ARMY FARRIERS AND SHOEING SMITHS. 831 
primary education and proper training would have effected 
in his early days. 
Farrier No. 4 (tradesman before enlisting) served under 
us many months as shoeing smith, and, like others, had 
received instruction when opportunity offered, was a fair 
workman, but very illiterate, and altogether ignorant of any 
veterinary duty. He was promoted from our charge, though 
we had not recommended him. We are on the eve of meet- 
ing this one again. 
Farrier No. 5 has before been alluded to in connection 
with the reduced one. 
Farrier No. 6 (tradesman previous to enlisting), perhaps 
the best specimen we are acquainted with, was appointed in 
1868. He is not quite so expert in the shoeing department 
as his rank would be suggestive of ; in this respect he will 
improve. His ideas of disease and its treatment, of medi- 
cines and their uses, actions, &c., are more definite than 
those of the rest. He understands a plain prescription, and 
is able to compound it roughly, and shows an aptitude in 
operations. He will even tell you the action of some medi- 
cines and their doses, yet will only recognise them by their 
Latin abbreviations, which are certain to be again abbreviated, 
if not corrupted. 
Farriers Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, and many others, are 
unfit for the next lower grade. To trust them in the phar- 
macy and hospital would be a sad concession of the veterinary 
surgeon's duty, yet, in his absence, absurd as it appears, they 
would be authorised to act. Prescriptions in plain English 
are not understood ; weights and measures unknown ; the 
common names of the most ordinarily used medicines are not 
recognised ; compounding is a perplexity at least impossible, 
and administration difficult. Their notions of diseases and 
lamenesses are curiously vague, whilst their method of pro- 
cedure in the sick-box at once shows that they do not look 
upon our patients as deserving of or requiring careful nurs- 
ing. In all farriers, perhaps without exception, there is an 
absence of method in conducting their duties when they 
extend beyond the forge, in some of confidence, though not 
of presumption, in managing anything they undertake. Few 
possess education enough to enable them to comprehend the 
simplest forms or phases of diseases or their treatment, and 
it cannot be so expected until a proper institution is founded 
for their instruction. 
The Medical Department has its ( Subordinate Medical 
Department/ educated and trained from youth, made up of 
a class of men upon whom reliance can be placed. Why 
