500 
INDIAN VETERINARY DEPARTMENT. 
he had not seen one for a space of two years, though he had 
no less than (I think he said) from 1000 to 1500 young 
horses under his charge at the Poosa stud ! This I think 
you will allow is another very strong fact in favour of the 
benefit that would accrue to government, from the appoint- 
ment of some head to the veterinary department. Here am 
I and others in charge of some 300 seasoned horses, which 
only require casual and ordinary treatment, while 1000 young 
animals, at an age then incidental to disease, and having to 
pass through all their infantile changes and distempers, are 
left to the tender mercies and veterinary knowledge of the 
amateur, whose ideas on pathology have already been shown 
you by Messrs. Western and Page. I could add much more 
to prove to j 7 ou how damaging to the interests and reputation 
of our profession out here, and also to the interests of the 
government we serve, is this want of a chief to our depart- 
ment. I have no hesitation in stating my conviction that 
this want of a guiding hand in the horse interests of this 
service is replete with much loss and inefficiency. The present 
stud-bred horse is deteriorating yearly; a horseman has only 
to walk down the ranks of the horses under my charge, to 
mark the manifest falling off from the old horse to the late 
remount. The efficiency of the service must suffer on a 
campaign, and even in ordinary wear and tear, and the cost 
of the remount is such — from the promiscuous system of 
breeding producing so many worthless animals to one which 
is deemed fit for the service, and which one consequently has 
to bear the expenses of those rejected as useless — that the 
Honorable Company’s Cavalry and Artillery horse is certainly 
the dearest, if not the worst, in the world. Under judicious 
management, I see no reason why this country should not 
produce as cheap and as fine a horse as can be bred anywhere. 
There exists here many elements of success, if not excellence. 
We have fine blood, cheap and good grain, and a climate, in 
parts, well adapted for horses. We know that the horse 
owns an eastern origin, and is, I believe, less affected by a 
dry heat than any other animal. 
You will be surprised to hear that what is called the 
central stud consists of no less than four depots, each con- 
taining from 500 to 1000 colts and fillies, that these depots 
are from 25 to 100 miles apart. The Poosa establishment 
being 100 miles from the head quarter depot. And that one 
veterinary surgeon is allowed for the central stud, with its 
four depots, as well as for the care of the valuable stallions 
which are located in the district, spreading over a circuit of 
some 150 miles ! How such duties are to be got through 
