THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE VETER- 

 INARY SCHOOLS. 



There is no doubt that many of the nations of antiquity had 

 some kind of hospitals for the care and treatment of diseased ani- 

 mals. We have stated, in a previous part of this work, that veteri- 

 narians were appointed to watch over the health of the animals used 

 at the circus of Rome, but in this regard the Oriental nations took 

 a high rank from their great veneration for all forms of animal life. 

 Wise says : * " The peculiar humanity of the small and despised 

 community of modern Buddhists, in the country of their ancient 

 greatness, induced them to keep up brute hospitals — Pingra-Pol — 

 which are still to be found in different parts of Hindostan. Trevin- 

 nier informs us that he found three or four such houses in Aman- 

 dabab in 1772 ; and Scavoneur gives an account of the Banian hos- 

 pital which still exists at Surat.f " This curious institution is 

 supported by one anna per cent on the rupee of the merchants' clear 

 gain, to which are added the fines for certain venial offenses, under 

 the supervision of the chief Banians. In 1770, when trade had de- 

 cayed, the revenue was upward of six hundred pounds a year ; and 

 so careful were they of the animals, that bread and milk were pro- 

 vided for two that could not crop the grass. The hospital grounds 

 extended over twenty-five acres, and were surrounded by a high 

 wall, and supplied with sheds and wards for the accommodation of 

 the animals. 



" At the present time there are no hospitals for the cure of hu- 

 man beings when sick, or maimed, or old, because they were sup- 

 posed to be provided for by the Government ; while places are 

 prepared and persons engaged to attend the sick and aged of the 

 inferior animals — proving how much the essential is sacrificed to an 



* Loc. cit., vol. ii, p. 395. 



f " If proper inquiry were directed to this building," writes Princeps, " I dare say it 

 would be discovered to be a living example (the only one that has braved twenty centu- 

 ries) of the humane arts of Asoka, recorded, at no great distance, on a rock in Guzerat." 



