VETERINARY MEDICINE IN EGYPT. 
213 
frequently hastened it. In such a state of things the professor of 
the art of curing the disease of animals was not deserving of the 
slightest consideration. 
Another cause, which seemed likely to prolong this state of 
humiliation, or rather of non-existence of veterinary science in 
Egypt, had its source in the inveterate prejudices of the peasants. 
They were educated in the belief of true Mussulman fatalism; 
and, persuaded that every thing was the result of some occult 
and irresistible power; and fearing to offend Providence by oppos¬ 
ing its eternal decrees, they had recourse only to superstitious 
and horrible practices, in order to ward off the evils that threatened 
their cattle. 
This was the state of the healing art in Egypt, as it regarded 
animals, in 1828; and such it would have remained until the 
present day, if Mehemet-Ali, the Viceroy of Egypt, to whom 
that country was already indebted for the introduction of 
many useful institutions, had not perceived the high importance 
of veterinary medicine, and formed the project of realizing on 
the banks of the Nile that wdiich had been recognized as indis¬ 
pensable to the prosperity of every European state. It was to 
MM. Hamont and Pretot, veterinary surgeons from the school of 
Alfort, that he confided the difficult commission of importing on 
Egyptian land a knowledge of the medical treatment of animals, 
and, in some sort, naturalizing it in that country. 
MM. Hamont and Pretot signalized their arrival in Egypt by 
rendering to that kingdom the most important services. A de¬ 
vastating epizootic raged among the cattle in Lower Egypt, the 
ravages of which were presently arrested by the measures that 
they adopted. 
Many obstacles, however, opposed them, and rendered it ex¬ 
tremely difficult to conduct their enterprize to a successful termi¬ 
nation. They had, in fact, to struggle against vexations of every 
kind. The Turks previously employed, and from interest deadly 
enemies to its progress, were eager to strangle in its birth an 
institution the utility of which they could not comprehend, 
d’hc new professors had to combat that spirit of routine every¬ 
where established and powerful in the country. They had 
