372 THE FRENCH ARMY VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
But this is quite erroneous, for many of them are the sons of 
magistrates, and physicians, and lawyers, and landed proprietors, 
and a considerable number of whom, for years, principally occupy 
our schools. Another opinion has been started, which, however 
extraordinary it may appear, has made a deep impression on the 
minds of some, namely, “ That the army has not any want of 
learned veterinary surgeons. That it wants, most of all, usef ul 
farriers , exercised in the practice of the principal operations of 
their art, and that the greater part of the operations are generally 
simple, and often repulsive. These would be readily, and with- 
out repugnance, performed by those of low origin, but would be 
often neglected or disdained by others who had risen to any 
rank in society. That there used to be farriers to look after the 
horses of the troopers before 1765, and then our cavalry was as 
good as now 7 . That at the present time, in Austria and in 
Prussia, veterinary surgeons, plain men of little acquired know- 
ledge, and few of them, properly speaking, more than master - 
farriers , exist. That this does not hinder the cavalry from being 
excellently managed, and more deaths do not occur than when 
the most skilful men are employed .” I would pause for a mo- 
ment to examine this matter. 
In the first place I would observe, that the degree of learn- 
ing which these persons affect to believe is incompatible with 
that of practitioners generally, has never, that I know of, seduced 
those who professed it from the study or the practice of their 
profession. I will add, that in Paris, where there are so many 
highly intelligent veterinary surgeons, it is precisely under the 
direction of these men that the best forges are found. Why 
should not intelligent military surgeons direct the regiment with 
the same or a great deal more zeal and intelligence than the 
working farriers of that regiment ? Why do the military veteri- 
nary surgeons disdain to occupy themselves so fully as they 
ought in all the manipulations of their art? I do not, however, 
feel at all surprised that, in the present state of our cavalry ser- 
vice, there is much to regret; much that must be attributed to 
the veterinary surgeons themselves, but more to the superior 
officers. There is a false pride attached to the officer and to the 
veterinary surgeon. There is a consciousness, or the fear of some- 
thing unworthy and debasing. It commences with the officers 
of the regiment, and it finishes by causing the veterinary sur- 
geons themselves to imagine that they are degraded. 
With regard to the observation, that the cavalry did not lose 
more horses when it had none but master farriers than it does 
under the veterinary surgeons, I would observe, that the horses 
