PURITY—was a mare of distinguished celebrity originally, but rendered much more so, as the dam of the famous horse _Rockingham_, whose performances will be found under that head. _Purity_ was bred by MR. PRATT; foaled in 1774, and got by _Matchem_ out of the old _Squirt_ mare. She was the dam of _Rockingham_, _Archibald_, _Fitzwilliam_, and a filly by _Highflyer_; as well as others by _Florizel_, _Magnet_, _Paymaster_, and _Saltram_. Her dam (the old _Squirt_ mare) produced many racers of the first class: _Virgin_, _Miracle_, _Dido_, _Conundrum_, _Ranthos_, _Enigma_, _Riddle_, _Miss Tims_, _Pumpkin_, _Maiden_, _Rasselas_, _Purity_, and three others; having continued to breed from 1755 to 1774; during which period of nineteen years, she produced the fifteen colts and fillies here described.
PURSIVENESS—is a disorder, or degree of disease, with a difficulty of respiration, beyond the effect of a common _cold_ and _cough_, but falling short of the malady denominated BROKEN WIND. Pursiveness in a horse bears no ill affinity to the asthmatic complaints of the human species. Although there have been refined distinctions adopted, and definitions attempted, between the symptoms of a cold and the disorder called pursiveness in a horse, yet one is very little more or less than an inveterate stage of the other. The blood having, from some particular cause, become sizey, has consequently passed through the finer vessels with a languor far inferior to the purposes of health; hence obstructions are first formed; and these continuing to increase, tubercles follow. The parts necessary to a free and easy respiration being thus affected, it becomes laborious and oppressive in a proportional degree with the increasing viscidity of the blood, and the length of time it has been permitted to continue in its progress without restraint. The finer vascular ramifications of the lungs being thus partially closed, imperfect respiration ensues; producing those whistling wheezings with which ASTHMATIC horses are observed to be distressed, particularly in _brisk action_, until it progressively terminates in broken wind, which it will inevitably do, unless the proper means of alleviation and cure are earnestly adopted. Frequent bleedings, pectoral detergents, intervening attenuants, and mercurial purging balls, (administered with patient and punctual perseverance,) are the only medical aids from which permanent relief must be expected, or can be obtained.