48 
VETERINARY OBITUARY. 
in the establishment and continuance of these lectures: they 
have, however, ceased to be delivered. The medical superin¬ 
tendence of the horses in this depot, amounting* in time of war 
to several thousands, was committed to Mr. Percivall. The re¬ 
turns of patients and the expenditure of medicines were made 
to him at head-quarters from every other station at home or 
abroad, and he had the preparation of all the medicines con¬ 
sumed at those stations, whether on home or foreign service. 
One of the chief duties, and perhaps the most important one, 
he had to perform, was the passing of horses into the artillery, 
or, in other words, examining* them with regard to soundness, 
fitness, &c. Very many thousands passed through this ordeal 
under his inspection. While this was his principal duty, it was 
his forte. He seemed to have an immediate and almost intuitive 
knowledge of the state and value of every horse. Some notion 
may be formed of the manner in which he executed this difficult 
part of his office, by those who recollect of what horses the 
brigades and troops of artillery were composed ih the Peninsula 
and at Waterloo. The superior excellence of the artillery 
horses was satisfactorily attested by the Inspector General of 
Cavalry, who, at the cessation of the war, and when examining the 
cast horses of the Artillery for the purpose of selecting some for 
other service, emphatically addressed the Senior Veterinary Sur¬ 
geon —“ If these are your cast horses, Mr. Percivall, I should 
like to know what those you retain must be.” The result of his 
selection was, that he took every horse of them, and sent them 
to the dragoon regiments. 
Of the foot of the horse there was no better judge than our 
deceased friend, nor of the true principles of shoeing. His 
sounder judgment, although it did not effectually control the 
excursive and wildly theorizing disposition of his constant 
companion and bosom-friend, the Professor, yet restrained 
it within limits that were not too unreasonable. The sound, 
matter-of-fact mind of the one, and the quicker and ima¬ 
ginative faculty of the other, were strongly contrasted, yet 
they amalgamated happily and usefully for both. 
Mr. Percivall improved the opportunities which he possessed 
for experimenting on the efficacy of drugs on the horse. In this 
he was afterwards materially assisted by his son. There is not a 
medicine adopted in human practice, or recommended by British 
or foreign veterinarians, the power of which on the horse, in 
every dose and in every combination, he did not put fully to the 
test. The records of these experiments are numerous and va¬ 
luable. The w riter of this article trusts that, at some futur e time, 
they may be given to the public. 
