The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-14
BlaDketing of Horses.

PROFESSOR LIAUTARD, the veterinary
surgeon, has favored US with some obser-
vatlons upon the subject, which are of
special importance at this season of the
year.
He believes that very much harm is done
by too hed1g Banketing, supporting this
view by sound physiological reasons.
The skin.of onedomestic, as of all verte-
brates, consists of two distinct layers.
The outer, or cuticle, is composed of lay
ers of round cells, in which resides the
coloring matter. Though deprived of
blood-vessels and nerves, this outer skin
has true vitality, and its proper func-
lions.
The inner or true skin has more per
feet organization, is more sensitive, and is
the real roofing place of the hair 1t
varies in thickness in different animals,
and in different portions OF the same ami
NAL. It is much thinner and more sensi-
tive in the thorough bred racer than in
the ordinary cart-hOrse On the interior
part of the thigh, the skin is thin; on the
exterior, much thicker. The hair, also,
which is distributed oyec the whole sur
face, varies in thickness and length, as pro-
lection against cold is more or less needed.
From all domestic animals in healthy state
there is an exhalation from the surface of
the skin called inseRsiW6 transportation
When this eXcretion becomes sensible, by
active exertion or condition of tempera-
ture, it is called sweat
Both forms of excretion are important
to the vital economy, and vary greatly
with the state of the atmosphere, activity
OF the digestive organs, and quick or long
continued muscular eXertion. 1t is, if we
may use the language, a sort of skin breath
afa9, by means of which foul or upneces-
sary matter is eliminated from the body,
just as Initiated and carbonized air is
| thrown off by the lungs. Thus, sometin es
this cutaneous Transportation viii have the
odoT OF urine; al other times (after dosing),
it will have the odor of sulphur.
This natural Transportation should
neither be checked nor should it be Excess
sively provoked. Heavy bIanketing in
stables viii very likely make the hair lie
smoothly (thus saving some labor to the
groom), and make the skin supple; but it
Will open the pores unnaturally, and make
q delicate horse fearfully sensitive to sud-
den changes of temperature.
Nature very wisely provides thicker
and more rapid growth OF hair il the
winter than in the summer; and the dis
position of the hair to assume a bristiv
appearance in Geld weather, however OBJ
noXious to fnical tastes, is natures own
uJuSLmeHt OF covering, TO ward OH Danger
rom cold, and to keep healthy the pores
of the skin
Grooms may rub as much and as often
IS they viii, but they should not find an
excuse for laziness in heavy and close
blanketing.
Blankets of coarse wool are the best,
which permit free circulation of air, and,
if lined, they should be lined with a
porous cloth. Buffalorobes, used for this
purpose, are bad, and, if used at all,
should be used aoitb the hair side doom,
by which means the vapor will be alb
sorbed by the wool, and not held in close
contact with the sweltering skin of the
animal
It is the poorest of all policies to secure
sleek, supple skin at the expense of con-
stitutionsl vigor and native hardness
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