FOREIGN VETERINARY SCHOOLS. Xlll 



and medical jurisprudence are delivered at this school, in ad- 

 dition to those given at Lyons. Stallions are kept at the ex- 

 pense of government, and sent annually into the provinces to 

 improve the breed of horses ; asses are also sent for the purpose 

 of producing mules, which are much used in some of the pro- 

 vinces. The infirmaries for horses and the other domestic 

 animals are more extensive, and better arranged than those at 

 Lyons ; and the forge affords more convenience for giving in- 

 structions in shoeing : there is also a portable forge, which may 

 be removed to any part of the stables where its use is required. 

 A field of about six acres is set apart for agricultural expe- 

 riments. The royal stables at Paris are well constructed build- 

 ings — well paved, drained, and ventilated : the horses do not 

 stand on litter during the day. They appear capable of con- 

 taining about two hundred horses. An infirmary and forge are 

 attached to the stables. All the royal stud, as well as the 

 cavalry horses, are shoed upon the plan established by the veteri- 

 nary schools, under the superintendance of a resident veterinary 

 surgeon. 



The following year Mr. Sewell visited the veterinary schools 

 In Germany ; and, on his return, made a report of his ob- 

 servations to the governors of the London Veterinary College, 

 of which the following is an extract : — The Veterinary School 

 at Vienna is inferior to that at Alfort ; but it affords a greater 

 scope for practice, the stables and other accommodations being 

 calculated for receiving a considerable number of patients ; all 

 of them were then occupied, which afforded Mr. Sewell an op- 

 portunity of seeing some diseases peculiar to the season, which 

 was very hot and dry : the principal of these were lameness, 

 called fever in the feet, and lethargic attacks. The lameness 

 was treated as it is in this country, with the addition of turning 

 the patient into a paddock, where the grass was high, kept 

 watered, and well shaded with trees. The horses with lethargy 

 were also kept in the paddock under the trees, and their heads 

 were often placed under a shower bath. From the number of 

 those that were in a convalescent state, Mr. Sewell concludes 

 that the treatment was successful ; though, he says, it does not 

 accord with the theory or treatment of the disease taught in this 

 country. They consider the lethargic symptoms as dependent 

 on some disorder of the digestive organs and liver, and treat it 

 accordingly. The pupils are taught shoeing practically at the 

 foro:e. The shoes are different from our own and those of 

 France.* The stables are not of the first order, but roomy and 



* Accordincf to M. Jauze, " the German shoes are, of all others, the most 

 injurious for horses that have sound feet. There are three large crampons 

 (caulking) ; one at the toe and at each heel, which make the shoe very 

 heavy, and takes otF the aplomb of the foot." 



