50 



NEW ENGLAND t'ARMER. 



Jan. 



For the New England Farmer. 



REPORT 



OF THE TRANSACTIONS AT THE VETERINARY 



SCHOOL OF ALFORT. 



BY GEORGE H. DADD, VETERINARY SURGEON. 



During the last sessional year, students at this 

 valuable inatitution have had rare opportunities 

 for acijuiring a knowledge of various branches, in 

 veterinary science ; from their annual report we 

 learn, that the number of animals admitted for 

 treatment, and returnable defects, or as subjects 

 of surgical and therapeutic experiment, are as fol- 

 lows : 



Of the horse tribe 1041 



Of the bovine tribe 22 



Of smaller species 383 



1446 



Animals submitted to consultation were, — 



Horses 6510 



Cows 33 



Asses and Mules 80 



Doss 397 



Goats 17 



Cats 4 



Pigs 3 



7044 



Making in the aggregate 8490 animals over which 

 the students have extended their observations. 



"If we add to this the number returned the 

 previous scholastic year, 7994, it will be seen that 

 the pupils receiving their diplomas, after having 

 Bpent two years at school, have had opportunities 

 of instruction in veterinary medicines and surgery 

 from the considerable number of 16,484 subjects 

 of diflFerent species." 



We sincerely hope that ere the year 1853 has 

 passed, to be able to report on the transactions of 

 an American veterinary scliool ! Such institution is 

 surely needed ; for the people of this country are 

 now in the same condition regarding veterinary 

 matters, as existed among those of the mother 

 country previous to the endowment of her veteri- 

 nary university. And if ever we should be visit- 

 ed by those fearful epidemics, or epizootics, that 

 have to such an alarming extent prevailed through- 

 out the British dominions, the pestilental sword 

 will be no less keen, nor destructive here, than it 

 was in the former country. But we have enough at 

 the present time to arouse our agriculturists from 

 their long slumber of indifference to united action 

 for the advancement of a science, which has, and 

 is still calculated to sow broadcast the germs of use- 

 fulness. It is well known that there are constant- 

 ly oocurring among various descriptions of live 

 stock, thousands of premature deaths, and a like 

 number of unnecessary cases of disease, every 

 year, which might be prevented by the aid of vet- 

 erinary science. Many of our farmers have, to 

 their sorrw and mortification, discovered tliat the 

 off-jpring of many fine and costly animals rapidly 

 degenerate, and they know not the why nor the 

 wherefore. Then, again, observe the countless 

 number of malformed, and otlierwise defective 

 horses that are to be met with, in all parts of the 

 Union ; inheriting through ancestral descent a 

 broken down constitution, a weak, porous, bony 

 Btructure, which sends out its morbid growths, in 

 the form of spavin, ringbone, splent and other 

 osseous deformities ; to the utter ruin of the sub- 

 ject's reputation, and his owner's anticipations. 



Does the former seek a remedy ? If so he should 

 read the Book of Nature, as it is written by Om- 

 nipotence on the face of universal creation, and 

 recognize there through the intelligence of man, 

 in germination, growth and maturity of both ani- 

 mate and inanimate matter. Let the farmer who 

 is thirsting for knowledge, knock at the door of 

 veterinary science, and it shall be opened unto 

 him, and he shall there learn by what means ra- 

 ces of animals degenerate. It has been discovered, 

 and the same is true of brutes, that malformation, 

 decrepitude and premature death result from dis- 

 regarding the immutable laws of nature. Ask 

 the surgeon how and by what means the sons of 

 Adam deteriorate, and he vull tell you they have vio- 

 lated God's uncompromising laws, as they apply to 

 our mental and physical natures. Do you desire 

 proof of this 1 If so, you are referred to the Nobles 

 of Spain and Portugal— to the lunatics of this, and 

 other conntries,and to the countless hosts of weak, 

 puny, living — yet half jdead-of all nations, that are 

 to be met with — the architects of their own infir- 

 mities. If other and more convincing proof be 

 needed, we have only to contrast the stalwart 

 frame and iron constitution of our departed ances- 

 tors with the present exotic and diminutive race, 

 and the difference appears almost as great as that 

 now existing between the Uoti and the la77ib. Ilenoe 

 there is a fine field for American talent and indus- 

 try, in that branch of veterinary science known 

 as comparative physiology. Finally, .if it were not 

 for the enterprise manifested by our wealthy agri- 

 culturists, in importing stock from abroad, and 

 thus mingling good blood with the common herd, 

 the live stock of this country would be little else 

 than walking skeletons, fit subjects only for some 

 friendly epizootic. Let a siiuiU portion of the 

 money, now expended for the purchase of foreign 

 stock, be invested in standard works on the collat- 

 eral branches of veterinary science, to be studied 

 in our schools and universities ; and a little sum 

 be appropriated for endowing a school like that at 

 Alfort, then our native stock might be so improved 

 and perpetuated as not to need foreign aid. 



For Ike New England Farmer. 

 A POUND OP BUTTER TO A GALLON 

 OP MILK. 



This is the question. The veteran Editor of 

 the Mass. Ploughman says be has a stockiOf 

 Devon cattle, each and all of which will do this; 

 and he challenges the world to show the cotitrary 

 of this. This is toeing the mark. This is com- 

 ing up to the scratch boldly. Mr. B. knows what 

 he is talking about, and understands what he says. 

 If his cows and heifers, be they Devon, or what 

 not, will do this, it is more than any other set of 

 cows ever have done, in this or any other coun- 

 try. If they will not do this, then his statements 

 are calculated to mislead. Mr. B. must know it 

 to be folly to make such statements, unless they 

 are true. Within three months, it has been 

 avowed in his editorial columns, speaking then in 

 relation to Jersey cows, that no animal would do 

 this. I then supposed what he said was true. I 

 supposed the statements made about the Jersey 

 cows, at Lf) well and Dracut, were not true. I 

 supposed tliere was some gum-game in this mat- 

 ter. But if what Mr. B. now says is true, — I 

 admit that I have done injustice to the Jersey 



