28 DADD'S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



importance of veterinary science ; but the probability is that Con- 

 gress will soon legislate on the subject, and before long we may 

 expect to hear of the appointment of a Veterinary Surgeon and 

 Assistant Surgeon to each cavalry regiment. 



There exists no earthly reason why our profession should not 

 rank as high in America as in England and France. The great 

 losses which are continually occuring among army horses is a 

 monstrous and growing evil, and, in view of preventing unneces- 

 sary diseases and premature deaths, the Government must organ- 

 ize a veterinary corps. 



It is very important that our science should attract the notice 

 of legislators; for it bears a very intimate relation with social 

 science, inasmuch as men and animals are subject to similiar 

 diseases, which are communicable one to the other, and which 

 often arise spontaneously, and are transmitted from first to second. 

 For example, there is a disease which often occurs among cattle, 

 known as "Anthrax." It is a malignant disease, and many 

 persons have lost their lives by absorbing the virulent " anthrax 

 poisons " from the carcasses of dead animals. 



A cutaneous disease often occurs among the bovine species, 

 known as "ring-worm," which affects the hands and arms of 

 some persons who attend such animals. 



It is asserted, also, that the vesicular murrain, which at times 

 prevails among cows, gives rise to the development of a virus 

 which is often squeezed into the milk-pail, and produces very bad 

 effects on children when fed on the same. 



It has been discovered that the little vesicles found in measled 

 pork are tape-worms, in a certain stage of development, and if 

 not destroyed by thoroughly cooking the infected meat, may 

 develop the dangerous parasite in the human intestines. 



That awful disease known. as virulent "glanders" (spontaneous 

 in some horses) has destroyed many of our race. A small por- 

 tion of the glandered matter coming in contact with an abraded 

 or absorbing spot on any part of a man's body, will surely cause 

 him to die the most horrible of all deaths ; and the same remarks 

 apply to the disease known as " malignant farcy." 



We might enumerate many other forms of disease which are 

 communicable from the superior orders of animality to the in- 

 ferior, and vice versa, but the above must suffice, in view of 

 attracting attention to the value and importance of the subject. 



