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period of which we write, English veter- 
inarlans appear to have been following their 
own way regardless of the more enlightened 
methods which were beginning to gain accep- 
tance among the advanced practitioners of 
France. For to the French is due the credit 
of laying the first foundations on which 
scientific veterinary surgery was built. 
The helplessness of the old school is 
proved by the ravages of epizootics. The 
loss of horses and other live stock when 
contagious disease gained footing was enor- 
mous, such diseases being entirely beyond 
the understanding of veterinarians. The 
last half of the eighteenth century saw 
the establishment of veterinary colleges in 
Europe. Lyons led the way in 1761; the 
next to be founded was that of Alfort near 
Paris in 1765; the next, Copenhagen, in 
1773; Vienna, 1775; Berlin. 1790, and 
London, as already mentioned, in 1791. 
Study of animal diseases was stimulated 
by the invasion of deadly plagues, which 
wrought such havoc that stock-raising in 
some countries threatened to disappear as an 
industry. Knowledge of these plagues and 
efficient remedies had become essential to 
the existence of horse and cattle breeding, 
and the collection of facts and correct views 
