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ALFORT VETERINARY SCHOOL. 
appears most relieved by a repetition of the purgative medicine, 
followed by tonics. The period of convalesence, on the whole, 
seemed to be more retarded in those animals which were bled than 
in those which were not ; yet recovery is generally more rapid 
than the symptoms observed on the appearance of the disease 
might seem to indicate. 
William Dick. 
18th July, 1846. 
CRUEL PRACTICES AT THE ALFORT VETERINARY 
SCHOOL. 
From Alfred J. Rogers, M.R.C.V.S. to W. Youatt, Esq. 
Dear Sir, — I n the year 1836 1 visited the Veterinary School 
at Alfort, and can bear witness to the correctness of Mr. Murdoch’s 
account of the barbarities there practised. I blush to think that I 
have not ere this made some active exertion to put a stop to them. 
I have applied to the Society for the prevention of Cruelty to 
Animals, which has a branch in Paris ; but they cannot move in 
the matter until the second Monday in August, when their com- 
mittee meets, and the subject will be brought under their notice. 
In the mean time, I cannot but think that a memorial, addressed 
to the French government, and numerously signed by the members 
of our profession in England, would have due weight. 
I think that I can supply a few particulars not mentioned by 
Mr. Murdoch. 
The number of horses operated on is six, twice a- week. Sixty- 
four operations are performed on each horse, and four or five horses 
generally die before half the operations are completed ; and, as it 
takes nearly two days to go through the list, the remaining one or 
two poor animals are left alive, half mangled, until the next morn- 
ing, then only to be subjected to additional tortures. 
All the old exploded operations are performed, as well as those 
now practised, which can only be regarded as a perfectly gra- 
tuitous piece of cruelty. 
Amongst the operations which occur to me at this time, I recol- 
lect firing, in every part where it could, and in some parts where 
it could not be required; and the operation for removing the lateral 
cartilages, which involves tearing off the quarters of the hoof with 
pincers, and must be acutely painful. The operation for stone, in 
which a stone is put into the bladder and afterwards removed. 
Operations for hernia, nicking, the removal of the ears, eyes, &c. 
