PAY AND POSITION OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
367 
that date. He is allowed to remain one month in Calcutta, 
during- which time he gets Rs. 200 (j 02O) a mouth. He is 
then posted to ee do duty” with the nearest cavalry corps to 
Calcutta, and is provided with carriage, gratis, for himself, 
one servant, and400lbs. of luggage. From the day on which 
he reports himself to the commanding-officer of the regiment 
he begins to draw Rs. 340 (<5034) a month, viz., his original 
j02O, with £Q horse allowance, £ 5 house allowance, and £3 
conveyance allowance. He probably remains doing duty 
under the veterinary surgeon of the corps for two or three 
months, or until a vacancy occurs; when he starts off to 
take charge of a brigade, or troop of horse artillery, or a 
regiment of cavalry. Again he is provided with carriage, as 
before, gratis, should he not have served eight months. His pay, 
&c., is now the same as when doing duty, but he receives 
two annas (threepence) per mensurn for every troop horse 
under his charge, and one rupee (two shillings) for every 
officer’s charger, for the purpose of supplying medicines, 
which he can get from the Hon. Company’s medical depots 
at wholesale English prices. To a certain extent this allow- 
ance is a perquisite, for it generally exceeds the outlay, even 
with the most conscientious professional man. In India this 
contract system prevails, at least in Bengal, in every branch 
of the service. 
During the first ten years a veterinary surgeon ranks as 
a cornet, and receives £34 a month ; between ten years and 
twenty, as a lieutenant, receiving £39 10s. ; after twenty 
years, as a captain. Should he be lucky enough to get charge 
of a troop or two of artillery, a battery, or a cavalry corps, in 
addition to his own , he draws an allowance (head-money) of 
twelve rupees and seven annas for every 100 horses belong- 
ing to the extra charge, as well as the usual allowance of 
medicine-money. 
There is always some private practice to be had in every 
large station, consequently, those who are inclined to make 
themselves useful, can easily make a ee little purse” inde- 
pendent of their pay. I am not aware of any order being 
in existence forbidding private practice. As the doctors 
take fees, I do not see why veterinary surgeons should not. 
There are no private practitioners in the upper provinces. It 
would not pay a man to depend on the practice of a station 
only; and hence the officers of the infantry and other dis- 
mounted branches are eternally bothering one to look at 
their horses whenever they “ come to grief.” It is not easy to 
refuse people who have no one else to apply to, and there- 
fore the horses are treated either as a favour to the owner, or 
