THE RELATION OF VETERINARY SCIENCE TO AGRICULTURE. 125 



■stances of the constitutional condition of the creature. In fact, I may say 

 that there is no organ or group of organs whose normal or abnormal, healthy 

 • or unhealthy condition is not of importance to the live stock merchant, be he 

 breeder, dealer or casual owner, and I felt warranted in saying that the more 

 anatomy the practical man knows the better judge he will be of the living 

 ■ creature, either in the show ring or upon the roadside. 



As I have no doubt there are some here who would like to know how we pro- 

 pose to teach this important branch of veterinary science at the college, I may 

 say that through the liberality- of the last legislature this division of our study 

 is well equipped, for our anatomical museum contains a skeleton of the horse, 

 -ox, sheep and hog, giving all the material necessary for discussing in a some- 

 what practical manner, the hard tissues of the body. For the muscles and 

 •other soft tissues, we have that beautiful model of the horse, prepared with the 

 greatest care for correctness, by tlie late Dr. Anyaux, of Paris. This model 

 stands four feet three inches high, is made so as to separate into ninety-seven 

 pieces, and exhibits over 3,000 of the most important anatomical specimens of 

 the animal, among which may be mentioned the superficial muscles, nerves 

 .and blood vessels on one side, the other side being arranged so as to remove 

 layer after layer down to the skeleton. The brain, the eye, the foot, lungs, 

 ■bowels, kidneys, and all other important organs are also arranged so that they 

 •can be studied as well, if not better, than in the natural subject; I mean, of 

 course, when our time is somewhat limited. We have other models and 

 natural preparations which are perhaps not necessary to mention. Besides 

 studying the subject from prepared models and skeletons we propose to study 

 the horse, at least, from the original animal, and for this purpose we have a 

 very nice dissecting room adjoining our museum, large enough to hold three 

 subjects at one time, and where we can take in the organs of any animal we 

 choose. While speaking of the form of the horse as related to agriculture, I 

 may here say that later on in our course we propose to take up the external 

 formation of the animal, both theoretically and practically. The former we 

 do in the lecture room, points being illustrated by diagrams; the latter will be 

 done in a large room, intended among other things for this purpose, and where 

 we can take in several animals at a time and go over them in a careful manner, 

 •discussing each point in its turn and make a comparison of it, side by side with 

 -other living creatures. We spend several days at this kind of work, for I look 

 upon it as one of the most interesting and perhaps useful groups of 

 lectures in our course, and on anatomy as the foundation of our study. Allow- 

 ing, then, that veterinary and agriculture are related through the anatomy of 

 the former, it will not be difficult to trace a close relationship of the two 

 sciences through the accidents and maladies which threaten, and in many 

 instances cause the death of our often most itnportaut means of support. 



So it is almost unnecessary for me to say that any art, profession, or science 

 which has for its main object the investigation of the causes of these maladies, 

 ■as well as the remedies which are calculated to overcome their evil influences, 

 has a very important relation to agriculture ; and at this point I dare say I will 

 be pardoned if I just briefly allude to the early history of veterinary medicine, 

 to show how the profession has from time to time advanced in public estima- 

 tion by gathering knowledge for the alleviation of pain and the destruction of 

 the active principles of disease; but will not go back farther than the eighteenth 

 century, for by doing so I would have to take up considerably more time than 

 we have at our disposal, except I may say that before this the treatment of the 

 diseases of lower animals was in the hands of those connected with their imme- 



