One caution must be given before concluding this article. A sick animal is very sensitive as to noises; a door banged to will excite the terror of the poor creature, which, probably, was half asleep, with the head hanging down. A loud word or an energetic action will not unseldom call forth symptoms of such alarm as may threaten, through their utter recklessness, to demolish the structure in which the horse is confined. For these, if from no purer motives, respect the sufferings and wisely try to soothe the animal. As the creature is devoid of reason to shape its fears, approach it noiselessly; speak softly at first; ascertain--although the eye be closed--by the motion of the ears, whether your voice is heard. Then lay the hand upon the neck and gently caress the sick body; after that you may do what you please, so nothing be very sudden or very loud. Such slight considerations will not be thrown away, even in a medical point of view. A moment of excitement may do the injury which no physic will remove; nay, in critical stages, many a life has been lost from want of thought in the attendants about a diseased horse. DISTENTION OF SYNOVIAL MEMBRANE--WIND-GALLS. Man treats the horse after a strange fashion. He buys the animal for a large sum, because it possesses some particular quality; but, hardly has he obtained it, before he behaves as though he desired only to destroy the property he has so dearly purchased. A horse, for private use, is generally bought for its beauty; in a short time afterward it is sold as having become too deformed for its master's service. A year or two commonly suffices to spoil the most perfect animal. Many are ruined in their colthood; many more are made worthless by the trainer. Of all creation, the horse is most abused. So universal is this custom that the marks of ill usage are in the market even regarded as if they were natural consequences. Those affections designated =wind-galls= are generally lightly esteemed by most horsemen when the animal is required for actual service--as hunting, racing, coaching, etc. Such marks, however, are evidences of hard work having been performed. They are not natural formations; but are blemishes, which man, in his consideration for a dumb servant, is pleased to make light of. They do not generally impede the action--and lameness is the only fact a true horseman cares to notice. He will not stay to inquire what must have been the kind of work which could occasion the =synovial membrane= to bulge out upon a living body. He does not care to ask whether Nature, when deformity first appeared, instituted the fact without intention. He will not condescend to question whether every unnatural appearance is not designed to be a warning. But he views wind-galls rather as a proof that the poor animal exhibiting them is a seasoned horse, and, therefore, is bettered by the distortion of a sensitive structure.