Continental writers refer to myocarditis as an infectious disease associ-
ated with aphthous fever, septicaemia, tuberculosis, and contagious pneumonia
of the horse.
The alterations which are occasioned in the muscular structure will
depend upon the activity of the inflammatory condition. Among them
may be mentioned softening, and different degrees of degeneration, which
weaken and impair the functions of the organ.
In its chronic form the disease tends to the development of hypertrophy
or enlargement, hardening of the muscular structure, and different forms
of fatty and fibroid degeneration, and in some instances small abscesses are
formed in the muscular walls.
Symptoms of myocarditis are not of a sufficiently definite character to
lead to a correct diagnosis. In the majority of cases the pulse is weak,
sometimes hardly detectable, generally increased in frequency, and the
respiration is rapid and carried on with difficulty. Sometimes, when caused
to turn, the animal grunts, and deep pressure over the region of the heart
causes pain. There is also weakness, incapacity for work, a fastidious
appetite, and occasional attacks of vertigo, especially in the advanced forms
of the disease. There is an absence of the morbid sounds which are
observed in cases of pericarditis and endocarditis, and in valvular disease.
DISEASES OF THE VALVES OF THE HEART
Endocarditis in the chronic form may be expected to lead to a certain
alteration in the valves which guard the openings leading to and from the
different cavities of the heart. The alterations of structure may consist of
thickening of the valves, adhesion of one to the other at their edges in
particular, and to the walls of the cavities. In some cases they develop
large excrescences, or, as they are sometimes called, cauliflower growths,
which occupy a considerable space in the cavities of the auricles or
ventricles. (See Coloured Plate.) Among the domestic animals the pig
appears to be most subject to these growths, which have been constantly
found in the post-mortem examinations of animals which have died or been
slaughtered in consequence of swine fever.
-ocr page 563-
PLATE XXXI
A
* """^"^jsigfe
-'y^^*^
L
A, A. Valves of the Heart much thickened as the result of Valvular Disease
r . N
%.
1 .mm
i
y^':\
Calcareous degeneration of the mitral valve
a, a. Fibrous tissue
B, B, B. Calcareous degeneration
Fibrous vegetation of the mitral valve
VALVULAR DISEASE OF THE HEART (Endocarditis)
-ocr page 564-
DISEASES OF THE HEART                                      465
Many years ago Youatt referred to the common presence of these
vegetations in the heart of the pig, and he noticed in particular that the
animals in which the disease was detected in the slaughter-houses had
given no evidence whatever of the existence of such tumours during life.
Valvular disease in the heart of the horse is, according to Professor
Nocard, more common than it is suspected to be. He has given a table
of the relative frequency of the different valvular affections in that animal.
Of forty-two subjects it was found that thirty-eight had disease of the
valves of the aorta. In the other four, disease both of the aortic and
mitral valves was detected. In some cases one of the normal sounds is
obliterated, or may be reduplicated, or it appears every other or every
second beat.
The character of the morbid alteration varied considerably. In some
cases the valves were merely thickened and hardened, in others they were
contracted, sometimes they were indented or perforated, and in others they
were covered with fibrinous deposits.
In the cases referred to, the diagnosis had been made during the life of
the animal, and in almost all of them a blowing noise, which occurred
during what would ordinarily be the interval between the normal sounds,
was detected by auscultation. It is remarked by Dr. W. L. Zuill, in his
translation of the work on pathology by Drs. Freidberger and Frohner, that
the first symptoms of this chronic inflammation of the lining membrane of
the heart is the marked weakness of the animals while at work. They will
stop, refusing to advance, and do not respond to the voice or to the whip.
Treatment is not likely to be attended with any great advantage.
The recommendation to avoid excitement and any active exertion is
tantamount to proposing to keep the affected horse in the condition of
useless idleness.
For the purpose of temporary alleviation of the most marked symptoms,
the use of iodide of potassium with digitalis is recommended, but, excepting
where some special value is placed on the patient, economy, and humanity
too, would be best considered by having him destroyed.
HYPEKTKOPHY—ENLARGEMENT OF THE HEART
The different forms of disease and deformity affecting the valves, which
have been adverted to in the preceding remarks, necessarily cause obstruc-
tion to the circulation, attended with regurgitation of the blood and increase
of pressure in some of the cavities of the heart. Any obstruction arising
out of disease of the valves is likely to occasion enlargement of the heart in
one or another part of the organ according to the particular valves affected.
-ocr page 565-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
466
Obstructive disease of the aortic valves gives rise to thickening of the walls
of the left ventricle, while the same condition of the pulmonary valves
would similarly affect the right.
Enlargement of the heart may arise from increase in the development
of the muscular structure (hypertrophy of the muscular walls), or from
dilatation of the cavities from extra pressure from within. But it is pretty
generally recognized that the same obstruction which gives rise to hyper-
trophy will also occasion dilatation of the cavities, hence it is found that
both conditions usually exist to a greater or less extent at the same time.
The heart of the horse, which in a normal condition weighs about
seven or eight pounds, may be increased in this disease to twelve or
more pounds.
Hypertrophy and dilatation are much more common in the left ventricle
than in the right, for the reason that the valves of the former are more
liable to sprain and disease than those of the latter. It will be remem-
bered that the left ventricle sends the blood over the entire body, while
the function of the right is confined to distributing it over the lungs. The
work entailed in the former act being so much greater than that of the
latter, the chances of obstruction to the blood flow are correspondingly
increased. Thus the aorta, the vessels of the kidneys or the liver, or those
of one or more of the various organs of the body, may by disease become
narrowed, and tend to obstruct the circulation, which in time the heart
would attempt to overcome, and its increased effort would have the effect
which follows all muscular work, of sooner or later causing thickening of its
walls. If the obstruction continued, or for any reason became worse,
dilatation of the heart would follow hypertrophy. In these cases the valves
which guard the orifice are required to stretch in order to fill up the still
larger opening, or they sprain and become diseased.
It does not necessarily follow that because the heart is enlarged
its walls should be thickened. This will frequently depend upon the
amount of dilatation which it has undergone. In some cases the walls
are much thinner than normal owing to the hypertrophy not having
kept pace with the dilatation.
Symptoms Of Enlarged Heart.—It is certain that very considerable
changes may take place in the muscular structure of the heart without any
symptoms at all being apparent. When, however, the changes are such as
to disturb materially the function of the organ, the disease is rendered
apparent by very obvious signs, afforded in the first instance by a physical
examination of the chest. If the enlargement be due to hypertrophy, the
impact of the organ against the walls of the chest will not only be increased
in intensity, but it will be felt over a much greater area than normal when
-ocr page 566-
DISEASES OF THE HEART                                   467
the open hand is placed over the region of the heart. Moreover, the area
of the dull sound commonly invoked by percussion is extended in proportion
as the heart is enlarged, and this is the case whether the enlargement arises
from hypertrophy or from dilatation, or both combined. There is, besides,
more or less palpitation, especially under circumstances of exertion and
excitement.
The usual recommendations to avoid excitement and fatigue are given
when the disease is diagnosed, but as a matter of course, unless it is in
such a stage that the rest that would be necessary need only be temporary,
the animal is rendered perfectly useless, and might as well be destroyed.
In fact, this alternative appears to be the reasonable one in all cases in
which the disease is indicated by marked symptoms. For example, when
an animal affected with a large heart—whether it consists in simple hyper-
trophy or only dilatation, or of the two conditions together—suffers from
increased respiration when at rest, and to a greater extent during exertion,
with the addition of staggering, attacks of vertigo, trembling, sometimes
convulsions, and frequently derangement of the digestive organs, leading to
loss of condition, emaciation, and anaemia, it may be concluded that the
chances of recovery are so remote that it is not worth while to attempt any
treatment.
ATKOPHY OF THE HEART
This condition, which refers to a diminution in the size of the organ
owing to wasting of the muscular tissue and a general failure of its con-
tractile power, is much less common than the enlarged state, hypertrophy
and dilatation. The characteristic symptoms are those which would be
expected from the anatomical changes. The circulation becomes extremely
feeble, the pulse is small and weak, and general failure of the supply of
blood to the whole of the system leads to passive congestions in different
organs and rapid emaciation, which would terminate fatally if the end were
not anticipated, as it usually would be, by slaughtering the animal.
FATTY DISEASE OF THE HEART
Two perfectly distinct conditions are included in the term fatty disease
of the heart. One consists in mere infiltration of the fatty material among
the muscular fibres of the heart, which may be observed in animals when
overfed (fatty infiltration), and the other consists in the actual conversion
of the muscular structure into fat (fatty degeneration). In the former, the
cells in the connective tissue between the muscular fibres become filled
with fat, and there is an excessive deposit of fatty material outside the
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468                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
heart and round the base, and in the grooves in the walls of the organ,
along which the blood-vessels pass. In connection with this deposit of fat
the muscular structure becomes pale and flabby.
Symptoms.—-Fatty infiltration is found to exist in the case of animals
which spend an idle life or do very little work, and are supplied with an
undue quantity of food. Such animals are usually referred to by stable-
men as being in soft condition, and it is recognized in reference to them
that they are incapable of active work, rapidly becoming exhausted and
suffering from shortness of breath and palpitation of the heart on slight
exertion. The circulation is necessarily weak and languid, the extremities
are cold, and an examination of the
heart would reveal the characteristic
symptoms of feeble impulse and much-
diminished intensity in the normal
sounds; when the deposit of fat is ex-
cessive, it may happen that no sound
can be detected at all. The condi-
tion is modified by the circumstances
under which the fatty infiltration
takes place. In horses which have
been fed to be brought into what is
known as dealer's condition, a process
which has probably only occupied a
few weeks, regular exercise and change
-Muscle Fibres (healthy). > Fat Corpuscles.          1H the character of the food Will, in
the majority of cases, restore the animal
to a healthy condition. It is only after the excessive feeding, with in-
sufficient exertion, have been continued for a long period that the diseased
state is likely to become permanent, and even in such cases considerable
improvement in the animal's condition may be effected by persistent
employment of the ordinary measures, which would come under the head
of physical training, including carefully-regulated exercise, the avoidance
of food containing a large proportion of fattening material, and the careful
adjustment of the food given to the quantity of work performed.
Fatty Degeneration.—This condition of the heart may be associated
with long-continued fatty infiltration, or it may follow an attack of inflam-
mation (Myocarditis), or arise in the course of some wasting disease, or
as a result of one or another of the acute specific fevers. It is mostly
found to exist in old animals, and the progress of the malady is consider-
ably favoured by a sedentary life; in fact it may occur in an exaggerated
form in animals which are not plethoric, although it appears that want
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DISEASES OF THE HEART
469
of sufficient exercise conduces very much to the progress of the malady.
The anatomical changes resulting from the disease are extremely marked,
and very easily recognized by the use of the microscope. The muscular
walls are, as in the case of fatty infiltration, commonly paler in colour
than the normal structure, and often present a faded yellow or pale-brown
tint; the muscle is easily torn or broken down, and has been compared
in texture to wet brown paper. Under the microscope the muscular fibres,
instead of being well defined with perfectly distinct transverse markings,
present a granular appearance owing to the presence of minute granules
of fat in their structure, and in some advanced cases every trace of the
fibrillated appearance of the normal
fibre has become obscured, and only
a mass of fat granules can be recog-
nized.
Symptoms.—It is well known to
pathologists that fatty degeneration
may advance to a considerable extent
without any symptoms becoming ap-
parent. An animal may die suddenly
from the disease the existence of
which has not been suspected during
its life. This will be quite intelli-
gible to the veterinarian, as the oc-
casional unpleasant sensations which
. ,         . .                        .                      Fig. 195.—Fatty Degeneration of Muscle
are recognized by the human patient
,,               ,.               .                    , , n , 1 Muscle Fibre (healthy). 2 2 Muscle Fibres infiltrated
over the cardiac regions would find                      with fatty granules.
no expression in the horse. Occa-
sional attacks of what in the human subject is described as " angina pec-
toris" may occur in the horse, but would either be, as is usually the
case, unnoticed, or, if observed, would be referred to an attack of colic
or probably a spasm of the diaphragm.
Williams, in his book on The Practice of Veterinary Medicine, records
one case which came under his notice, which he considered to be an in-
stance of angina pectoris in a well-defined form. The animal was an aged
cart-horse, which for twelve months had done very little work, owing to
the fact that when he was excited by work or exertion, he suffered extreme
pain in the left fore-limb, the muscles of which, with the muscles of the
chest (pectorals), became violently convulsed. The paroxysm seldom
occurred when the animal was at rest, but there was a continual twitching
of the muscles, and the animal appeared to dread being approached. On
examination by auscultation, a loud cooing or blowing sound was heard
-ocr page 569-
470                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
over the region of the heart, and there was a strong impulse indicative
of hypertrophy. There was also observable a distinct regurgitation of
the blood in the jugular vein or jugular pulse. No opportunity in this
case was afforded for a post-mortem examination.
