VETERINARY SURGEONS 



of disease in a horse. Consequently, it may be briefly but 

 emphatically laid down that the guinea paid to the vet. for 

 examining a prospective purchase, provided, of course, that 

 the gentleman engaged possesses experience and a high 

 reputation, is money well spent. (See Unsotaidness.) 



Veterinary Surgeons. — Like the members of all other 

 professions, the veterinary surgeon has increased his 

 knowledge of late years, so that where one thoroughly 

 capable and reliable practitioner existed a few years ago, 

 there are scores now ; whilst, happily for horses, as for their 

 owners, that race of malefactors, the ancient farriers, has 

 become extinct. Still, it is not always that a dependable 

 veterinarian is at hand, in which respect the profession does 

 not differ from any other, and therefore owners should be 

 careful as to whom they call in. Unfortunately, too, opinions 

 often differ as regards treatment, and, as in human cases, the 

 patient often suffers through the attentions of more than 

 one attendant upon him. No doubt, too, there are specialists 

 in the veterinary profession as in the medical, but except- 

 ing in very complicated cases the skill of the all - round 

 practitioner will be found equal to combating most diseases 

 and attacks. The horse owner is therefore wise if he avails 

 himself of professional assistance instead of attempting to 

 diagnose his horse's illness and prescribe for the animal 

 himself Few animals are so utterly worthless as not to 

 justify the expenditure of a little money upon them if they 

 are sick, and even in simple cases it is better to be told that 

 there is no danger, than to risk complications by delaying to 

 seek for proper advice. Hence there has been no attempt 

 made in this work to deal with disease and accidents except- 

 ing in the most superficial manner. To do so would be to 

 incur responsibilities which are best avoided, and therefore 

 the object has been to describe the earlier symptoms of 

 diseases, and to suggest a treatment for them which may be 

 useful until the services of the professional man can be 

 obtained, as delays are often fatal. (See Nursing^ 



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