VETEKINARY ZOOLOGY. 335 



fouudatiou for the superstructure of either branch, according 

 to the inclination of the student. In our course of instruction 

 we shall not only study the natural history of our domesti- 

 cated animals, but carefully inquire into the habits and 

 geographical distribution of every creature that is serviceable 

 to man, whether used as food, for medicine or in the mechanic 

 arts. Hence, the oyster, the lobster and the whale, as well 

 as the Spanish flies and musk deer, would come within the 

 province of our zoological investigations ; and also their 

 diseases, which possibly might limit the commercial supply. 

 Veterinary zoology will therefore be a new and interesting 

 branch of study in our State Agricultural College ; for it is 

 important that we should know more about the natural his- 

 tory of all these useful animals. And hence, by this course 

 we shall comprehend a general survey of the animal kingdom, 

 and not confine our investigations to a single species, as the 

 medical men have done. 



This general knowledge of zoology would enable us to 

 study the parasitic afiections with much more zeal and success 

 than has usually attended such labors. There is need of 

 special investigations on this subject, for we have but few 

 physicians in the land who have really studied into the 

 pathology of this class of diseases. And yet the ravages 

 from these parasites are very extensive and troublesome, 

 both in man and domestic animals. No one seems to care 

 about inquiring into these loathsome maladies ; for they have 

 been regarded by many as unworthy of their attention in a 

 scientific point of view. In fact, so little is known concern- 

 ing the natural history of the entozoa among live-stock 

 men, or even by the majority of veterinarians, that really 

 more harm has frequently been done by their prescriptions 

 than would have resulted from the natural course of the 

 malady. Hence the necessity of educating our students in 

 this department of zoology as the ground-work for this kind 

 of veterinary practice. The public health may be involved 

 from eating the flesh of animals that are afiected by some of 

 these lowly parasites. Pork is often contaminated by the 

 Trichma spiralis and thus rendered dangerous for human 

 food; for this entozoon is frequently transmitted to man, by 

 eating such flesh in a raw state, or partially cooked, when 



