2^us/i, on studying the diseases of Animals, Iv 



human race enjoyed, when he received from his Creator the 

 commission of his extensive dominion over all the creatures 

 that live and move upon our globe. 



A third reason why we are bound to study the causes and 

 cure oi the diseases of domestic animals, is because nature is 

 yvhoWy passive in such of them as are violent, or does harm 

 in her efforts to remove them. This is evident in a more es- 

 pecial manner in the epidemics w^hich sometimes prevail a- 

 mong them. The horses, cattle and sheep, of large neigh- 

 bourhoods, and extensive districts are often swept away by 

 those general diseases where no aid is afforded from me- 

 dicme. 



4th. By studying the diseases of our domestic animals v/e 

 may rescue them from the hands of quacks, who add to the 

 mischievous and unsuccessful efforts of nature, the evils of 

 absurd, painful, and destructive remedies. Under this head 

 I shall introduce a passage from the words of Mr. Vial, 

 which exhibits those evils in the most expressive and af- 

 fecting language. Speaking of the veterinary science, he 

 says, " At this moment all appears obscured or bewildered 

 by the ill placed confidence of the owners of cattle upon 

 the blacksmith of the parish, upon illiterate and conceited 

 grooms, stupid and listless shepherds, or upon a set of men 

 infinitely more dangerous than all the rest. Who arrogating 

 to themselves the style of doctors, ride about from town to 

 town, distributing their nostrums, compounded of the refuse 

 and vapid scraps of druggist's shops to the destruction of 

 thousands, whose varied disorders they treat alike, neither 

 consulting nature, or art, for the cause or effect. 



" Miserable animal! bereft of speech, thou can'st not com- 

 plain, when to the disease, with v/hich thou art afRicted, ex- 

 cruciating torments are superadded by the ignorant efforts of 

 such men, who at first sight, and without any investigation to 

 lead them to the source of thy disorder, pronounce a hack- 

 Tseyed common place opinion on thy case, and then proceed. 



