into its place outside the berth, where he was in. Curtle was told to keep himself in that position, and if hemorrhage did not come on, for four or five hours," By which time," said the Doctor, sotto voce, "I shall give him something to prevent fever." Then came the hoisting-up, at which work the youngsters all took part in. The cot was no sooner up, than down it went at the foot, Cornwallis declaring the lanyard had broken. When that end was up, down came the other; but some of us interfered, and he was placed as the Doctor had ordered, told to keep quiet, and there we left him. Sure enough, the disciple of Galen did administer to his patient as nauseous a draught as was ever concocted, with a view of preventing fever-a precaution rendered necessary after so much fear and excitement. In the course of a few hours Curtle was allowed to turn over, and, without being enlightened, passed the night, and would have passed many days probably in this state of ignorance, had it not been for the Captain's inquiries, when it became necessary to inform the victim of the hoax of the practical joke that had been played upon him. Curtle did not long remain in the ship after her arrival at Quebec. He found her too hot to hold him; and Captain Warwick giving him his discharge, he left the service for the back woods, where we afterwards heard he had become a settler, assisted by his family in England. It was a good riddance for my cousin and all hands. He left without one expression of regret, for he was without a friend. (To be continued.)

HUNTING COMMUNICATIONS.

BY CECIL.

Without pretending to possess the slightest knowledge of the general routine practised in training greyhounds, yet their disorders are so completely analogous with the maladies to which foxhounds and all the other varieties of the canine race are liable, that no person who feels an interest in their management can fail to read with pleasure and profit the very valuable letters by "Stonehenge," which appear weekly in the widely-circulated columns of Bell's Life. The most formidable and perplexing disorders with which hounds are afflicted are distemper and kennel-lameness, the characteristics and symptoms of which, especially the former, are so scientifically and clearly explained in the aforesaid correspondence as to be readily understood.

First, treating on the subject of influenza, "Stonehenge" writes, after having explained the symptoms and prescribed the medicine-"This is commonly known as influenza, or 'sniff,' which is not contagious, but caused by some peculiar state of the air, the exact nature of which is not known. Nothing is more common than for epidemic catarrhal fever to degenerate into distemper, or, as I deem this to be, typhus fever, upon which I shall next enter." After introducing the analogy of distemper and typhus fever, he adds-" The points of similarity between distemper in dogs and typhus fever in man are so strongly marked, that a trea

tise upon the latter is all that is wanted to enable any one who understands medical terms to treat the former with the greatest probability of success." When attacked with distemper, be states "The dog seems extremely sensitive to cold, or to any other disagreeable sensation, as scolding, flogging, &c. The water is scanty and high-coloured, with thirst; and the motions either very costive or loose, and the latter often of a pitchy colour. The strength and flesh fail in a remarkably rapid manner, so that the dog is often unable to stand, at the end of a few days or a week; the appetite is by that time entirely lost, and frequently the food which is given by force is speedily returned, or passes the bowels unchanged. The respiration generally becomes quicker than natural, though this symptom is not so universal as the others I have enumerated. In fact, all the processes of respiration, circulation, digestion, and secretion are disturbed in a remarkable manner (and in this I believe is the essence of the disease, and the healthy resumption of these functions is always attended with convalescence). The blood is no longer depurated by the agency of the lungs, liver, and kidneys, nor renewed by healthy materials, the results of good digestion; the circulation, consequently, is imperfectly carried on, and the brain is supplied with impure blood, which is full of matter, acting as a poison to it; and, as a consequence, death often takes place at an early stage from a fit. Whatever secretions are effected are vitiated in quality and altered in quantity, sometimes being almost stopped, occasioning the dry, husky cough, and constipation of the early stage; and sometimes in excess, when you have the profuse offensive discharge from the nose and bronchi, or the pitchy motions from the intestines, which accompany the progress of the disease."

The local complications are comprehended as follows-affections of the chest, the liver, stomach, and bowels, jaundice or yellows, the kidneys, the brain and nervous system, and the skin; for the description of which a perusal of the article will amply repay the inquiring reader.