In some cases of this disease the pulse is remarkably slow, the beats of
the heart are generally feeble, irregular, and intermittent, and while exer-
tion increases the frequency of the pulse, it also renders it more irregular,
any severe effort soon brings about exhaustion, sighing, and giddiness.
Examination of the heart during life reveals certain signs which are
said to be characteristic: the impulse is feeble, but is at the same time
well defined; the sounds are weak, in the case of the first sound almost
inaudible, and in very advanced cases the sounds may be altogether
absent; and it is noticed in regard to the feeble pulse that there is some-
times only one pulsation to two beats of the heart.
RUPTURE OF THE HEART
The various alterations in the structure of the heart, arising out of
acute myocarditis and the different kinds of degeneration, naturally lead
to a weakness and a diminution in the resisting power of the muscular
walls, which favours the occurrence of rupture. The determining causes
are: violent exertion, falls, excessive excitement, tympanitis, an overloaded
condition of the stomach or intestines, &c. Any one of these causes,
by obstructing the passage of blood in the larger vessels, increases the
pressure on the Avails of the heart beyond its power of resistance. It is
stated by Zuill that the tear is usually located in the walls of one of the
auricles. In our experience it has most frequently occurred in the left
ventricle. The occurrence is usually almost immediately fatal; it is said
that in falling at the moment of the rupture the horse sometimes utters
a piercing cry. When the rupture is slight the ordinary symptoms of
internal hemorrhage are exhibited. The animal staggers, and, if not sup-
ported, falls, the visible mucous membrane of the nostril, mouth, and eye
become white and bloodless; there is difficulty of breathing, loss of con-
sciousness, and convulsions, and death occurs at varying periods, from
a few minutes to several hours. Obviously treatment even in prolonged
cases is not likely to be of any use, although it is sometimes effectual in
cases of internal hemorrhage from rupture of the vessels of the liver.
Here large doses of opium, with gallic or tannic acid, has sometimes
arrested the flow of blood, and the animal has partially recovered, but a
rent in the walls of the heart is necessarily irremediable.
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DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS                        471
DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS
Certain structural changes occur in both arteries and veins owing to
inflammatory attacks and certain forms of degeneration and injuries
occasioned by the presence of parasites, &c.
ARTERITIS
Arteritis, or inflammation of the walls of an artery, is by no means a
rare disease in the horse. It is usually the result of some irritant acting
upon the vessel from within.
In man the causative agent is commonly found to be some granulation
or vegetation occurring in the structure of the aortic valves.
These, when sufficiently large, repeatedly strike the wall of the vessel
during the movement of the valves, and excite inflammation in the part
struck; or it may result from a portion of blood clot liberated from the
interior of a large vessel being carried away and arrested in a smaller one,
producing a plugging of the vessel, or embolism.
In the horse the disease is most commonly seen in the anterior mes-
enteric artery and in that part of the aorta in immediate proximity to
it. It is the result of irritation excited in the vessel by the presence of
worms. The parasites Strongylus armatus frequently take up their abode
here, and by their presence induce inflammation in the vessel wall.
The vessel, which is at first thickened, becomes soft and very much
like a piece of wet wash-leather. Its elasticity is impaired or altogether
lost, and in consequence it gradually yields to the pressure of the blood
stream, and ultimately becomes dilated and forms an aneurism. On the
internal surface there is frequently to be found a quantity of coagulated
fibrine, in which the parasites are embedded.
Symptoms.—The chief symptoms of this disease are wasting, and
diarrhoea, and periodical subacute abdominal pain. The animal is dull and
listless, tucked up in the belly, feeds indifferently, and sometimes refuses
food altogether. If a sharp look-out be kept, small red worms will be
found in the excrement.
In these cases the partial plugging of the mesenteric artery diminishes
the quantity of blood flowing towards the intestine. The function of that
organ is therefore imperfectly performed, resulting in periodical attacks
of diarrhoea, colic, and a general unthriftiness of the affected animal.
The patient sometimes brightens up and appears to have recovered,
when recrudescence of the disease occurs, and he goes back in condition,
and may succumb to the disease.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
472
Treatment.—In all cases of this kind the treatment will succeed in
proportion to the injury done to the vessel, and the amount of obstruction
to the blood-flow resulting from the degree of dilatation, and the extent
to which the vessel has been narrowed by the coagulation of fibrine within
it. Very many cases are hopeless, and if they do not die it would be real
economy to have them destroyed at once. Some recover, only, however,
to be a future trouble to whoever may possess them.
These facts should be present to the mind of all persons who are called
upon to treat cases of this kind.
As we have already indicated, the treatment of this disease is very
uncertain. The affected animal should be placed in a well-littered box,
and everything should be done to keep up the strength of the body. Food
easy of digestion is of the first importance here. Malt meal and linseed,
crushed oats and bran, with a very small quantity of sweet chaff, all well
scalded, will be found for the most part suitable.
It is no use trying to destroy the parasites; they are beyond our reach,
and cannot be influenced by medicines; but they may sooner or later leave
the vessel of their own accord and pass into the intestine.
When pain appears it must be combated and controlled by the
administration of repeated small doses of opium. A little bicarbonate of
potash with chloride of sodium may be administered with the food, and
repeated small doses of turpentine and aromatic spirits of ammonia should
be given in combination with tincture of cinchona as a stimulant and tonic.
ATHEROMA (ENDARTERITIS DEFORMANS)
This is a disease most commonly seen in the arch of the aorta, or at a
little distance posterior to that point.
The early stages of the disease are marked by the appearance of small
greyish-white spots and patches which are noticed scattered over the
interior of the vessel, slightly raised above the surface, and somewhat
irregular in size and in form.
The inner surface of the aorta is perfectly smooth, but somewhat
irregular over the seat of the patches. The endothelium lining the vessel
remains for the present quite intact, but the inflammatory new growth
situated beneath it raises the endothelium in the direction of the interior
of the vessel.
In the second stage the cell proliferation, or growth, to which the
patches are due, undergoes a process of fatty change or degeneration, and
becomes soft, yellow, and cheese-like, or assumes what is known as an
atheromatous condition (aOr/prj = meal).
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DISEASES OF THE AETERIES AND VEINS                        473
The degenerative process may extend to the cells lining the vessel, when
they break down, and expose the underlying pasty matter.
Should this occur, the blood in its course backwards washes up the
degenerated inflammatory product and carries it away, leaving the middle
and external coat exposed.
In the third stage of the disease the pasty mass, instead of being thus
removed, becomes more or less calcified, in which case small bone-like
spicules are seen ramifying through the structure of the vessel wall, in
some instances completely surrounding it and giving it the appearance of
a bony tube (see Aneurism, fig. 196).
The effect of this disease on the wall of the vessel is seriously to spoil
its elastic reaction, and so interfere with the circulation.
When the inflammatory products have undergone the softening process,
and become exposed to the blood current, the vessel yields to the pressure
from within, causing it to dilate still further, and in consequence an
aneurism is formed, or the blood may insinuate itself between the coats
of the vessel and cause them to separate, when a dissecting aneurism is
the result.
When the vessel becomes thin, as is sometimes the case in this form
of the disease, its walls may rupture, and death take place more or less
suddenly, or the fibrine of the blood coagulated on the diseased surface
may fill up the vessel and form a thrombus.
If in the second stage of the disease the pasty mass or some adhering
clot of fibrine becomes exposed to the current of the blood, and carried
away, some portion of it may be arrested in a distant small vessel, estab-
lishing the condition of embolism.
If this should occur in the lungs, or the brain, or the kidneys, organs
specially predisposed to embolism, further, and perhaps fatal, mischief may
be the result.
THROMBOSIS
Both arteries and veins are liable to become more or less completely
obstructed during life by the coagulation of blood within them. When
this condition occurs it is described as " thrombosis", and the obstructing
clot is spoken of as a "thrombus". In the present day, thrombosis in
the horse is only of seldom occurrence. Formerly, when blood-letting was
resorted to in every conceivable ailment, it was a common affection of the
jugular vein, and frequently gave rise to permanent obstruction and
obliteration of the vessel.
Causes.—The causes of thrombosis are chiefly injuries in one form or
another, such as wounds, severe contusion, and stretching; indeed anything
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                      32
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474                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
which will excite inflammation in the vessel wall or diminish its vitality
may determine the coagulation of blood within it. It is also a consequence
of degenerative changes in the structure of the vessel, and of arrest of the
circulation from aneurism (fig. 196), or any other cause which induces the
blood to stagnate.
ILIAC THROMBOSIS
The most notable example of thrombosis in the horse is that which is
seen now and again in the iliac arteries—the vessels into which the abdom-
inal aorta breaks up beneath the lumbar spine, and whose branches are
distributed to the hind-quarters and extremities.
Causes.—For the most part thrombosis of the iliac vessels is the result
of sprain inflicted upon them by some violent backward stretching of the
hind-limbs, such as would result when a horse falls short in jumping and
slips down the bank of a drain, or when his legs fly back from under him,
or " spread-eagle", while drawing a heavy load over a slippery surface, or
out of deep heavy ground. The writer has also known it to be occasioned
in the course of the struggles of a horse while cast in a railway box, and
in another instance the disease followed upon a hunter being " hung up"
across a gate. In all these positions there would be sudden and severe
stretching of the vessels and injury to their coats.
Symptoms. — The symptoms of iliac thrombosis will vary with the
stage of the disease, but, when well established, they are very diagnostic.
At first the patient displays slight stiffness of one or both hind-limbs, more
especially on rising from the recumbent posture, or when first led out of
the stable. This, however, will pass away with a little exercise, to re-
appear again from time to time in a more and more marked form. It may
be accompanied by slight swelling of the limbs. As the arteries become
more and more blocked, and the circulation obstructed, the legs are found
to be cold, and the large veins are distended. This distension of the veins
results from the absence of force to move on the blood within them, con-
sequent upon the blocking up of the arteries, and is most strikingly seen
during rest. When the animal is made to move, the blood disappears from
the veins, and returns but slowly. The horse's movements are observed
to be somewhat unsteady behind, especially during work. In the more
advanced stages of the disease exertion brings on a rolling gait behind,
and, if continued, results in paralysis of the posterior part of the body
At this time the animal breaks out into a profuse perspiration, the
breathing is hurried, the muscles quiver, and the pulse is much acceler-
ated. In some cases the affected animal strikes the belly, looks round
to the flank, and shows signs of acute pain, as if the subject of colic.
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Plate XXXII
THROMBOSIS
Fig. i. A. Circumflex artery of ilium. B. External iliac artery, c. Internal iliac artery with Thrombus in situ.
D. Thrombus.
Fig. 2. Jugular Vein. A, A. Phleboliths in situ. B, B. Phleboliths removed. C. Phlebolith in section.
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DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS                        475
After a short period of rest the symptoms subside, and the horse resumes
his normal condition, and will most likely continue in apparent good health
until the exertion is again repeated. Although the symptoms described
are very indicative of iliac thrombosis, the diagnosis may be rendered still
more complete by a careful manipulation of the affected vessels. In this
connection it will be remembered that the iliac arteries are to be found
striking off right and left beneath the lumbar spine, and quite within
reach of the hand when pushed well forward into the rectum. In carrying
out this examination the hand and arm must be well anointed with oil
or vaseline, and after entering the bowel the arm is turned so that the
palm is presented upward; the fingers are then directed to that part of the
spine where the loin joins on to the quarters, immediately beneath which
the great iliac vessels—two on either side—will be felt branching off right
and left from the posterior aorta.
When healthy, they are found to pulsate forcibly with each beat of
the heart, and to be distinctly compressible, though always tense. When,
however, they are filled with coagulated blood and rendered solid, as in
this disease, the pulsation is no longer felt, and the vessels become hard
and unyielding. If they are not completely blocked a slight pulsation
may be felt, as a thin stream of blood passes over the clot, but the affected
vessels in any case will have lost their pliancy, and will offer very decided
resistance to deep pressure.
Treatment in these cases is of no avail. The fibrinous matter plastered
over the inner surface of the vessel in successive layers, or free within it
and occluding the passage of the blood, cannot be removed, and the animal
should therefore be destroyed.
THROMBOSIS OF THE JUGULAR VEIN (PHLEBITIS)
As already noticed, thrombosis of the jugular vein was a disease of
common occurrence in the days of indiscriminate blood-letting and unclean
surgical practice as pursued before the advent of antiseptic surgery when
phlebitis frequently followed the operation. In more recent years, since
the lancet and the fleam have been laid aside, it has become a rare and
exceptional ailment.
As in arteries, so in veins, thrombosis is the result of degeneration or
injury inflicted on the wall of the vessel. It also results when the vessels
become varicose or abnormally dilated. In the particular instance under
consideration it follows upon the operation of bleeding, or the accidental
opening of the jugular vein. But the immediate cause is not perhaps
the injury alone, but the introduction into the wound at the time, or
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476
HEALTH AND DISEASE
subsequent to its occurrence, of some septic or decomposing matter. A
dirty fleam or lancet, a dirty pin, or dirty tow employed to bring the edges
of the divided vessel together, are the most likely media by which to infect
the wound. Inflammation of the vessel having been thus excited, the
blood circulating within it is induced to coagulate, and to be deposited
on the inflamed surface layer after layer until the passage becomes com-
pletely obstructed and the flow of blood along the neck on the affected side
is arrested in its course towards the heart.
