THE FRENCH ARMY VETERINARY SURGEONS. 375 
posed honourably to state the nature and cause of the malady ? 
Will he run the risk of exposing himself to the reproaches or 
hatred of his fellow officer and former friend ? 
A principal veterinary surgeon should be selected from among 
the best informed and the most experienced men that the cavalry 
service contains — a man enlightened in his profession, and per- 
fectly independent. 
Another advantage will result from the creation of a principal 
veterinary surgeon or surgeons. 
Until the present time the veterinary surgeons of the regiment 
have annually sent to the minister of war reports of the health 
or disease of the troops. What, generally speaking, have these 
reports been? What advantage has or could be drawn from 
them ? Where in reality, in the offices of the ministry, are there 
men competent to judge of these matters — to appreciate them 
according to their value — to extract the useful materials and to 
judge of the importance of the considerations that are submitted 
to them ? Are they, in fact, of much essential use in the manage- 
ment and improvement of the men or their horses? A certain 
number of principal veterinary surgeons should be selected, who 
should periodically meet in commission, and every report be 
duly considered, and the result communicated to the principal 
officer. Who does not see how useful such a work would be, 
executed by competent men? How many of the causes of dis- 
ease and death among the cavalry horses are never duly ex- 
amined or appreciated ! The inferior position of the cavalry- 
veterinary surgeon may principally be attributed to these circum- 
stances. The board of commission of the principal veterinary 
surgeons should be located in the central part of the kingdom. 
The different facts observed, and the different results obtained 
in different parts of the empire, would be very easily and per- 
fectly appreciated. 
Another good would result from the annual reports of the 
veterinary surgeons of the different regiments. In reading them 
the commissioners would be able to distinguish those which are 
most scientifically or diligently written, or filled with the most 
enlightened medical views, or promising to be the most useful. 
The clearness and accuracy of these reports will always form the 
surest claim of the veterinary surgeons who apply for admis- 
sion or advancement. This will be a powerful means of exciting 
emulation. The veterinary surgeons would be henceforth sure 
that their natural and proper judges were men who would most 
appreciate their peculiar worth, and would concur in promoting 
their advancement. 
It also appears to me that this commission might be so ma- 
