The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-14
MANS CLOSE ALLY
Dr.. L. 6. Lane as a PIeadef
for the Horse.
inaugural Lecture of the Eleventh
Annual Course at Cooper
Medical College.

The eleventh annual course of free lectures
at Cooper Medical College was inaugurated
last night by DR.. L. G.. Lane, his subject
being ''The Horse"
DR.. Henry Gibbons. dean Of the college,
was in the chair, and in few brief remarks
introduced the lecturer, who was greeted
with applause by the large and cultured
audience.
DR.. Lane commenced by stating that the
first classification of animals was given
about a century ago by Cuvier. the French
naturalist, who made four divisions: First,
mammals, birds, reptiles and fishes; sec
ono, mullusks, such as the oyster ana mus
sci; third, the bee aud the ant species; ;
fourth, spoDges. starfishes aud the Portu-
guese man-Oi-war.
He then traced the development of the
horse from It's primeval form to the pres
ent time There are about forty varieties
of the horse, the Shetland pony being the
most diminutive type.
The most beautiful horses to be seen any,
where was in Regents Park, London, on an
afternoon, but there was the Objectionable
feature TO an American of the shOrt-cropped
tail.
If horses were allowed to run wild they
sOOU became misshspen. Surh were to be
seen In the Argentine Republic.
He contrasted the treatment Of the horse
by the Arabs and the barbaritics practiced
BY those who pretend to be possessed of
higher moral virtues. The Arab is en-
joined even to sacrifice the food of his chill
dTen for his horse. 1T would be WE'LL" he
said, ''if soma such law were introduced
into our modern civilization.
LELAND Stanford, who has done more TO
improve the breed of horses than any other
man in the West, told me that the horse is
the most tractable of animals, and when
properly cared for and taught will always
do his masters bidding. This should be
posted up in every stable"
The favorite cOlors among the Arabs
were white. black, bay and chestnut. A
spotted or piebad horse was looked upon
with contempt. The chestnut was recognized
as the fieelest, the bay as the most enduring,
the black as he most spirited, and the white
as the most blessed.
The lecturer then referred to superstI-
lions as to marks on horses. remarking that
there were also artificial marks made by
mindless and heartless man. The docking of
the tail was an object of abOmin bile ugliness
and deprived the animal Of the only means
Of defense against flies IN summer. 1t also
marred one OF the most beautiful features
of the animal.
The Arab placed great dependence upon
his horse for seeming danger and our early
pioneers had sometimes been warned by
their horses Of the approach Of a lurking
Indian. The acut eness Of the horses sight
was proverbIal and man had often been
preserved from death or accident by his
horses sharp sight.
Horses had been the nearest allies and
chief aids to man In the promotion Of civil
liZation, and yet man had repaid them with
the most wTetchef ingratitude. A few
horses had kind masters. more had ind differ
ent ones and the majority had cruel ones.
Harness was often an appliance of tor
ture ana the check-rein was an excruciating
source Of torture. Every driver who used a
cheeE-rein should be forced to hold his
head up like his horse for a quarter of an
hour to see how he liked it. Queen Victoria
had added another star 10 her escutcheon
by ordering the removal Of the check-rein
from all her horses.
Horses driven in pairs were forced to hold
their heads dvergently or turned away
from each other, which was most harassing
and served no useful purpose, being simply
a cruel fashion. The spur was only suited
TO the foot Of the savage, yet how often was
it used by those who should know betterI
In conclusion he said: Tits as a pleader in
behalf of the horse that appear before you
this evening, and l would urge upon you
all the command of Mohammed. BE kind to
your horses