332 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



department ; and in fact we need a competent veterinary 

 inspector at every port to examine the condition of foreign 

 stock, lest we get the foot-and-mouth disease again, or the 

 Russian cattle plague silently introduced among our native 

 herds. 



Another important matter which veterinary science should 

 take cognizance of is the cruelty to our domestic animals. 

 We are taught that a merciful man will have mercy on his 

 beast; and yet how frequently is this injunction disregarded. 

 There are thousands of horses in our cities that are suffering 

 excruciating pain at every step they take ; but still they are 

 kept constantly at work to earn a few more paltry dollars 

 for their avaricious owners. These pitiable creatures may be 

 afflicted with an obstinate case of ring-bone, splint or spavin; 

 and nevertheless, without a show of mercy, they are urged on 

 to their daily toil. Neither rest nor treatment is afforded 

 them, simply because the owner claims to be a poor man and 

 to have no money to pay the doctor. And so the creature 

 drags out a miserable existence from year to year. Now this 

 is all wrong. The public should interfere, and arrest such 

 barbarous management of these faithful animals Avhich a kind 

 Providence has given us for our comfort and happiness. But 

 so long as the veterinary art is at such a low state of popular- 

 ity, and the majority of practice done by men who know not 

 even the first principles of the science, how can you expect 

 reform? You must first educate the people, and then such 

 abusive treatment will fade away. 



Again, the railroad management of our beef cattle is far 

 behind thio age of improvement. The cruel thirst which the 

 Western stock is obliged to sufier in being brought to our 

 markets is enough to make us loathe the very meat we eat; 

 for often they have been so long without drink that the system 

 is in a feverish state, and thus unfit for human use when 

 slaughtered and sold. And many times, the creatures which 

 have died under such management while on their way, have 

 been dressed and peddled out for healthy food. Veterinary 

 science therefore becomes a sanitary measure for the public 

 good ; and our cattle-markets should be under the inspection of 

 competent authority in order that no such diseased meat may 

 ever come to our tables. Tliis subject should come oflicially 