The causes assigned, and its similarity with the typhus fever, are extremely interesting, and are given in these terms "The most common cause of distemper is no doubt infection; but it is occasionally epidemic, and then most probably depends upon some peculiar condition of the air. But it also seems to be the natural tendency of all debilitating diseases in young dogs to run on into this typhoid type. Whether the disease is common catarrh or influenza, or inflamed liver or lungs, or even the irritating fever of worms or teething-in all these cases the tendency seems to be put on in the form of low typhus; and this is especially the case when dogs are ill-fed or crowded together in ill-ventilated kennels, or, in fact, submitted to any of the ordinary predisposing causes of typhus fever in the human subject. And this disease, once established, soon spreads to all within reach of its influence. The infection seems to be carried with them, by dogs, after their convalescence. I have frequently known a most severe attack supervene upon the contact with a puppy in the slips, which was sufficiently recovered to run, though, of course, not in a fit state for such an exertion. The kennel, also, seems to retain the infection for a long time, it being most probably absorbed with the urine, &c. The walls, &c., should therefore be well washed with chloride of lime, or Sir W. Burnett's disinfecting fluid, after the dogs are removed; and some few days, or even weeks, should elapse before others are placed in them.

Dogs seem to be peculiarly liable to distemper when approaching maturity, the greater number being attacked between nine and eighteen months old; but, as in the typhus fever in man, it is not confined to that age. The suckling and the old dog are also open to its attacks, though in a much less degree; as in the human being, again, one attack generally, though not always, preserves the individual from a second. Indeed, the laws of contagion and the statistics of the two diseases are precisely identical, making allowance, of course, for the difference in the time of coming to maturity, and reckoning age in the dog by months as in the man by years, so that a dog of twenty-one months old may be considered as mature as a man of twenty-one years of age."

From what I have had opportunities of observing concerning distemper in hounds, I should certainly assign the most common cause of the disorder to be a vitiated condition of the blood, to which the canine race is particularly susceptible, an especial cause for which may be ascribed to the circumstance of their not perspiring through their skins; and with due deference to " Stonehenge," I think it takes its origin more frequently in that manner than from infection. It appears to be a disorder to which the canine species are subject, as human beings are to meazles and hooping-cough. On the identity of distemper with typhus fever I will not presume to offer an opinion; but this much I may add in favour of the conclusion, that the epidemic disorder with which horses were afflicted some nine or ten years ago, if not properly treated on its first appearance, very frequently ran on to symptoms of a typhoid character, and many animals died in consequence. Several of the veterinary profession told me it was not infectious-an opinion, however, with which I could not coincide. Very probably it might not be in the first instance, with animals which were attacked from the predisposing causes in the atmosphere; but I strongly suspect it was, when the typhus symptoms were established. This also strengthens the argument that distemper in dogs is infectious, and it is generally regarded in that light in fox-hunting establishments; at any rate, as prevention is better than cure, the safer plan is to consider it as such. It should also be observed that hounds will sometimes be affected with the yellows or jaundice prior to their being attacked with distemper, in which case the latter disorder is generally fatal.

There is one observation which I must include, as it is a very important one. "Under the absurd and empirical mode of treatment which has been adopted-viz., the use of the same remedy all through the course of the complaint-a very great mortality will necessarily ensue; but if treated properly, I believe the deaths ought not to exceed one in fifteen or twenty cases-that is, supposing the animals were not predisposed to the disease by ill-feeding, over-crowding, &c., and that they are attended by a kennel-man who understands his business, and will carry out the instructions of a scientific professional man. But even with the assistance which these remarks may afford to a man of ordinary intelligence, who is versed in the general management of dogs, I should confidently trust that the mortality would not be much greater than one in twelve or fifteen of those attacked." I think masters of hounds would rejoice to have five out of six of the puppies which they breed annually insured to them. Much of the fatality of distemper depends upon the seasons, which is a proof that atmospheric causes have a very great influence,

and those causes are again very materially controlled by local influences. Huntsmen are very vigilant in their observations with respect to distemper, and they invariably attack it on its first appearance; in fact, it is their interest as well as their duty to do so. And in those cases where the disease is treated before it has assumed the complicated characters which are incident, the same remedies may be available; but if the constitution of the hound be predisposed to any local infirmities, it is quite evident that the mode of treatment requires to be varied, and the medicines applicable under such circumstances are prescribed by "Stonehenge."

A very valuable hint is given, to distinguish distemper from hydrophobia, which cannot be made too public, as it concerns all persons possessing dogs of any description. "Severe distemper is most likely to be confounded with hydrophobia, from which it may be distinguished either by the absence of all aberration of intellect, or by the difference in the form of its manifestation. In distemper there is no restlessness, or at all events, only a tendency to change the posture; whilst the hydrophobic dog knows neither fear nor pain, and will resist to the death any threats or actual punishment."

