VETERINARY HOSPITALS. 29 



Cases of debility which required only rest and feeding up 

 were despatched direct to Convalescent Horse Depots, one or 

 more of which was reasonably convenient to the various groups. 



At the Reception Hospitals each animal was given a hospital 

 card on which was stated the date of its admittance, a brief 

 description, the unit to which it belonged, and its ailment. 

 The card accompanied the animal wherever it was transferred, 

 treatment was entered on it, and it was filed on discharge. 

 Some check was necessary on the length of time animals 

 remained under treatment, as obviouslj- it was financially 

 unsound to maintain them in Hospital indefinitely. The above 

 mentioned cards were therefore carefully scrutinised, and 

 moreover a " Form at a Glance " showing numbers under 

 treatment by weeks was kept up. 



Very few animals were permitted to reside in hospital beyond 

 three months. In addition to those palpably worthless, which 

 were speedily disposed of, any animals resident six weeks and 

 over were shown to the D.D.V.S., L. of C, for consideration of 

 further retention or for casting. They were again seen by him 

 periodically. Castings were fairly free, as chronically unsound 

 cases were of no use for front line work if patched up. Certain 

 horses, particularly of a good draught type, considered fit for 

 work on Lines of Communication, were branded on the foot, 

 with the letters V.B. signifying "Veterinary Base." There 

 were a good many of this category towards the end of the war,, 

 and it was possible to' re-classify some of them for service at the 

 front. The transport of Veterinary Hospitals was either of thia. 

 category, or of patients worked for a short time to get them fit 

 before discharge to Eemount Depots. Unfortunately, as I will 

 allude to later on, so many fine valuable horses suffered from 

 disease of the eyes resulting in blindness, but they were equal 

 to useful work on L. of C. Whether it was a case of " What, 

 the eye doesn't see, the heart never grieves," or whether it 

 Was parallel to the feeding of ducks in a dark cellar, the 

 majority of blind horses became fat and maintained wonderful- 

 condition. A pair of blind draught horses belonging to a 

 Veterinary Hospital took first prize at a Horse Show for the. 

 best horses of the Show. 