Symptoms.—The lips of the wounded vessel are more or less tumefied
and separated from each other, and the parts around are swollen and
painful to the touch. The plugging of the vessel invariably proceeds in an
upward direction, where it may be felt for some distance as a hard, cord-
like thickening in the channel of the neck. Subsequent changes in the
condition of the vessel and its contents will depend upon circumstances.
In some instances the wound heals, the plug becomes organized, still re-
taining its position in the vein, with which it unites to form a solid cord.
Here the general health of the patient is but little impaired; since, how-
ever, the jugular vein is no longer able to convey the blood back from
that side of the head to the heart, the vessels of the face will be inordi-
nately distended, the brain will be somewhat surcharged with blood and
liable to slight functional disturbances, especially when the head is held
in a depending position. This danger will be materially modified after
a time, when compensating enlargement of the jugular vein of the opposite
side and its tributaries takes place, and their carrying capacity becomes
thereby increased.
It must be understood that with one jugular vein spoilt the conveyance
of blood from the head to the heart will have to be done for the most part
by the other, which, in course of a little time, will widen out and accom-
modate itself to the task imposed upon it.
Animals having suffered from this disease should not be turned to grass
or allowed to eat from the ground. The downward position of the head
under the altered conditions of the circulation tends to an accumulation
of venous blood in the vessels of the head, resulting in swelling of the
lips and tissues of the face, dizziness, and vertigo.
Instead of being organized, the plug in the vein may soften and break
up into a pus-like matter, resulting in the formation of one or more
abscesses in the upward course of the swelling. These may break, empty
themselves, and heal, perhaps to form again and produce deep sinuous
wounds in the track of the vessel. The most serious consequences re-
sulting from jugular thrombosis occur when matter from the softened and
disintegrated clot finds its way into the circulation. Thereby the blood
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477
DISEASES OF THE ARTERIES AND VEINS
becomes poisoned. The septic particles are distributed over the body, and,
settling down in some of the more important organs, produce destructive
abscesses or a condition known as " pysemia".
Treatment.—Any appearance of thickening in the course of the
jugular vein, such as we have described, should be met by prompt
measures of treatment. A dose of physic will first be called for, and
at the same time all hard corn is to be knocked off and replaced by sloppy
mashes of bran and scalded chaff. The wound should be repeatedly irri-
gated by carbolic solution and covered with antiseptic gauze. Hot
fomentations applied over the injured vein will aid in reducing inflam-
matory action and checking the progress of the disease when permissible.
Should abscesses form, they will require to be opened, and to be well
syringed out with antiseptic dressing from time to time and packed
with antiseptic wool.
Some practitioners recommend a blister to the swollen vein, and place
complete reliance on this form of treatment. There can be no doubt
that in some subacute and slowly progressive cases such a course might
prove beneficial, but in the more active and severe attacks the course
recommended above would be more appropriate.
ANEURISM
Under certain conditions arteries are liable to undergo dilatation in
certain parts, so that the cavity of the vessel is more or less enlarged.
Such a state is known as an aneurism. This form of disease is more
especially seen in foals and young horses, as a result of the presence of
parasites in the large vessels which supply blood to the bowels. It may
also be brought about by sprain or any injury which may induce inflam-
mation and consequent softening of the vessel. Aneurism is sometimes
seen in the aorta, as it courses beneath the spine, and more rarely in some
other of the smaller vessels. In some instances the presence of the
tumour does not seem to give rise to any disturbance in the circulation
which can be recognized during life, and is therefore only discovered after
death. Where, however, the dilatation is considerable, it may very seri-
ously incommode the circulation, and by causing obstruction lead on to
hypertrophy, with dilatation of the walls of the heart and embarrassment
in the breathing.
In the horse, aneurism most frequently occurs in the anterior mesenteric
artery as the result of injury done to the walls of the vessel by parasites
(Strongylus armatus). How these creatures gain access to the vessel is not
exactly decided, but most likely by boring their way through the tissues
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478
HEALTH AND DISEASE
of the bone. When in the vessel they excite irritation in the walls,
resulting in inflammatory softening, and the pressure of the blood from
within acting upon a yielding surface results in dilatation or aneurism.
At the same time the existing endarteritis provokes fibrinous deposit on
Fig. 196. —Aneurism of the Aorta
the inner surface of the vessel, tending to its more or less complete closure.
As a result of this, the intestines fail to receive their proper amount of
blood, on account of which diarrhoea is induced and prostration follows.
ANEMIA
Anaemia is a term employed to denote a condition of the blood in
which there is a deficiency of iron, an element essential to the formation
of red blood cells, deficiency in which results in poverty, weakness, and
general malaise.
The causes of anaemia are numerous. Chief among them may be
mentioned insufficient or improper food, close confinement, impure air,
specific disease, chronic discharges, hemorrhage, the action of lead and
other deleterious agents in the food or water, and parasitism. In the
case of young horses at grass, the first and last named are perhaps the
more frequent, while stabled animals suffer greater risks from bad hygienic
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ANAEMIA
479
conditions. The anaemic state may be very gradually acquired where bad
hygienic conditions exist, or it may follow more quickly upon diarrhoea,
influenza in any of its many forms, glanders, and parturient troubles in
the mare, and the multiplication of parasites within the body.
Symptoms.—There is pallor of the membranes lining the eyelids and
the nasal cavities; the tongue has a limp or soft feeling not imparted to
the hand in a healthy animal, and conveys an impression of coldness to the
touch; emaciation and debility coexist with a harsh, dry skin, and dropsical
swellings appear from time to time, especially in colts at the end of the
winter, when the fare has been poor and the season cold and wet. Low,
marshy, water-logged land is especially conducive to anaemia in young
animals. Persistent or pernicious anaemia results in great weakness, loss
of spirits evinced by drooping head and listlessness, nervous irritability
and palpitation of the heart when suddenly disturbed, a want of co-
ordination of the voluntary muscles, and, in mares or fillies, suppression
or absence of the cestrual periods are sometimes induced, and a peculiar
murmur or ripple is heard near the region of the heart.
The pulse is irregular, feeble, and intermittent, and sudden attacks
of palpitation of the heart come on now and again, when its contractions
may be heard at a considerable distance.
As the heart grows weak, and nervous prostration increases, respira-
tion becomes shallow, digestion is impaired, and the desire for exercise
diminishes. Abdominal pains, of the nature of mild attacks of colic, and
a distended or tympanitic abdomen are not unfrequently noted.
Treatment.— Since the causes are so many and varied, they should be
carefully investigated before a remedy is prescribed. It would be useless,
for instance, to rely solely upon a blood restorative if the maintenance
of a host of parasites within were the cause. In colts at grass the little
worm Strongylus tetracanthus infests the bowels in some seasons to such
an extent as to destroy the life of its victims without for a time producing
other marked symptoms than those of anaemia. Anthelmintics combined
with tonic remedies will here be indicated. (See Parasites.)
The anaemia which follows upon specific diseases, such as influenza,
strangles, &c, will be combated by mineral and vegetable tonics and a
diet at once nutritive and easy of digestion. In the case of colts which
have suffered from the inclemency of the winter, and pasture of inferior
quality, a careful process of building up of the system is advised, and it
has to be borne in mind that animals in this state must not be too hastily
supplied with a full ration of nutritious diet, because the power of digestion
and assimilation has suffered in common with all the other functions of the
body. At first milk and then gruels should be given in conjunction with
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480
HEALTH AND DISEASE
a moderate allowance of more solid food. Crushed linseed and malt flour
are valuable adjuncts to the food allowance at this period, and should
be given in small but frequent portions.
A good deal may be done by supplying medicines from both the vege-
table and mineral kingdoms, bitter tonics, as quinine, gentian, calumba, and
chamomile, the sulphates of iron and copper. As iron is the element most
wanting in the blood of the anaemic, and necessary to rebuild the red
corpuscles, it enjoys a reputation as being almost a specific for this form of
the malady. In the case of horses it has to be given with caution, as, with
the extremely debilitated, it is too irritating and astringent to be borne
in full doses. For the very weak and emaciated the saccharated carbonate
or the ammonio-citrate is preferable to the more commonly employed
sulphate.
PLETHORA
This abnormal condition is now seldom described in works on veterinary
medicine, and some authorities have even denied its existence.
The better management of horses has greatly reduced the number of
cases met with, but the condition can scarcely be forgotten by anyone who
has witnessed it. It is an almost precisely opposite state of the blood to
that described under the heading of anaemia. The subject is usually fat, or
else has been so suddenly placed upon a too liberal diet that the circulatory
fluid has become rapidly loaded with red corpuscles, and what has probably
more to do with the symptoms presently to be described is the accumula-
tion of effete material in the blood which the emunctories fail to eliminate.
Urea and other deleterious products of combustion circulate in the blood
stream, producing effects varying with the quantity, and the idiosyncrasy
of the individual.
Causes.—Idleness conjoined with over-feeding upon highly nitro-
genous food. Close stabling and want of exercise. Inactivity of the liver,
kidneys, and skin; but these latter are usually secondary and dependent on
bad hygienic conditions.
Symptoms.—Trembling and blowing are sometimes present, but closer
inspection shows, in addition, engorgement of the vessels of the conjunctiva
and more or less cerebral disturbance, denoted by excitement, followed
sooner or later by a dull, heavy expression. The pulse is full and hard at
one time and quick and irritable at others. The extremities are variable
as to temperature, but the ears are commonly hot and the appetite fastidi-
ous or altogether in abeyance.
Treatment.—This is one of the few disorders for which the veteri-
narian may, with advantage, resort to venesection. It is attended with
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SEPTICAEMIA
481
immediate relief of the more pressing symptoms. Where the disorder is
not of an urgent character, bleeding will be dispensed with, and reliance
placed upon an aloetic ball, a spare diet, and, as soon as permissible, exer-
cise followed by regular work. There can be little doubt that this malady
is often mistaken for pulmonary congestion. A horse that has once suffered
from plethora should receive special care as to diet when his services are
not in demand, and laxative foods, as bran, more frequently given; for in
keeping the bowels active safety is found.
SEPTICEMIA
The term septicaemia is employed to indicate certain forms of blood-
poisoning which result from the entrance into the circulation of disease-
producing bacteria or their products. All the various contagious disorders,
such as glanders, strangles, &c, are so many special forms of septicaemia,
in addition to which there are others commonly originating in wounds.
When septicaemia results from the entrance of bacteria into the blood,
it is termed septic infection.
If the blood of such an animal be inoculated into a healthy subject the
disease is communicated by the bacteria which it contains.
In this form of the affection, therefore, bacteria are the direct inducing
factor.
But septicaemia may also result from chemical poisons formed by
certain kinds of bacteria, as when organisms of putrefaction set up de-
composition of the tissues in wounds, and the poisonous products resulting
therefrom are absorbed into the blood. This form of septicaemia is known
as septic intoxication, and is not transmissible by inoculating the blood
into healthy stock.
Pyaemia is also a form of septicaemia, but distinguished from all the
rest by the development of abscesses in various parts of the body. The
organisms by which this disease is excited have the peculiar property of
inducing the formation of matter (pus).
Symptoms.—Blood-poisoning in any form is a dangerous and com-
monly fatal affection. It is ushered in by a fit of shivering, which may
be repeated again and again. There is a marked rise of temperature,
attended with great prostration, a quick feeble pulse, and increased re-
spiration. Muscular pain and weakness is shown by the weight of the
body being constantly shifted from one limb to another. The mucous
membranes of the eyes and nose are of a yellowish-red hue, and in severe
cases blood spots or blotches appear upon them. The mouth is clammy,
the tongue furred, and food is altogether refused.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
482
In pyaemia there is, in addition to these symptoms, the formation of
abscesses in various parts of the body, sometimes on the surface, at others,
in one or more of the internal organs. The lungs, brain, liver, and
kidneys, in some instances the joints of the extremities, are the parts-
most frequently invaded. The duration of pyaemia is more protracted
than in the other forms of septicaemia, and although very fatal, it is not
so generally destructive.
Treatment.—In dealing with this form of disease it is of the first
importance that the strength of the patient should, as far as possible, be
upheld. If the appetite fails, as is usually the case, eggs and milk should
be freely given three or four times in the course of the day.
The flagging heart must be stimulated by the administration of brandy,,
whisky, or gin, with which quinine should be given three or four times,,
or more, in the twenty-four hours.
Where wounds exist they should receive prompt attention. The hair
should be removed from about them, and the surrounding skin and the
wounded surface must be thoroughly washed with well-boiled water and
then freely irrigated with some antiseptic solution, after which it should be
enclosed in antiseptic wool, and be carefully dressed as occasion requires.
7. THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION AND THE
RESPIRATORY PROCESS
The act of breathing is so intimately associated with the continuance
of life that we commonly speak of the " first" and " last" breath as terms
synonymous with the beginning and end of existence. Yet that which
is referred to in this sense is really only the outward movement or visible
mechanism of respiration, that is to say, the means by which the intro-
duction and expulsion of air is effected, and takes no heed of the changes
that take place in the air, in the blood, and in the tissues of the animal.
These, however, represent the true end and aim of the respiratory process,
for experiment has shown that the persistent manifestation of life is
invariably associated with the absorption of oxygen and the elimination
of carbon dioxide, that the exchange of these gases is properly termed
the process of respiration, and that it is accomplished in all parts of
the system. Every tissue, but, above all, the muscular, develops carbon-
dioxide in its substance, which, by means of the capillary circulation,
is brought into relation with the blood which has taken up oxygen
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THE OEGANS OF KESPIRATION
483
at the lungs. In obedience to physical laws, an exchange of gases is
immediately effected; the blood rendering up the oxygen it contains to
the tissues, which in turn give up the carbon dioxide they have formed
in their substance to the blood. This process constitutes "internal or
tissue respiration". The blood, now deprived of part of its oxygen and
charged with carbon dioxide, passes by the veins to the right heart, and
from thence to the lungs, where it surrenders its carbon dioxide to the
air, as well as some watery vapour, and in return takes up oxygen from it.
This constitutes " external respiration". The great muscular vigour and
Fig. 197.—The Lungs in their Natural Position
A, (Esophagus. B, Trachea. c, The Heart.
the activity of the horse are necessarily associated with a voluminous
and highly-developed respiratory apparatus, by means of which the re-
quired large exchange of gases can be effected. Accordingly the thorax,
or chest, which is of great size, is chiefly occupied with the lungs, which
are composed of a spongy tissue presenting an enormous surface of con-
tact for the air, a surface that even in man has been estimated at 81 square
metres, or more than 54 times the superficial area of the skin, and that
must be many times greater in the horse.
The air enters the lungs through the nostrils, which are the true com-
mencement of the respiratory tube, and then traverses successively the
larynx, trachea, large and small bronchial tubes, reaching ultimately the
air-cells of the lungs. The nasal cavities present a large and very irregular
surface, covered with a mucous membrane that is constantly moist and
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
484
is highly vascular. The upper part is supplied with the olfactory nerve,
which is the special nerve of smell, whilst the lower part is supplied with
branches of the fifth pair of nerves, which confer upon it a high degree of
common sensation. Several objects are gained by the inhaled air passing
over this surface. The impressions received by the sense of smell, and
conducted to the brain, serve to place the animal on guard against enemies,
whilst they inform it of the proximity of food, water, or other objects of
desire. The acuteness of their perception in these respects is well known.
But it does more. It
warms and moistens the
air as it is inspired, and
thus prevents cold, raw,
and dry air from acting
directly on the delicate
tissue of the lungs.
Having reached the back
of the nose, the current
of air crosses the pharynx
and enters the larynx,
shown in side view in
fig. 198, and looked at
from above in fig. 199.
The larynx is a cartila-
ginous chest or box con-
Fig. 198.-The Larynx
A, Long Cornu of Os Hyoides.         B, Short Cornu.         c, Thyroid or
Heel-like Process.         D, Spur Process.         E, Epiglottis.         p, Glottis.
o, Cricoid Cartilage. H, Thyroid Cartilage. I, First Ring of Trachea.
J, Arytsenoid Cartilage.
taining the organ of voice.
Continuing its course
the inspired air travels
through the trachea or
wind-pipe and the bron-
chial tubes, the divisions of which penetrate, and indeed form, a large
proportion of the substance of the lungs. In the act of expiration the
air passes through the several passages just named in the opposite direc-
tion.
The Lungs.—When full of air the lungs are two voluminous soft
elastic organs of pink colour, which occupy with the heart nearly the whole
of the thoracic cavity. In old animals they are more or less mottled
with black. The right lung is rather larger than the left, and each is
covered with a thin sheet of a serous membrane, named the pleura, which
also lines the inner surface of the ribs and walls of the thorax. The
opposed surfaces of this membrane are polished, and at all times lubricated
with a watery secretion, so that in the acts of respiration the gliding
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THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION
485
movements that occur between the lungs and chest wall are allowed to
take place with the least possible friction.
The Larynx (fig. 198) is a chamber of irregular form externally,
which is connected with the hyoid bone or bone of the tongue (a, b, c)
above and in front by means of a small ligament, and is continuous with
the trachea behind. The chief of the cartilages composing it is named the
thyroid (h), from its resemblance to a shield. It consists of two wing-
like portions, joined at an angle in front, but open behind. To its fore
part is attached the epiglottis (e) (fig. 199),
a tongue-shaped body which covers the
entrance to the glottis when food is swal-
lowed, thus preventing the passage of any
portion of it into the larynx or trachea.
Behind the thyroid cartilage is the cri-
coid cartilage (g), which resembles a signet-
ring with the wider part above (fig. 198).
Articulating with this wider part behind
are the two arytsenoid cartilages (fig. 198).
These are of pyramidal form, and the vocal
cords or organs of voice extend from their
inferior angle to the internal surface of the
thyroid cartilage.
The larynx possesses many muscles
which effect the movements of the several
cartilages on one another during respiration,
Fig. 199.—The Larynx, seen from above
A, Cricoid Cartilage. B, Long Cornu of
Os Hyoides. c, Short Cornu. D, Spur
Process. E, Epiglottis. F, Glottis.
and by tightening the vocal cords determine
the pitch of the notes which the animal is
capable of emitting.
The Trachea is a long wide tube occu-
pying the middle line of the neck, and separated from the spine by the
oesophagus or gullet. It extends from the cricoid cartilage of the larynx
to about the fourth dorsal vertebra. It is about 3 feet in length and
2 inches in width. It is composed of about fifty C-shaped pieces of car-
tilage, each of which is converted into a ring by a strong muscular and
elastic band stretching across from one side of the cartilage to the other.
Elastic and fibrous membranes also extend between the edges of the rings,
so that a continuous tube is formed, and this is lined by a mucous mem-
brane the innermost layer of which is composed of epithelial cells having
upon them fine hair-like processes termed cilia.
Towards the lower part of the trachea the rings are replaced by irregu-
larly shaped fragments of cartilage (fig. 200). The cartilaginous frame-
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486                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
work effectually prevents the trachea from being closed by any moderate
pressure that may be exerted upon it, and air is consequently always
capable of reaching the lungs without interference. The entrance of food
or of any foreign body into the trachea is jealously guarded against, and
it is only when these parts are, so to speak, taken by surprise that such
an accident can happen. In the first place the mucous membrane of the
whole of this region is rendered extremely sensitive to touch by the distri-
bution of the superior
laryngeal nerve, which is
a branch of the vagus.
Then in the act of swal-
lowing, the whole larynx
and trachea are drawn
close up behind the
tongue by muscular ac-
tion, whilst at the same
time the epiglottis is
drawn downward to meet
them, and in this way the
opening into the larynx
is closed against the en-
trance of food. At the
same moment the vocal
cords are brought to-
gether and the space
between them reduced
to a mere chink; whilst
lastly, if, in spite of these
precautionary arrange-
Fig. 200.—The Lungs and Bronchi
ments, a fragment of food
should by chance enter
the larynx or trachea, it is immediately expelled by a violent expiratory
effort or cough.
The Bronchi.—The trachea on reaching the chest divides into the
two bronchi, one going to each lung. As seen in fig. 200, they then
divide and subdivide again and again till the tubes are scarcely larger
than a hair, when they are termed bronchioles. These, after a short
course, suddenly change their character, becoming dilated into sack-like
ends, and presenting depressions, cups, or pits on their walls as shown
in fig. 201.
The Air-cells.—These cups constitute the air-cells, alveoli, or vesicles
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EFFECTS OF EESPIEATION
487
of the lungs. They are surrounded by a close net-work of minute blood-
vessels (capillaries), and it is here that the aeration of the blood takes
place. The air vesicles have a diameter of from
inch, and
to
100
200
their number has been esti-
mated to be 750,000,000 in
man, whilst it must be at least
three times as many in the
horse. Their walls are com-
posed chiefly of elastic fibres
loosely interwoven, which con-
fer upon the lung tissue the
great elasticity it possesses, and
the epithelium lining them is
no longer columnar and ciliated,
as in the bronchioles, but flat
and thin, thereby permitting
the free passage of gases
through them.
The distribution of blood
through the lungs is effected
Fig. 201.—Sack-like Ends of a Bronchiole
A, Bronchial Tube divided. B, Infundibulum or Terminal
-,          ,-.            . -i . -i          ,             -i           -i Dae.        (J, ivir-ceus.        l), A
by the right heart and pul- around and between E, Air-cells.
monary artery, which contain
dark venous blood. As the blood traverses the pulmonary capillaries
around the air-cells it gives off carbon dioxide to, and takes up oxygen
from, the air in the alveoli, and is then returned to the left heart as
aerated blood by the pulmonary veins.
EFFECTS OF RESPIRATION
Composition Of the Air.—The composition of the atmosphere has
been proved, by the analyses of many chemists, to be nearly uniform in
all parts of the world, excepting in regard to the quantity of watery
vapour it contains, which is, of course, far less in cold dry regions than
in those which are moist and warm. Pure, dry air is a mixture of 21
parts of oxygen, 79 parts of nitrogen, and a small proportion of carbon
dioxide, amounting to 1 part in every 2500 parts of this mixture. In
addition to the constituents above mentioned, smoke, containing com-
pounds of sulphur as indicated by the tarnishing of silver, and ammonia,
with accidental impurities derived from factories, are found near towns;
and in the country at certain seasons of the year, and in certain localities,
the pollen of plants and micro-organisms also impair its purity.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
488
Air is 773 times lighter than an equal volume of water, and 14"47
times heavier than the same volume of hydrogen. For each degree centi-
grade of increased temperature it expands -gy-g of its volume. The pressure
of the atmosphere on each square yard of surface is about 20,000 lbs.,
and as the horse presents between 5 and 6 square yards of surface, it
supports a pressure of 100,000 lbs., or 50 tons.
The air is rarely or never saturated with aqueous vapour, but the
quantity rises with the temperature, and is greater therefore in hot climates
than in cold, and in summer than in winter. It is greater also on plains
than in mountainous regions, by day than by night, and where there is
much vegetation than in arid districts. In moist tropical regions it may
rise to 3 volumes in 100 of air, whilst in middle Europe it does not usually
exceed 1*3 per cent, and may perhaps in this country be regarded as con-
stituting between 1 and 2 per cent by volume.
Air after Respiration.—When air that has been once inspired is
examined, it is found to have undergone considerable alteration. The
proportion of nitrogen, indeed, is not materially altered—it still remains at
about 79 in 100 parts,—but about 5 parts of oxygen have been abstracted,
leaving the percentage of oxygen at about 16 per cent, while the quantity
of carbon dioxide is increased from 1 part in 2500 to 112 "5 parts in 2500,
or to 4"5 per cent. The air is, in addition, rendered warmer, providing,
of course, that when it was inspired it was not higher in temperature than
that of the body. When this occurs, as it sometimes does in hot climates,
the air inspired may actually be co led by passing through the lungs. As
a rule, the temperature of the expired air is raised to nearly 98°. More-
over, it is saturated with watery vapour which has evaporated from the
moist mucous tracts of the nose, trachea, and alveoli of the lungs. It is
also freed from all particles of dust and from all living or dead germs,
which adhere to the moist surface of the respiratory tract, to be tossed
outwards by the wave-like movements of the cilia of the ciliated cells
lining the air-passages, and ultimately to be coughed up. Finally, some
volatile gases or oils are added to it, as is proved by the peculiar odour
of the breath characteristic of each animal, and especially observable after
the use of certain articles of diet, such as garlic.
Putting the changes in the air in a tabular form, they may be thus
represented:—
lieu:—
Oxygen ......
Nitrogen ...
Carbon dioxide
Before inspiration.
21
79
0-04
After expiration.
16
79
4-5
Aqueous vapour ...
Temperature
.. 1
More
Variable .....
or less germ-laden .....
Saturated
About 98°
Germ-free
-ocr page 589-
EFFECTS OF RESPIRATION
489
It has been found that in the case of man, and probably therefore also
in the horse, climate materially affects the absorption of oxygen. Thus,
under ordinary conditions of respiratory activity in the hot climate of
Madras, a man absorbs in one month 177 lbs. of oxygen, in the drier air of
London or Brussels, 192 lbs., in the still drier atmosphere of St. Petersburg
or Barnaul in Tomsk, 199 lbs., and in the latter place in winter, when the
quantity of moisture in the air is at a minimum, as much as 218 lbs.
