10 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



habit of purging their animals ; but, in other 

 respects, their medical prescriptions appear to 

 us an inconsistent and often discordant jumble 

 of numerous articles, devoid either of rational 

 aim or probable efficacy. In the operations of 

 surgery, particularly in phlebotomy, and, in- 

 deed, in various methods of manual treatment 

 and control of their animals, the ancients were 

 far more skilful : and what they have left on 

 the symptoms, is of no consequence in the pre- 

 sent advanced state of science, still it serves to 

 demonstrate that they had not been inattentive 

 observers of animal diseases, however inferior 

 they might be in their mothods of cure. These 

 ancient writers are yet to be esteemed superior, 

 not only in learning and eloquence, but in pro- 

 fessional utility, to the majority of their pupils of 

 the fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth cen- 

 turies. 



On the revival of learning in Europe, at the 

 above periods, the works of the ancient Veteri- 

 nary writers were eagerly sought after, and 

 translated in Italy and France. At the same 

 dawn of opening light and enthusiasm for the 

 resuscitation and enlar2:ement of the bounds of 

 useful science, the anatomy and physiology of 

 the human body became the grand objects 

 of pursuit in the Italian schools. Veterinary 

 anatomy followed in course ; and the descrip- 

 tive labours of Ruini and others, on the body 

 of the Horse, have not only served for a ground- 

 work to all the schools of Europe since, but 

 succeeding discoveries and improvements, not- 

 withstanding the vast advantage of a general 

 diffusion of light, have not been hitherto suf- 

 ficiently considerable to detract, in any eminent 

 degree, from the well-earned fame of those 

 early and original anatomists. 



Veterinary medicine was now generally 

 cultivated, and, in some instances, under re- 



gular medical professors. Every branch of 

 the equine economy, whether relative to har- 

 ness and trappings, equitation and military 

 menage, or riding the Horse, the methodical 

 treatment of the hoof, with the invention of 

 various forms of iron shoes, and their scientific 

 adaptation, were pursued with general assiduitj 

 and success. In this latter department, Caesar 

 Fiaschi distinguished himself, and either in- 

 vented or recommended the welted shoe, pro- 

 posing a substitute for calkins and forknails, 

 which, it appears, were then in use, as well as 

 the lunette, or a short half-moon shoe, which, 

 some few years ago, the learned Professor 

 Coleman was a great advocate for. 



The new Veterinary science having diffused 

 itself over a great part of the Continent, could 

 scarcely fail of occasional communications with 

 this country, where the care of diseased animals 

 had been committed immemorially to leeches 

 and farriers, persons generally belonging to 

 the most illiterate class of society. It is pro- 

 bable, that such comrauinications became fre- 

 quent during the reigns of the first Tudors ; 

 for we learn from Blundeville, who wrote ir 

 the time of Elizabeth, that French and Ger- 

 man farriers were not only employed by the 

 Queen, but, in general, by the nobility and 

 gentry of the country. Yet, our improvements 

 in this country, in consequence of foreign aid, 

 with regard to the medical and surgical 

 branches at least, were by no means great, 

 extending our view from the period of which 

 we now speak, to the earlier part of the 

 eighteenth century. 



No medical name appears during that long 

 interval upon our Veterinary list, nor any one 

 of the smallest scientific pretension ; we mean 

 as far as respects the medical, anatomical, or 

 surgical branches ; that of Snape excepted, 



