Sept. 1895.1 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



183 



GENERAL AGRICULTURAL NOTES. 



Farriery School at Gratz. 



In 1842, an institution was founded at Gratz, in Austria, for 

 the teaching of veterinary medicine and the training of practical 

 farriers. This institution was closed in 1879 and reopened five 

 years later as the present School of Farriery. One of the objec- - 

 tions to the old institution bad been that, owing to its dual 

 functions, the class of instruction provided was inadequate to 

 meet the requirements of the veterinary profession, and exceeded 

 what was necessary foi* the practice of farrier}^ The school 

 opened in 1883 is intended solely for the technical training of 

 skilled farriers. Candidates for admission must have passed 

 through an elementary school, and have served for at least two 

 years as assistant in a smithy. In 1894, there were 57 students, 

 most of whom were between 20 and 25 years of age, though a 

 few were under 20, and several were over 30 years old. Sleeping 

 accommodation is provided for all the students, but they have to 

 board themselves. 



Tlie school buildings comprise, in addition to the usual class 

 rooms, a smithy with two forges, an anatomical museum, and a 

 hospital for animals, the latter furnishing, on the one hand, the 

 clinical material required for purposes of instruction, and, on 

 the other hand, a centre for the rational treatment of sick and 

 injured animals. 



The teaching staff includes the director, who is a qualified 

 veterinary surgeon ; a teacher of farriery, also a qualified veteri- 

 nary surgeon ; a farrier ; and three shoeing-smiths. 



The course of instruction is of twelve months' duration, divided 

 into two terms of six months eacli. The subjects of instruction 

 are the anatomy and physiology of the hoof and foot ; shoeing 

 and manufacture of horseshoes; shoeing of abnormal hoofs and 

 feet ; recognition and treatment of diseases of the hoofs and feet ; 

 the diagnosis of infectious diseases of the horse ; the diagnosis 

 and first treatment of acute diseases of horses and cattle. 



It is regarded as necessary that a farrier should be thoroughly 

 acquainted with the symptoms of infectious diseases of the horse 

 in order that he may be able to adopt the necessary measures to 

 prevent the spread of infection when present in horses brought 

 to his forge. It is also considered desirable that he should be 

 able to render first aid in cases of acute diseases of animals. 



Theoretical instruction occupies ten hours weekly, the re- 

 mainder of the work is of a practical nature and includes seven 

 hours' clinical practice in the hospital each week. 



As regards practical work done in the smithy, it may be 

 mentioned that in 1894, 5,942 horses and 41 oxen were shoed 

 at the school, and 18,971 shoes were made and fitted. 