These differences in some measure account for the languor experienced in
hot climates, and for the briskness and great heat-producing power ex-
hibited by the body in cold climates.
Air-changes in the Blood.—We may now enquire into the nature
of the changes that take place in the blood from the time that it leaves
the lungs in an aerated state, or in the condition of arterial blood, till
it is returned to the heart in a venous condition after having traversed
the various organs of the body. The results that have been obtained
by those chemists who are the best qualified to deal with this difficult
subject show that from 100 volumes of blood about 60 volumes of
gas can be abstracted. The gases consist of carbon dioxide, oxygen,
and a little nitrogen, the proportion differing considerably according
to whether arterial or venous blood is examined. In both kinds of
blood the carbon dioxide is in great excess. Thus in 100 volumes of
arterial blood there are: oxygen 20, nitrogen 1 to 2, carbon dioxide 40
volumes. In 100 volumes of venous blood there are: oxygen 8 to 10,
nitrogen 1 to 2, and carbon dioxide 46 volumes. The nitrogen may be
dismissed from consideration at once, for it is known that it presents no
special affinity for any of the constituents of the blood, that it is absorbed
as water would absorb it, and that its volume consequently remains un-
changed. It is different with the other two gases. The oxygen introduced
into the lungs by the process of inspiration rapidly diffuses through the
delicate walls of the air-cells and the blood-vessels around them, and at
once enters into a feeble chemical combination with the haemoglobin con-
tained in the red blood corpuscles. By these it is distributed through the
system, and in less than ten seconds reaches the capillary vessels, where
the blood is brought into close relation but not in actual contact with the
tissues. These have a stronger affinity for oxygen than the heemoglobin of
the blood; it therefore leaves the red corpuscles, and, passing through the
thin walls of the blood and lymph vessels, finally attacks or is seized upon
by the tissues, muscle or nerve or gland, as the case may be.
The quantity of carbon dioxide that is generated in the tissues, to be
taken up by the plasma of the blood and to be discharged from the body
at the lungs, is dependent upon many circumstances. To liberate the force
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                                          33
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490                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
by which such an animal as the horse is able to accomplish its wonderful
feats of locomotion, often under the disadvantage of having to drag a
weighty load or to carry a heavy rider, something must be oxidized. At
first sight it might reasonably be supposed that this something is the
substance of the muscle itself, and this was long supposed to be the true
explanation; but if this were the case, then nitrogen, which is an essential
constituent of muscle proteid, ought to appear in the excreta after exertion
in augmented quantity, either free or combined, as one of the products of
the disintegration of that tissue. Careful chemical research, however,
made both upon man and animals shows that exercise, even when violent
and prolonged, does not materially increase the discharge of urea from
the kidney, which is the chief channel by which nitrogen leaves the body.
Hence the conclusion has been arrived at, that just as locomotion is effected
in a steam-engine, with little wear-and-tear of the machine itself, the force
being derived from the latent energy stored up in the fuel, so in the case of
muscle the tissue itself is only the machine which utilizes the force set free
by the combustion of some organic substance within it in which carbon is
predominant. This substance, there is reason to believe, is glycogen, which
is present in muscle at rest, but disappears after exercise, a substance that
is in constant course of formation by the liver, and is stored up in the cells
of that organ until it is again used up either by long fasting or after pro-
longed muscular exertion, and which, lastly, is a compound containing much
carbon, whilst the oxygen and hydrogen in its composition are in the pro-
portions to form water. During exercise more blood traverses the muscles,
and therefore more oxygen is brought to them, the glycogen they contain
is oxidized, carbon dioxide is formed, and water set free. The carbon
dioxide is carried away by the blood, and is discharged partly by the
lungs and partly by the skin; the water passes off by the kidneys. But
other circumstances besides exercise affect the production of carbon dioxide.
The quantity thrown off by the body is always increased after food. It is
increased when the temperature of the surrounding medium is lowered, for
since the temperature of the body is nearly 100° F., the oxidation of oil, of
glycogen, and of proteids is necessary in order that it should be maintained.
When, therefore, the external temperature falls, more of these substances
must be ingested and oxidized to develop the required heat. The culmi-
nation of this is seen in the Esquimaux, who keep up their temperature
during the severity of an Arctic winter by consuming large quantities of
oily substances, the oxidation of which produces more heat in proportion to
lbs. in weight than any other kinds of food.
In warm climates the amount of heat required to maintain that of the
body is comparatively small; hence the propriety of reducing the quantity
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THE MECHANISM OF RESPIRATION
491
of food supplied under these circumstances, and using the carbohydrates
rather than the hydrocarbons.
Young animals eliminate more carbon dioxide than old ones in pro-
portion to their weight, their tissues being more watery, disintegrating
more rapidly, and being more amenable to oxidation. Females, on the
other hand, making, as a rule, little muscular effort, give off less than
males of the same age and weight.
The proportion of carbon dioxide that is eliminated, as compared with
the quantity absorbed, is termed the respiratory quotient, and in the horse
CO                    ...                            . . CO
is -~ = 0*9, whilst in carnivora the proportion is —~ = 0"77.
The amount of water that is expelled from the lungs during respiration
is considerable. The average quantity of water contained in air at mean
temperature and pressure is about 1 to 1"5 per cent, but the air which
is expired is raised to a temperature only a degree or two below 100° F.,
and it is saturated, containing therefore about 7 per cent of water vapour.
It has been estimated that in man about 600 litres of water vapour, weigh-
ing 720 grammes, are given off daily, and the quantity given off by a horse
may be taken at at least five times that amount.
THE MECHANISM OF KESPIRATION
The mechanism by which the respiratory acts are accomplished con-
sists of the partly fixed and partly movable bony and cartilaginous frame-
work of the chest and of the muscles, which form a large part of the
walls of that cavity. The lungs themselves are passive agents, and only
contribute to the movement of expiration by their elasticity. They
accurately fill and fit the thoracic cavity, except in so far as room is
afforded for the heart and great vessels. The principle on which tranquil
respiration is accomplished is that the cavity of the chest becomes enlarged
by muscular effort. As the diaphragm descends, and as the ribs are raised,
air rushes in to equalize the pressure, and inspiration is effected. Then
the muscular effort ceases, the diaphragm becomes more arched, the
abdominal parietes, chest, and lungs retract by virtue of their elasticity,
and expiration results.
The thorax, or chest, is a conical cavity, narrow and compressed from
side to side in front, and expanded behind. It is formed of the strong and
unyielding back-bone above, and the sternum, or breast-bone, below. Be-
tween these two parts extend the ribs, which number eighteen on each side,
the first eight, or true ribs, being attached by their heads or upper ends
to the spine, and by their lower ends, with the intervention of a piece
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492                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
of cartilage, to the sternum or breast-bone. The remaining ten, false or
asternal ribs, whilst attached above like the true ribs to the vertebrae,
end below in cartilages which are only indirectly connected wTith the
sternum.
The first and last ribs are the shortest, the ninth is the longest. They
form a series of highly elastic arches, the sharpness of the curvature being
greatest in the first and diminishing to the last. The articulations formed
by the heads of the ribs with the vertebras permit a slight degree of
motion upon them. In complete expiration the ribs of the opposite
sides of the thorax fall towards one another, and at the same time approxi-
mate to those of their own side by their edges, thus diminishing the
capacity of the chest; whilst in full inspiration the ribs are raised, form
wider curves, separate from those of the opposite side and from each other,
and thrust the sternum forwards, in this way effecting enlargement of the
chest both from side to side and from before backwards. The move-
ments of the ribs are effected by muscles placed between them, named the
intercostals. These consist of two layers of short muscular fibres which
extend between the edges of adjoining ribs, the external running down-
wards and backwards, the internal running downwards and forwards, the
former serving to raise the ribs, and thus to effect inspiration, which is
aided by those fibres of the internal intercostals which extend between the
cartilaginous portion of the ribs.
The front aperture of the thorax is occupied by the trachea, oeso-
phagus, large vessels, and nerves, together with firm connective tissue.
The posterior opening of the thorax is very wide, and is closed by the
great muscular arch of the diaphragm or midriff This important muscle
divides the thorax from the abdomen. Its posterior concave surface is
covered with the peritoneum or lining membrane of the belly, and is in
contact with the liver, stomach, and organs of the abdomen; the anterior
convex surface is covered with the pleura or lining membrane of the chest,
and is in contact with the lungs.
The diaphragm is the most powerful muscle of inspiration, for in the
act of contraction the arch it naturally forms falls back and tends to become
a plane surface, and thus the cavity of the chest is enlarged from before
backwards at the expense of the abdomen. In forced respiration the chest
is acted on by many muscles which are attached to its outer surface, and
which tend to raise the ribs and effect inspiration. On the other hand, the
muscles of the abdominal wall tend to pull down the ribs, compress the
abdominal organs, and force forward the diaphragm; they consequently
cause expiration.
The enlargement of the chest during tranquil respiration is smaller
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THE MECHANISM OF KESPIBATION                              493
than might be expected, for if a tape be passed round the animal, just
behind the shoulder, it will be found to enlarge only about -§• inch, at
the twelfth intercostal space about 1 inch, and at the last intercostal
space about \ inch. It is estimated that the diaphragm moves back-
ward towards the belly about 5 inches, lengthening the chest to that
extent. The quantity of air inspired and expired at each respiration varies
within wide limits. In tranquil respiration it may amount on the average
to about 2 quarts with each respiration, or about 5 gallons per minute,
when the number of respirations is ten, but after violent exercise the
number of respirations may increase to one hundred or more per minute,
with a corresponding increase in the volume of air breathed, amounting
in one case to 97 gallons.
In the horse the act of inspiration is much more prolonged than that
of expiration, the proportion being sometimes as much as two to one, and
there appears to be a very short interval between the end of the one act
and the beginning of the other.
The air that is used in respiration has been divided into four portions.
First, there is that portion taken in during quiet breathing (tidal air),
which may be estimated at from 200 to 300 cubic inches. But it is
manifest that during exertion the animal can take in an additional amount
over and above what it inspires in ordinary breathing. This is termed
complemented air. Under these circumstances it also gives out with each
expiration much more air than when an expiration has been made during
rest; that extra quantity is named supplemental air. And these three
portions—tidal, complemental, and supplemental air—are spoken of col-
lectively as the " vital capacity". In young and strong animals, with
free movement of the chest walls, the vital capacity is large; in old
and weakly animals, when the cartilages of the ribs are ossified, and the
lungs and thorax are less elastic, it is small. Finally, there is a portion
of air termed the " residual air", which cannot be dislodged by the
deepest expiration, but which is still subservient to the respiratory
process in the air-cells of the lungs.
If in a healthy living animal the walls of the chest be cut through, as,
for example, by a sabre cut, or be perforated, as by a stake or by a rifle
bullet, so that the cavity of the chest is opened, or even if this be done in
a dead animal, the lung immediately collapses and retracts from the wall
of the chest, and the hissing of air entering through the wound can be
distinctly heard. If one side of the lung only be punctured, respiration,
though greatly impeded, is yet capable of being performed, but if both
cavities are opened suffocation quickly ensues, for with each expansion
of the chest the outside air enters the pleural cavity more easily through
-ocr page 594-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
494
the wound than through the trachea, in consequence of which the lungs
become compressed and cease to perform their office.
The Nerves and Nerve - Centres of Respiration.—The nerve-
centres which are implicated in quiet respiration are situated in that
part of the brain termed the medulla oblongata, at the point where the
vagi nerves take their origin. The destruction of this very small spot
causes immediate death by arrest of the respiratory acts. It was accord-
ingly named the " nceud vital", or vital spot, by Flourens. Nerve fibres
run to and from this point. Amongst those which convey nervous im-
pulses to it are the fibres of the vagus nerve which pass up to it. Those
which conduct impulses away from it are fibres which pass down the
spinal cord for some distance, and then emerge at the lower part of the
neck and along the thorax to form the phrenic and intercostal nerves
distributed to the diaphragm and the intercostal muscles.
When at rest, the horse breathes ten or twelve times per minute, and
there is a general relation between the number of respirations and the
number of the beats of the heart, the proportion being about 1:4 or 1:5,
but the frequency with which the acts of respiration are performed is
subject to great variation. At rest, or during sleep, the number is about
ten or twelve in the minute, but after vigorous exercise, such as galloping
for ten minutes, it may rise to fifty, sixty, or more in the same time,
gradually subsiding as the animal becomes quiescent. In two horses,
after a run of about 7 miles, the pulse was observed to rise from 40
to 132, and the respirations from 12 to 102, in the minute. After being
at rest for three-quarters of an hour the pulse had fallen to 66 and to
54, whilst the respirations in each animal were 60 per minute (Arloing).
The depth of the respirations greatly augments with increased frequency,
so that a much larger volume of air enters, and is expelled from, the
lungs at each inspiration and expiration. This constitutes forced respira-
tion.
