EEMARKS ON VETERINARY SCIENCE, 



AND THE RELATION IT BEARS TO SOCIAL SCIENCE. 



The necessity which now exists for the services of educated 

 Veterinary Surgeons in cavahy regiments of the United States 

 army, is evident to every thinking man; yet prior to the advent of 

 our p!-esent national troubles, it was found almost impossible to 

 interest the right kind of men, so that they might use their influence 

 for the purpose of directing the attention of the general Government 

 to the value and importance of Veterinary Science ; but the proba- 

 bility is, that the Congress now assembled, will soon legislate on the 

 subject, and before long we may expect to hear of the appointment 

 of a Veterinary Surgeon and Assistant Surgeon to each cavalry 

 regiment. 



There exists no earthly reason why our j^rofession should not 

 rank as high in America, as in England and France; the great losses 

 which are continually occvirring among aryny horses, is a monstrous 

 and growing evil, and in view of preventing unnecessary diseases 

 and premature deaths, the Government must organize a Veterinary 

 corps. 



It is, also, very important that our science should attract the 

 notice of legislators, for it bears a very intimate relation to social 

 science ; inasmuch as men and animals are subject to similar dis- 

 eases, which are communicable one to the other, and which often 

 arise spontaneously and are transmitted from first to second. For 

 example, there is a disease which often occurs among cattle known 

 as " Anthrax f it is a malignant disease, and many persons have 

 lost their lives by absorbing the virulent " anthrax poiso7i^'' from the 

 carcasses of the dead animals. 



A cutaneoiis disease often occurs among the bovine species, 

 known as " rJcigworm,''^ which afi'ects the hands and arms of some 

 persons who attend such animals. 



It is asserted also that the vesicular murrain, which often pre- 

 vails among cows, gives rise to the development of a virus, which 

 is often squeezed into the milk pail, and produces very bad eflects 

 on children when fed on the same. 



It lias been discovered that the little vesicles found in measled 

 pork are tape worms, in a certain stage of development, and if not 

 destroyed by thoroughly cooking, the infected meat may develop 

 the dangerous parasite in the human intestines. 



That awful disease known as virulent " glanders," (spontaneous 

 in some horses,) has destroyed many of our race ; a small portion of 



