64 
DISTRICT VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
tian ; but not sufficiently so to trust to it in cases wherein 
decided catharsis is required. Mr. Henderson’s cases, (to be 
found in vol. XXV of € The Veterinarian/) come much to 
the same point. We may therefore, we think, pretty safely 
come to the conclusion, that Gentian tends to assist Aloes in its 
cathartic action, but not sufficiently so to enable us to dis- 
pense with half the weight of the former. Mr. Goodwin says 
he has long known Gentian to be a laxative. (Ed. c Vet.’) 
DISTRICT VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
By J. T. Hodgson. 
I hired a house near Altona, the owner of which happened 
to be the district veterinary surgeon. A few days afterwards, 
I observed a farcied and glandered horse tied up in the dung- 
heap. The owner of the horse came with the veterinary 
surgeon — he examined the horse, gave the owner a few 
pieces of silver coin, and he went away. The slaughterer then 
came and killed the horse in the veterinary surgeon’s presence, 
and took the carcase away. 
The veterinary surgeon told me he had a small pension for 
this office ; he would not tell me how much, how he was paid, 
or whether he kept a debtor and creditor account for the 
government. The skins were sold by him to the tanner, 
I afterwards learned ; and also that, although the office was 
held by what they called a regulation veterinary surgeon, it 
was considered derogatory, (which I believe to be the reason 
he was not inclined to answer my questions, knowing that I 
belonged to the same profession,) as he was spoken of as the 
shinder.* He was one of the detective police, and of his 
absolute power I had proof, in the fact that it was his duty 
to attend the horse-market in the neighbourhood, and seize 
the glandered horses exposed for sale. The owner of the 
horse above mentioned, knowing the law, had voluntarily 
brought the animal, — but the veterinary surgeon I saw could 
stop a farmer’s waggon, tell the owner to alight, and bring 
* The shinder is the man paid in cities to remove other nuisances, as dead 
animals, or even living dogs, if his man do not like their appearance, and this 
without respect to persons. One of Her Majesty’s Ambassadors had his dog 
taken by the shinder’s man. You have to keep a sharp look out, or you may 
see the head of your £20 pointer on a stick among a dozen others, whether rabid 
or not. A man is justified in killing a mad dog. Why not a glandered horse ? 
It has been proved, although the cases are rare, human beings run risk of an 
equally horrible death. 