ASPHYXIA
This term, which, etymologically speaking, signifies pulselessness, has
been erroneously applied to that condition in which there is great
deficiency of oxygen, and, as a rule, increase of carbon dioxide in the
blood. The amount of oxygen entering the lungs may be reduced
rapidly by strangulation, or by closure of the mouth and nostrils, as in
smothering, or by sudden closure of the glottis, as by choking, or by
exposure to irrespirable gases, such as carbon dioxide and chlorine, or to
such a gas as carbon monoxide, which, though respirable, replaces oxygen
in the blood corpuscles, or by plunging the animal into another medium,
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VENTILATION                                                  495
as into water or mercury, which is drowning, or by the simple withdrawal
of oxygen from the air; or it may be induced more slowly by closing the
air-tubes with the products of secretion, as in diphtheria or croup and
laryngitis, or by paralysing the muscles of respiration, as by the action
of curara, or by opening both pleural sacs simultaneously, thus preventing
the lungs from following the expansion of the chest walls, or, lastly, by
loss of blood. It is usually divided into three stages, the first of which,
in rapidly-induced asphyxia, lasts about a minute, and is characterized by
violent inspiratory efforts. Then the abdominal muscles contract power-
fully, and strong expiratory efforts occur, which are succeeded by irregular
spasms of the limbs, chiefly affecting the flexor muscles. The blood
pressure rises to a great height, owing to the stimulation of the smaller
vessels by the non-arterialized blood. In the second stage, which also
lasts about a minute, the convulsive movements cease, the expiratory
movements are hardly perceptible, the pupil dilates, and touching the
eyeball excites no reflex movement of the lids. The blood - pressure
gradually falls, and the muscles generally are relaxed. In the third stage,
which lasts two or three minutes, the inspiratory efforts become more
feeble, and only take place at long intervals spasmodically, the extensor
muscles are convulsed, the head is thrown back, and death closes the
scene.
VENTILATION
It may be taken for granted that air which has been once breathed
is unfit for further respiration. Such air, we have seen, contains about
4|- per cent of carbon dioxide, and experiment has shown that a far smaller
proportion is poisonous, and it is generally admitted that a disagreeable
or stuffy sensation is perceived by man when the air in a room contains
about 1 per cent of carbon dioxide in 1000 of pure air. It is probable,
however, that the feeling of closeness is not altogether due to the carbon-
dioxide, but is in part owing to the exhalation from the skin and to the
volatile products resulting from chemical changes in the body that are
discharged from the lungs. M. Boussingault has estimated that a horse
of average size eliminates 4800 litres, or between 8000 and 9000 pints,
of carbon dioxide per diem, from which it is clear that a very large
quantity of pure air must be supplied to prevent the proportion of the
C02 from rising above 1 per cent. The object of good ventilation is to
effect this renewal of the air without creating a draught, or, in cold periods
of the year, causing a sudden inrush of air at a low temperature. In the
case of the human subject it is held that to preserve the air in a fit state
of purity, with ordinary or natural ventilation, at least 2000 cubic feet
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496                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
of space should be allowed for each individual, and a much larger space,
as might be expected, is required for the horse; but as a set-off to this
it may be remarked that it has been found that the horse can bear without
injury a larger percentage of C02 than man, and secondly, the construction
and arrangements of stables are more favourable to natural ventilation than
are the majority of human habitations. So if the space occupied by stables
be somewhat smaller than those built for man, the renewal of the air is
more effectually accomplished.
The term " natural ventilation" has been suggested by Pettenkofer,
who has shown that, besides the interchange of air and gases that takes
place through open windows and doors, or through the cracks and inter-
spaces of boards and ill-fitting frames of windows and doors when these
are closed, the walls of most dwelling-houses, when composed of brick or
sandstone and mortar, allow air to pass through them with much greater
facility than is usually believed. Thus it is found by experiment that
the natural pores of such walls allow of the passage of 2000 cubic feet of
air through—
42 square feet of a free wall of sandstone.
30          ,,          „ ,,           quarried limestone.
25                     „ „           brick.
19                     ,, ,,           tufaceous limestone.
14                    „ „           mud.
Two circumstances are of great importance in regard to the activity
of natural ventilation—the relative temperature of the air within and
without, and the presence of moisture in the walls. Moisture, by filling
up the pores, greatly obstructs, if it does not altogether prevent, the passage
of air through walls. It is present in large quantities in new buildings,
in which, therefore, no natural ventilation takes place, and which are
proverbially unhealthy.
Pettenkofer found that in a room 14 feet square and 14 feet high, with
a difference of temperature of 34° F. (66° F. inside, and 32° F. outside),
the contents changed once in an hour; with a good fire in the stove it
increased 25 per cent, and even when all apparent apertures and crevices
were closed it only diminished 28 per cent. A stable built of mud is
capable of permitting the entrance of a considerable volume of fresh air
by natural ventilation, and can thus afford shelter to more animals than
one built of sandstone. The activity with which the exchange of air is
secured by natural and wholesome ventilation in a stable does not depend
upon its cubic capacity, but upon the extent and nature of its ventilating
walls and appliances, and hence a small stable built of porous material
may secure better ventilation than a large one, partly because for each
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DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS
497
animal there is more ventilating surface with equal cubic space, and partly
because the air permeates the walls more readily.
DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS
CATARRH OR COLD
Definition.—The term catarrh is generally used to describe an inflam-
matory condition of the lining membrane of the upper portion of the air-
passages, commonly spoken of as "a cold", the special feature of which is a
discharge of varied character from the nostrils, and sometimes the eyes also.
Causes.—The popular term—cold, or a cold—correctly points to the
origin of many cases of this disorder, but it should be understood that
there are other causes of catarrh with which cold has no concern. For
the most part it results from lengthened exposure to inclement weather
under conditions of exhaustion and inadequate food, sudden change from
an overheated and usually badly ventilated stable to the outer cold, and
it is the general experience among horsemen that the opposite conditions
to the latter frequently cause it. It would seem paradoxical that an
animal should take cold on coming from a cold atmosphere to a warm one,
and from nakedness to clothing and comforts. The explanation is probably
to be found in the unwholesome and irritating nature of the stable atmos-
phere upon the sensitive membranes of the air-passages. A horse requires
a very large amount of air space, and the inadequate amount usually
allowed is only tolerated when he has become acclimatized to close quarters.
The advantages of pure air as a curative agent, when catarrh is established,
are so well recognized among horse-dealers that some adopt the heroic
though imprudent course of turning them out in a field. When the skin
of a weak perspiring horse is suddenly exposed to a cold wind, the surface
circulation receives a check of which the cold is a reaction or local mani-
festation. The animal's condition at the time of exposure would appear
to have much to do with his susceptibility in this respect; indifferent
health and fatigue are unquestionably predisposing conditions. The horse
in hard condition, sweating but not exhausted, will bear a cold shower-
bath without taking cold, but his vital powers are sufficiently great to
produce a healthy reaction.
Infection.— An infectious form of catarrh is now generally recognized,
and as such the disease periodically visits most large establishments where
a great number of horses are stabled. Young horses, fresh from the
country and drafted into town studs, seldom escape an attack, but their
susceptibility to further infection would appear to be materially reduced
as a consequence.
-ocr page 598-
498                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
Symptoms.—Slight shivering fits usually usher in the attack, which
more often than not pass unobserved. Then follow yawning and listless-
ness, hanging the head and general dulness, staring of the coat, which
feels harsh to the touch. The temperature of the extremities is variable,
while that of the central parts of the body is increased, the thermometer
introduced into the rectum indicating a rise more or less marked according
to the severity of the attack. In some individuals sneezing is a prominent
symptom, but it cannot be described as general. The nasal membrane is
dry and the colour somewhat heightened, this symptom being followed
by a watery discharge, in which the eyes also may participate. The
watery fluid changes in a few days to a thick mucus or muco-purulent
discharge. The appetite is usually impaired during the febrile stage,
while a painful cough is a frequent concomitant later on.
Treatment.—With good nursing, pure air, and suitable food a com-
mon cold is not difficult to manage. Danger in these cases mostly results
from neglect in giving timely attention to the case, or in putting the
patient to work too soon. A fortnight should be allowed in which the
disease may run its course. There is no remedy that will cut it short,
but such agents as are selected will be given with a view to ameliorate
the symptoms and enable nature to throw it off as soon as possible. In
the early stage salycine in one or other of its combinations appears to
hasten the discharge and lower temperature, spirit of nitrous aether being
given with the same object. Acetate of ammonia has also been long in
favour. When the discharge has become thick, and provided there is
no cough, the sulphates of iron and copper are calculated to impart tone
and arrest a tendency to a chronic discharge. If cough accompanies the
disease, a smart liniment may be applied over the region of the throat,
and a mixture of paregoric and glycerine, with some of the sweet spirit
of nitre, may be found beneficial. Where a difficulty in swallowing points
to an inflamed condition of the pharynx a gargle of chlorate, or nitrate,
of potash is recommended, there being no objection to its being swallowed.
Where debility and languor continue after the acute symptoms have abated,
carbonate of ammonia with bitter vegetable tonics are prescribed. The
nostrils should be sponged with warm water to which a little permanganate
of potash has been added, and the edges anointed with vaseline to facilitate
the discharge of nasal mucus. The food should be moistened and easy
of mastication: linseed-tea, mashes, and carrots, with chaff and hay steamed,
and the drinking-water should have the chill taken off in winter. If grass
is available it may be given freely, nor need the attendant be alarmed
if it imparts some of its colour to the discharge escaping from the nostrils.
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CHRONIC NASAL CATARRH—NASAL GLEET                    499
CHRONIC NASAL CATARRH—NASAL GLEET
Definition.—-A lasting discharge from the nasal chambers, of varying
quantity and character. When accompanied by an offensive odour it is
known as ozoena.
Causes.—Chronic discharges from the nostrils are usually the sequel
of catarrh, in some cases resulting from cold, in others from influenza or
strangles, from which the patient has been brought low in condition and
made but a tardy recovery.
The membranes high up in the facial cavities have entered upon a
chronic low form of inflammatory action, by which an unhealthy secretion
is formed, which, when retained, appears to aggravate the condition. If the
disease is confined to the nasal chambers only, the prospect of restoration
to a healthy state is much greater than when the sinuses of the face which
communicate with them are the seat of unhealthy action. When this is the
case, the matter may accumulate and become so thick as to make removal
only possible by a surgical operation. In coal-mines the habitual inhala-
tion of dust and unwholesome air is said to cause nasal gleet, as does also
the foul conditions found on shipboard. Quite a large proportion of sea-
born horses suffer from catarrh, and a greater proportion of cases of chronic
nasal discharge are found among these horses than result from catarrh con-
tracted in the usual way. In addition to the causes stated, nasal gleet not
unfrequently arises out of a diseased condition of the fangs of the teeth and
of the bones of the facial region.
Symptoms.—When of recent date the discharge is thick and opaque,
as in the later stages of catarrh or common cold, but as it becomes a settled
condition it is subject to great variations, not only in respect of its con-
sistence and character, but also as to the amount discharged. In the
former connection it undergoes some remarkable changes, being at one
time a thin, transparent, glutinous fluid, and at another thick, white, or
even curdy-looking matter. Where structural changes have taken place in
the diseased membrane, the discharge may be streaked with blood, and in
some instances largely mingled with it. The outflow is much greater at
some times than at others, and especially when the head is depressed or
lowered to the ground. Where the matter is long pent up in the cavities
of the face it acquires an offensive odour, which may continue or pass away,
to return from time to time at varying intervals. More or less constitu-
tional disturbance is remarked in cases of some standing, and where a
disagreeable odour is attached to the discharge. The coat becomes un-
thrifty and staring, there is general loss of condition, and the animal is
easily fatigued. The submaxillary glands may become enlarged and hard-
-ocr page 600-
HEALTH AND DISEASE
500
ened, and the membrane lining the nostril assumes a leaden hue, symptoms
which are also associated with glanders, and sometimes give rise to much
anxiety and indecision in the matter of diagnosis, even among experts.
Treatment.—It will prove a safe plan in every case of nasal discharge
and glandular swelling of a chronic kind to isolate the patient and keep for
his particular use one set of stable utensils, harness, &c. Both local and
constitutional measures of treatment should be adopted. Good sound food
and a liberal allowance of it, exercise but not work, and good sanitary
surroundings. Internal agents of the astringent tonic class are found to
be very beneficial, and the salts of different metals may be administered
and changed from time to time, the one for the other, with advantage.
A course of arsenic and iron may be tried first, and should it not prove
successful, then a change to the copper salts may be made. It is probable
that all tonics are help-
Fig. 202.-insufflator
                                 it is decided to give
arsenic, Fowler's solu-
tion should be chosen and given in the food in doses of from 1 to 2 ounces
twice a day.
Local treatment of various kinds is recommended, and the agents
employed are both wet and dry. The injection up the nostrils of astringent
or styptic lotions with the aid of a syringe is not to be recommended, but
the insufflation of iodoform by an instrument made for the purpose, and
known as an insufflator (fig. 202), may be tried for a short period. It
consists of an india-rubber ball, with a long vulcanite nozzle.
