Bleeding encourages the development of fat in the lower animals, as well as in the human species; a fact well understood by cattle-breeders, who put it in practice in the case of cattle which they wish to fatten. The only exception made by them to this rule, is in reference to those animals which have a soft and yielding skin, as more frequently happens with beasts of a red-and-white colour, which are said to fatten readily. With this intention, agricultural writers recommend the use of blood-letting. An article which appeared in an agricultural journal recommends that every animal intended for fattening should be bled twice, at an interval of a few days. Some people think that exercise on horseback is apt to produce corpulency, while others entertain a different opinion. The former maintain that persons whose business requires them to be much on horseback, are frequently fat; a remark which is made especially in reference to cavalry officers, and which is quite true. But the following explanation may be offered: A man on horseback undergoes severe exercise; and if he possesses a strong constitution, and takes a sufficient amount of food, this exercise will facilitate the digestive function, and the volume of his body will be increased. But it is necessary that the horseman should be of a very vigorous constitution. In truth, few cavalry officers are corpulent, and these few are to be met with among those who are somewhat advanced in life, and who are by nature well adapted to the profession. The greater number of cavalry soldiers, whether officers or privates, suffer much at first from fatigue. The young men who join a cavalry regiment soon grow thin, and, with but few exceptions, remain thin so long as they are in the service; and indeed it has happened that both in the case of officers and privates, in consequence of not being able to endure horse exercise, they have been obliged to be transferred to the infantry. It is therefore incorrect to regard this kind of bodily exercise as favourable to the development of corpulence. For the development of obesity, there must exist a certain predisposition. We meet with many who do all in their power to grow fat, and who still remain thin, because, no doubt, they possess some peculiarity of organization which prevents the development of fat.