THE SCHOOLS OF GERMANY. 305 



daily of anatomy, and soon acquired a reputation which extended 

 into neighboring provinces. That he acquired no inconsiderable 

 skill in anatomical dissection may be divined from the fact that he 

 discovered and very minutely described the membrane of Decemet 

 in the horse, on the inner part of the cornea, and communicated the 

 same to Haller in a letter which is among the collections at the Han- 

 over school. He soon received students from the adjoining prov- 

 inces, other governments sending young men to study under his 

 guidance at their expense. It was but natural that, on opening the 

 discussion for the erection of a veterinary school at Hanover, the 

 attention of the Government should be directed to him as the man 

 best fitted to successfully conduct the venture. Kersting's sudden 

 departure for Hanover, against the will of his elector, gave rise to a 

 most interesting discussion between the two Governments, that of 

 Cassel declaring him to be a deserter, and demanding his return, 

 which was not, however, conceded, Kersting declaring himself to 

 be no slave but a free man, and in debt to no one. Kersting was 

 a man of irreproachable character and lively temperament, an in- 

 defatigable worker, sharp and logical thinker, and close observer 

 of the phenomena of disease. In this regard, a remark which he 

 makes upon glanders is not without public interest, when we con- 

 sider how long ago it was made, and how ignorant many people still 

 are with reference to this disease, thinking that when no nasal out- 

 flow and ulcers are present there is no glanders. Kersting says, after 

 giving the usual characteristics of the disease : ' I must concede, 

 and it is true, that a glandered horse ean present these phenomena, 

 but not in the beginning of the disease. For a horse may have 

 glanders for a whole year, and, according to circumstances, still 

 longer, without its having ulcers in the nose, and at the same time 

 have a good appetite, smooth hair, and be in good condition.' " 



Kersting received 300 thalers ($225) pay, a free residence, and 

 the title of superior veterinarian to the Hanoverian court. 



Havemann, who had been sent to Alfort, at the expense of and 

 by the Government, was appointed as assistant teacher, at the same 

 pay. There seems to have been an extreme prejudice existing 

 among the people at this time against those persons who had any- 

 thing to do with cutting up animals, for the king was obliged to 

 issue a royal order, by which any slurs or other ill-treatment of the 

 teachers, students, or servants at the school for this cause would be 

 punished. The course at the school under Kersting was limited to 

 one year, though many of the students remained through two, hear- 

 ing the same lectures a second time. It was as follows : 



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