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If I understand" Stonehenge" correctly, he makes a certain distinction between chronic rheumatism, kennel-lameness, and chest-founder, and observes that the latter" are the two most common varieties of chronic rheumatism, and are both confined to the muscles of the shoulder and chest.' After treating on chest-founder, he says-" Kennel-lameness is a very similar complaint with regard to its seat, but has an entirely different origin-the former being occasioned by cold after a severe course"; and for the sake of comparison, I will suggest that a similar result happens to the foxhound after a severe chase. In assigning the cause of kennel-lameness, Stonehenge" remarks-" This disease is chiefly confined to hounds, greyhounds, pointers and setters, and is, no doubt, produced by the chill caused by putting them in a cold, damp, kennel after they are worn down by fatigue." Further on, he very justly observes" The treatment should be conducted on the same principles as for chest-founder; but preventive are much better than curative measures. A dog, once seized with chronic rheumatism in any part, is ever after subject to a return; and therefore it is highly desirable to avoid the cause which is known to produce it. This cause is dampness in the kennel, and therefore I have advised their construction in such a way as to avoid this defect. The high bench, I am satisfied, is of great importance; and the clay subtratum, I am inclined to believe, is an undoubted advantage." It is to be regretted that this very shrewd observer has not extended his investigations more extensively with reference to the soil upon which a kennel should be built; for I am quite certain that it is of the greatest importance to hounds, and must be equally so to greyhounds; for although he recommends a clay soil, he does not consider it of much consequence, neither does he introduce any caution against the selection of situations which are productive of kennel-lameness. I will conclude the extracts from " Stonehenge's" letters with the following remark, which is essential to the description of the disorder called kennel-lameness. "Chronic rheumatism attacks the loins and thighs, and also the muscles of the abdomen."

Mature consideration of these views, and a comparison of them with

the observations which I have been enabled to make in hunting establishments where the hounds have been afflicted with the disorder known as kennel lameness, confirm what I have stated years ago in these pages. Kennels constructed on sandy soils, on sand-stone rocks also, where chalk prevails near the surface, are invariably unhealthy. The Royal kennels at Ascot are in this category; much money has been expended upon them to avert the malady, but only with partially beneficial results. Mr. T. A. Smith's late kennels at Tidworth furnished the most convincing proof of a similar nature; neither trouble nor expense was restricted; the lodging-rooms and yards were laid with impervious concrete; but all was unavailable until some buildings were appropriated on another, though not very distant part of the estate, in which the hounds are no longer afflicted. The Albrighton kennels at the Summer-house afford another illustration. I have also expressed my conviction that kennel-lameness sometimes arises from other causes, and that is corroborated by "Stonehenge,” in his explanation of the origin and seat of the disorder. In a general way, masters of hounds and huntsmen make no distinction as to the seat of the malady—whether it be in the shoulder, loins, or thighs; but it is very important that they should. The circumstances which appear necessary for them to investigate are, whether the disorder arises from the situation of the kennel, or from incidental causes. If from the former, the least expensive, the most effectual and satisfactory course, is to remove the buildings. In some instances I entertain no doubt that this disorder may be traced to hereditary causes; but "Stonehenge" does not touch upon that question.

On many previous occasions I have had the unqualified satisfaction of recording the proceedings of the gallant little pack kept at Bridgnorth, known far and wide by the name of the Wheatland hounds; and every season affords additional opportunities for renewals of that pleasure. To persons who are not acquainted with the locality, it may be an object of inquiry why they should have received their title. Be it known, therefore, it is a provincial term among the inhabitants, descriptive of the nature of the soil, as a distinction between that and the turnip and barley land which prevails on the opposite side of the Severn, and which is hunted by the Albrighton hounds-the former being situated on the western, and a portion of the latter on the eastern banks of the river. The difference between the two countries is very remarkable; and the manners, habits, and customs of the inhabitants are equally so. The Wheatland country consists almost exclusively of strong clay land, calculated for the growth of wheat and beans; hence the name by which it is distinguished-with a fair portion of grass; it is consequently favourable to scent. The greater portion of the Albrighton country consists of light arable land, some of which is very sandy, and it boasts of very little grass. It is true that in consequence of the usually-adopted four-course system of husbandry, there are many pieces of seeds over which the scent is sometimes favourable. The Wheatland is, in every sense of the word, a holding country: it holds a good stock of foxes-thanks to the staunch breed of farmers who preserve them ; it holds a good scent, and it holds the horses; moreover, such is the hospitable disposition of the natives, that when a friend pays them a visit they will hold him by frank, unassuming kindness, certainly not