The lotions most favoured are those in which the sulphates of zinc,
copper, and iron form the principal part, and in some severe cases a solu-
tion of chloride of zinc is used in the shape of Burnett's fluid. The
patient is naturally alarmed by the use of nasal injections, and the success
of the treatment depends largely upon the efficiency of the operator.
There are cases that defy all treatment of this kind, owing to the in-
accessibility of curative agents to the seat of disease; here the sinuses of
the face may have to be trephined and the semi-solid matter removed
(see "Operations"), after which the cavities will require to be repeatedly
washed out with astringent and antiseptic solutions.
Fumigation of the nostrils (fig. 203) with warm vapour impregnated
with volatilized carbolic acid or turpentine should be tried. This may
be done by means of a nose-bag containing warm, moist bran or saw-
dust, over which a little of one or the other or both the agents named has
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HEMORRHAGE
501
been sprinkled. The application should be made three times a day for
not less than an hour on each occasion. In all cases of this kind the
patient should be made to eat hay from the
ground, so as to encourage the downward
flow of matter from the cavities of the face.
Where no benefit is derived from these several
methods of treatment it may be desirable to
wash out the sinuses of the face, but before
this can be done one or more openings will
require to be made into them by removing
portions of bone, or, as it is termed, trepan-
ning.
HEMORRHAGE
When blood escapes from the vessels into
an open space, whether it be into one of the
cavities of the body (chest or belly, &c.) or on Kg 203._Fumigation of the Nostrils
to the surface, it is described as hemorrhage.
                   for Catarrh
If, instead, it passes into the tissues, as in
the case of a black eye or a " corn", it is spoken of as extravasation.
Bleeding may occur from an artery or a vein, or both at the same time.
In the first case it is distinguished as arterial hemorrhage, in the second
as venous, and in the third mixed.
For convenience of description different terms are employed to indicate
the particular organs from which bleeding takes place. Thus bleeding from
the nose is known as epistaxis (eVio-Ta^, to distil), from the lungs as
haemoptysis (at/xa, blood, and Trrveiv, to spit), from the stomach as hsema-
temesis (ai^a, blood, and e^eew, to vomit), from the ear, ottorhsegia, &c. &c.
Causes.—Hemorrhage may be the consequence of either disease or
accident. In some animals it originates in a congenital weakness of the
vessels, in which case their walls give way under very trifling causes,
as when bleeding from the nose comes on in the course of a gallop,
excitement, or effort in draught, or when hemorrhage from the lungs is
provoked by coughing. Cases have come under the notice of the
writer where, without any apparent cause, blood would ooze through
the vessels of the skin and hang in drops from the hair at numerous
points. This form of the disease is termed hsemophilia (ai^a, blood, and
(piKew, to love).
Hemorrhage as a result of disease is exemplified where the walls of the
capillary vessels are weakened by fatty degeneration and fail to resist the
pressure of the blood within them. The larger arteries sometimes become
-ocr page 602-
502                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
dilated and ulcerated, and break, from the same cause. Sloughing ulcers of
the bowels, stomach, and other organs may lay open the blood-vessels and
lead to serious or even fatal extravasation.
The accidental causes of hemorrhage are wounds and blows, the former
resulting from cuts, stabs, and lacerations of the flesh.
Symptoms.—Hemorrhage from the surface of the body is obvious, but
internal bleeding is not always so. When it takes place into the lungs it
may be evidenced by its escape from the nostrils; but when the escape is
into the chest or belly, or other closed cavities, the outward indications of
its occurrence must be sought for in certain manifestations of disordered
function and physical signs. Of these the more suspicious are a pale or
blanched appearance of the membranes lining the mouth, the nostrils, and
the eyelids. The pupils of the eyes become dilated, and the eye itself
presents a bright, glassy appearance. The breathing is deep and sighing,
the extremities become cold, and patches of cold sweat appear on the body.
The upper lip is raised from time to time, and if the head be elevated by
placing the hand under the jaw, the animal staggers.
As the blood drains away, and supply to the brain fails, the muscles
twitch and quiver and finally undergo general relaxation, when the body
staggers and falls. Death from loss of blood is preceded by convulsions.
Treatment.—The course to be adopted in dealing with hemorrhage
will depend upon the organ affected, and in external bleeding in some
measure as to whether the flow is from an artery or a vein, or from smaller
and less important vessels. If an artery be laid open through an external
wound, the blood flows from it in jerks corresponding to the beating of the
heart, and it is, besides, of a bright scarlet hue. If it proceeds from a vein,
it passes from the wound in a continuous stream, and the colour is dark red
or purple.
Where veins and arteries are divided at the same time these two colours
are blended together, giving a colour intermediate between the two, or
a light and dark streakiness, to the stream. If the vessel from which the
blood escapes is of considerable size, and can be made accessible, the bleed-
ing may be arrested by ligature, i.e. by tying it round tightly with a piece
of clean carbolized silk or string. If it is an artery, the ligature should be
applied to that side of the opening in the vessel nearest the heart, from
which direction the blood is coming. If it be a vein, that side farthest
from the heart will be selected. Pressure on the bleeding part, by means of
the finger or a bandage, may suffice to stop the flow. Where the blood
proceeds from a number of small vessels, a little cotton-wool applied to the
broken surface will sometimes have the desired effect. Should it not do so,
the part may be freely irrigated with cold water, or dressed with a solution
-ocr page 603-
BLEEDING FEOM THE NOSE—EPISTAXIS                         503
of perchloride of iron, alum, or sulphate of copper. The application of the
actual cautery (hot iron) may be made in some cases where the divided
vessel is not large. The internal administration of turpentine, lead, opium,
or tannic or gallic acid will increase the coagulating power of the blood and
assist in filling up the breach.
BLEEDING FROM THE NOSE—EPISTAXIS
In race-horses and hunters, when highly strung and in a plethoric
condition, bleeding from the nose frequently occurs in the course of a
race or the chase, and many a brilliant performer in either capacity has
had his career cut short, and the hope and aspirations of both owner and
trainer levelled to the ground, by the occurrence of this mishap.
Bleeding from the nose may be quite accidental, and it is by no means
the case that its first occurrence should be followed by a repetition of the
event. Where, however, this does occur, and the mishap is repeated from
time to time, the existence of some structural weakness of the vascular
system may be reasonably inferred.
It does not, however, follow that it should continue throughout life.
Several instances are known to the writer where bleeding from the nose at
two or three years old has repeatedly occurred, to disappear altogether at
four or five; but it is poor consolation to an owner of promising and highly
engaged youngsters to be told that the capacity for winning races will be
reached when all the best opportunities have passed and the stakes safely
landed by others.
Causes.—That weakness of the vascular system is hereditary is well
affirmed in certain families of horses, no better example of which could be
given than the descendants of that famous sire Hermit, several of whom
were hopelessly afflicted
               horses.
Bleeding from the nose is usually determined by some severe exertion,
sudden effort, or excitement acting upon a naturally weak or over-distended
state of the vessels. The latter condition is found in plethora, in con-
gestion of the lining membrane of the nostrils, attendant upon cold and
certain specific fevers. Sometimes it arises out of a superficial ulceration
of the nostrils of a benign character, but more commonly in the destructive
ulceration of glanders. It is also a prominent feature in that form of blood
disease known as purpura hsemorrhagica.
Symptoms.—The discharge of blood may not be more than a few
drops, or it may flow in a large and continuous stream. In the one
case it is a matter of little moment, save as a warning of its possible
recurrence, while in the other it may lead to serious mischief and give
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
504
rise to symptoms of an exhausting and threatening character, which we
have fully described under the head of "Hemorrhage".
Treatment.—Perfect quiet and a cold stable are the first requirements
in the treatment of epistaxis. In the choice of remedies the great object
will be to cause the blood-vessels to contract and to hasten the formation
of a clot of blood at the seat of rupture, and thus effect a stoppage of
the escapement. These indications are most likely to be met by irrigating
the face with ice-cold water from the poll downwards, or applying a bag of
powdered ice over the entire region of the nostrils. Should this fail to
meet the purpose, the injection of astringent solutions into the nostrils,
or the insufflation of fine astringent powders, may be resorted to. The
salts of iron, acetate of lead, or gallic or tannic acid will be found to
answer the purpose best. Plugging the bleeding nostril with cotton-wool
soaked with one or another of the astringent solutions referred to may be
tried in severe cases, but its adoption requires care.
For internal remedies see " Hemorrhage ".
Prevention.—Horses given to bleeding from the nose should not be
put to severe work, neither should they be highly fed, and it is most
desirable that food and water be given them two or, better, three hours
before going to work. With the object of imparting tone to the vessels a
dram of sulphate of iron should be given in the food twice daily for a fort-
night or three weeks now and again.
PUS IN THE GUTTURAL POUCHES
The guttural pouches (fig. 204) are two somewhat capacious cavities
situated between the base of the skull above and the pharynx and larynx
below. The inner walls of the sacs are in apposition with each other, while
their outer walls are for the most part covered with the parotid glands.
They communicate with the pharynx by two openings—the eustachian
tubes, and their function would appear to be in some way connected with
the sense of hearing, and at the same time to allow the free expansion
of the pharynx in the act of swallowing and of the larynx in breathing.
They are lined by mucous membrane which is continuous with that
lining the throat. It occurs, therefore, that inflammatory affections of the
latter sometimes extend to the former, as is now and again the case in
strangles, influenza, and pharyngitis, with the result that one or both
guttural pouches become more or less distended with pus.
Symptoms.—Here there is a chronic discharge from one or both
nostrils, generally of an intermittent character, sometimes constant, but
always variable in amount. The flow of matter is greatly increased under
-ocr page 605-
PUS IN THE GUTTUKAL POUCHES
505
Fig. 204.—Transverse Section of Horse's Head, showing the Guttural Pouches
a, Brain. B, Maxillary Condyle. c, Sphenoid Bone. D, D, Guttural Pouches. e, Great Cornu of Hyoid
Bone. F, F, Eustachian Tubes. G, Oesophagus. H, H, Parotid Glands.
certain conditions, notably when the head is held low, as in eating and
drinking from the ground. During mastication coughing is induced in the
act of swallowing, when
the pellet of food is some-
times expelled from the
mouth into the manger.
In some cases of this kind,
where post-mortem ex-
amination has been made,
the pus has been found
to have formed itself into
numerous solid concretions
varying in size from a pea
Fig. 205.—Concretions of Pus from the Guttural Pouches
to a walnut, some being
rounded, others angular and faceted masses (fig. 205).
In structure all
are laminated or formed in layers.
Vol. I.                                                                                                                                      34
-ocr page 606-
506                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
The presence of angular specimens shows them to have existed some
considerable time, and, by rubbing one against another, to have worn
down the original rounded surface into a number of facets.
The disease may be confined to one pouch, or extend to both. The
affected side of the throat in the region of the parotid gland is full or
distinctly swollen. Pressure applied to this part induces pain, and if deep
pressure be made, matter is sometimes caused to flow from the nostrils in
large amount. If the escape of pus be prevented by partial or complete
closure of the escape holes in the eustachian tubes, the accumulation of
matter becomes so great as to interfere with swallowing, and pressure
on the larynx induces a noisy or roaring sound in breathing. Under these
circumstances the outward swelling would be very considerable and marked
by distinct fluctuation.
Treatment.—It is frequently the case that this abnormal condition of
the guttural pouches is in existence for a considerable time before it is
recognized. The continuous discharge from the nostrils following upon
strangles and influenza is generally regarded as the result of a catarrhal
state of the nasal membrane, and it is not until some interference with
swallowing, or breathing, or some enlargement in the region of the throat
takes place that the actual state of affairs becomes recognized. Before
proceeding to any heroic measures of treatment, it may be desirable to
try the effects of a run at grass and a blister to the throat. As the
downward position of the head assumed in grazing favours the discharge
of the matter, and the emptying of the sac, this may have the desired
effect. Should it not do so, then the distended pouch or pouches will
require to be punctured and their contents evacuated. This is an opera-
tion that calls for expert assistance, as there are numerous important
vessels and nerves in the region of the throat which it would be dangerous
to injure.
The operation consists in cutting through the skin behind the posterior
edge of the parotid gland, about 4 to 5 inches below the ear, and over
the seat of the most fluctuating point. This having been done, a hole is
made into the pouch either by dissection or, what is safer, by carefully
thrusting a blunt-pointed instrument something like a pen-holder, but
having a wider base, through the tissues into the sac, and then cautiously
enlarging the opening upward and downward with the knife. When the
sac has been emptied, it should be thoroughly washed out with a weak
solution of carbolic acid. This should be done, if possible, while the horse's
head is inclined downwards, which position he may be made to assume by
feeding him on the ground. As a repetition of the injection will require to
be made on the two following days, the aperture should be kept open
-ocr page 607-
DISEASES OF THE LARYNX                                     507
by introducing into it a piece of india-rubber tubing and keeping the
patient tied up by the head. The subsequent injections can then be
made through the tubing.
DISEASES OF THE LARYNX
Diseases of the larynx more especially involve the mucous membrane
by which it is lined. Of these the more common are: (l) Laryngitis or
inflammation; (2) ulceration; (3) oedema or effusive swelling. In addition,
it is also liable to disorder of the nerves, by which its movements are
regulated. These neurotic disturbances are represented by (a) paralysis,
(b) spasm. Morbid growths, in the form of tumours or polypi, are also
now and again accountable for laryngeal trouble.
Laryngitis, or inflammation of the larynx, although by no means a
common disorder in the horse, is nevertheless of serious import when it
assumes a severe or acute character. In some instances it proves rapidly
fatal, as the result of asphyxia or suffocation following upon swelling of
the inflamed membrane and consequent narrowing of the breathing aperture.
In others it runs a less acute course, and when the disease subsides leaves
behind a more or less lingering irritation, attended with chronic cough,
and maybe difficulty of breathing.
Causes.—Laryngitis is more especially seen in stabled animals, and
frequently results from exposure to cold and wet after severe exertion, or
from sudden changes of temperature in animals occupying hot, badly-
ventilated stables. It may also arise out of a common cold, or may appear
in the course of an attack of influenza, or strangles, or as the result of
the specific poison of glanders, or purpura hsemorrhagica. Operations on
the larynx for roaring are sometimes followed by it, and we have known
it to be induced by the lodgment of foreign substances in the laryngeal
cavity. Air charged with irritating vapours is also capable of exciting
laryngitis in susceptible subjects.
Symptoms.—The symptoms of the disease will vary with the severity
of the attack. When it arises out of cold, it is commonly preceded by
the ordinary symptoms of that ailment. Usually its onset is marked by
general indications of illness, evinced by slight dulness, impaired appetite,
increase in the body temperature, quickened pulse, and maybe more or
less soreness of the throat. Where no such premonitory symptoms appear
the disease is ushered in by a severe and painful cough, which comes on
in paroxysms. In character the cough is harsh and coarse, and the painful
nature of the act is denoted by the effort which the patient appears to
make to suppress it, and the restlessness and excitement it induces. Pres-
-ocr page 608-
508                                         HEALTH AND DISEASE
sure on the throat gives rise to pain, and its soreness is further shown
by difficulty in swallowing, the food being altogether refused, or dropped
from the mouth after partial mastication. The nose is protruded, the
breathing is much interrupted, each act of inspiration being prolonged
and laboured, and attended by a coarse, hissing, wheezing, or roaring sound,
sometimes loud enough to be heard at a considerable distance. Intervals
of relief occur now and again, when the symptoms of distress subside and
the breathing becomes less noisy. As the disease progresses the face wears
an anxious expression. The membrane of the eye and nose is of a dark-
red or livid hue—denoting imperfect aeration of the blood, which leads
the animal to seek for air and turn to the door whenever it is opened.
The pulse is quick, full, and firm, and the legs are cold. In the paroxysms
of threatened suffocation the animal paws the ground with the fore-feet,
shakes the head violently, and breaks out into patchy sweats.
Treatment.—In the treatment of laryngitis it is of the first import-
ance that the patient be provided with a thoroughly clean stable, and
that the air be kept free from contamination with the products of de-
composition and irritating substances, both solid and gaseous. Nothing
tends so much to aggravate the disease as an atmosphere charged with
ammonia and other products of putrefaction. It is equally important to
keep down the dust of the stable, which, in passing over the larynx, serves
to provoke coughing and add to the breathing trouble. Ventilation should
be free, but it is at the same time desirable that the temperature of the
stable should not be allowed to fall beyond 55°, or, better still, maintained
at 60°, and it is to the advantage of the patient if the air be kept moist.
This may be done by introducing pails of boiling water into the stable,
from which warm vapour will be given off.
These provisions having been carried out, the surface warmth is to
be maintained by ample clothing. The food should be warm, soft, and
succulent, and given in small quantities, and often. Bran scalded with hot
linseed-tea and mixed with boiled carrots or roots, and given while warm,
is the most suitable diet. As a change a few creed oats may be added,
or a little boiled oatmeal. Or the patient may be allowed to pick a little
scalded hay from a pail while it is still hot. With regard to medicines,
it should be borne in mind that where difficulty of swallowing exists
the forcible administration of draughts and balls must not be attempted.
Small quantities of an electuary, composed of belladonna, chlorate of
potash, and treacle may be inserted into the mouth on a stick every three
or four hours, when the animal will suck it in. In the act of swallowing
it will be conveyed to the throat, and there exercise its soothing influence
on the inflamed part. Considerable relief will be afforded by causing the
-ocr page 609-
DISEASES OF THE LAKYNX
509
animal to inhale warm vapour from scalded bran contained in a nose-bag.
Outwardly, hot cloths, or a linseed-meal and bran poultice, should be
applied to the throat, or mustard may be employed instead, or a weak
cantharides blister. When, as sometimes occurs, the breathing becomes
difficult and attended with a loud roaring noise, the operation of
tracheotomy should be promptly performed. This consists in cutting
a hole into the windpipe, through which the patient is made to breathe
by means of a tube inserted into it (fig. 206). Instant relief follows the
operation, and on the sub-
sidence of the disease the tube
is removed and the wound
allowed to heal. Tracheotomy
should not be attempted by
any but a qualified veterinary
surgeon. Where, as usually
occurs in severe attacks, solid
food is altogether refused, the
strength must be upheld by
a liberal supply of eggs and
milk, or even beef-tea in lin-
seed or oatmeal gruel. If
prostration and weakness are
marked, a little spirits of wine
may be added to the gruel
twice or thrice a day.
Acute attacks of laryngitis
not Unfrequently leave behind           Fig. 206.-Tracneotomy Tube inserted in the Windpipe
chronic changes in the mucous
membrane. It may, for instance, become thickened and irritable, in which
case the breathing will be interfered with and a troublesome cough remain
for a longer or shorter period. Ulceration of the larynx, beginning in
the glands of the mucous membrane, paralysis of the muscles of the
organ, ending in roaring, and, lastly, small tumours, are also consequences
of this disease.
A course of iodide of potassium and mineral tonics should always be
resorted to after the acute symptoms have subsided, in anticipation of
one or the other of the changes noted, and an iodine blister to the throat,
repeated two or three times at suitable intervals, will also assist in re-
establishing a healthy condition in the diseased organ.
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HEALTH AND DISEASE
510
Roaring and Whistling.—Eoaring and whistling are defects of
respiration, arising out of a diseased condition of some portion of the
air-passages, whereby one or the other of these sounds is produced,
according to the nature and degree of the obstruction. As usually met
with, it is a chronic and incurable disease, resulting from paralysis of
the dilator muscles of the larynx. Less frequently it arises from other
causes of a temporary character.
?jli?^
Causes.—Perhaps no equine affec-
tion has attracted more attention from
veterinary authorities than this, and
the opinion is universally held by them,
that in a large measure heredity is re-
sponsible for its wide prevalence.
Most people, whether interested in
horses or not, have had the subject
D--
forced upon their attention from time
to time in connection with turf cele-
brities, and if the hereditary character
of roaring had been more generally
-C
accepted in the early days of horse-
racing there is no doubt that both our
thoroughbred stock and their half-bred
produce would have been less subject
to the malady than they are now known
to be. So many celebrated roarers,
have gone to the stud that persons,
Roarer'
Fig. 207.
best acquainted with the stud-book
tell us it is difficult to find a thorough-
A, Thyroarytenoid Cartilage. B, Arytenoid
Muscle. c, Crico-arytenoid Muscle. D, Left
Arytenoid Muscle (atrophied).
         E, Left Crico-
arytenoid Muscle (atrophied).
bred horse whose progeny are abso-
lutely free of roarers. Be this as it
may, the race-horse of to-day is so
susceptible that the slightest cough in a favourite animal spreads dismay
among owners and trainers, and a large section of the general public
not unfrequently share in the alarm. Chronic roaring is generally
referable to wasting of the dilator muscles of the larynx, following upon
a cold, an attack of influenza, or strangles, or some affection of the chestr
all of which appear to have the effect of causing paralysis of the nerve
of supply to the parts affected; or it may, and does, come about while an
animal is in the best of general health. Numerous dissections prove that
the left side of the larynx is almost invariably diseased, and the theory is
suggested that this nerve (the left recurrent branch of the pneumogastric)
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DISEASES OF THE LARYNX
511
is rendered specially liable to derangement, in consequence of its having
to wind round one of the larger vessels (aorta) emerging from the heart
before ascending the neck. This conclusion may or may not be the correct
one, but the fact remains that the right nerve, which does not take this
course, is seldom or never affected. Microscopic examination of the nerve
trunk has failed to elicit any information as to the intimate cause of the
paralysis, as no change in the structure of the fibres is observable, and
we are left to assume that whatever interruption there may have been
in the nerve current during life it was not of this nature. In its chronic
form roaring prevails in males to a much greater extent than in females,
and more frequently in stallions than geldings. It is seldom or never
seen in ponies under 14 hands, and the liability to the disease increases
with the height of the animal and the length of neck.
Acute Roaring.—We have hitherto spoken of the one principal cause
of roaring, but, as we have already pointed out, there are others of a less
serious character, and some of them amenable to treatment. It will be
understood that any obstruction to the free ingress and egress of air in
the respiratory passage, and especially that portion of it which extends
from the nostrils to the lungs, may have the effect of producing a roaring
noise. A horse will roar when any tumour or obstructive thickening-
exists in the nasal chambers, or from any undue pressure on the wind-
pipe. Roaring may also be induced by pressure on the larynx, by an
accumulation of "matter" in the guttural pouches, by an enlargement of
the glands of the throat, or by a spasmodic contraction of the muscles.
Moreover, it may, and does, too frequently result from distortion of
the larynx following the abuse of the bearing rein, but whether this is
the explanation or not it is difficult to say.
Symptoms.—That grunting is a common accompaniment of roaring
is so well known among horse-dealers that they may be seen, in auction
sale-yards and other confined places, threatening the animals with a stick
to see if they grunt with fear, and pinching the throat to provoke a cough,
the quality of which is in a certain measure, and to an experienced man,
a guide to the existence of the disease. Though roarers very frequently
have this deep cough, which is a mixture of groan and cough, there are
many horses only moderately affected with the malady, who do not,
and will not, cough when the larynx is pressed, as there are also whistlers
who do not grunt on a feint being made to strike them. It has also to
be borne in mind that many horses of nervous temperament, and others
when out of condition, will grunt on being threatened with a stick,
although perfectly sound in the wind.
In this affection the patient, while at rest, shows no symptoms, nor
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512                                          HEALTH AND DISEASE
are any awakened, save in bad cases, in the slow paces, and it is not until
the animal is galloped, or, in the case of a harness-horse, compelled to
draw a load uphill, or move at a quick pace, that the respiratory trouble
becomes apparent.
Paralytic roaring usually comes on gradually, and shows but little
variation in its severity, and in this respect it differs from spasm of the
larynx, which is sudden in its onset, remains only for a brief period, and
as suddenly disappears.
Treatment.—If roaring is the result of paralysis of the laryngeal
muscles treatment is not hopeful, and to steady its further progress and
palliate the symptoms is as much as we may look for.
Various attempts, surgical and otherwise, have been made to afford
relief to the disabled organ. The most recent of these consisted in the
removal of that part of the larynx (arytenoid cartilage) over which the
muscles had ceased to exercise control, and whose displacement constituted
the immediate cause of obstruction to the ingress of air in the act of
breathing. Although the operation referred to cannot be said to have been
followed by an encouraging measure of success it cannot be regarded as
an unqualified failure, as in the hands of the writer it has had the effect
in several instances of restoring useless animals to a state of usefulness.
The method most commonly adopted for aiding respiration in these cases
is that of inserting a tube into the windpipe about one-third of the distance
down the neck. Through this artificial channel respiration can be effi-
ciently carried on without the objectionable noise and premature distress
resulting from the disease, and by its use the animal's services may be
considerably prolonged and his comfort under exertion very materially
enhanced. It is, however, at the best an unsightly expedient, and not
altogether unattended with pain, while sooner or later the irritation in-
duced by the tube will provoke an outward or inward growth of " proud
flesh", rendering a further operation necessary, or maybe the destruc-
tion of the animal. All horses suffering from this disease should be
kept in high condition. Throwing them out of work and " letting them
down" adds considerably to the embarrassment of the breathing, if it does
not also expedite the disease. In those cases where the breathing is left
defective after an attack of cold, influenza, or strangles, no time should
be lost in applying a counter-irritant to the throat, such as mustard or
turpentine liniment, and a repetition of the application should be made
at intervals for several times. Moreover, paralytic roaring should be
anticipated by the early administration of full doses of nux vomica.
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