THE VETERINARY SURGEON IN THE U. S. ARMY. 261 
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for, allow me to remark, that it is a most difficult task to 
secure any building - at all for extra use in a military post. 
“ The more serious medical and surgical cases will be treated 
by the veterinary surgeon under the direction and supervision 
of the regimental commander .” 
This is too much ! This is equivalent to a direct insult to 
those men who now fill the positions of veterinarians in the 
United States army, and who have devoted their brains, time 
and money to acquire a special training as veterinarians. This 
is pure thick-headedness on the part of the individual who 
fathered this part of the order, and shows a shortsightedness 
and shallowness that is remarkable when it is remembered 
that the order originated at the headquarters of the army of 
the United States. Imagine, ye members of human medicine, 
one of your number treating a case of pneumonia or amputat¬ 
ing a limb under “ the direction and supervision of the regi¬ 
mental commander.” The idea is ridiculous. What does 
the average regimental commander know about the anatomy 
or diseases of the horse ? Nothing! absolutely nothing ! He 
may have a vague idea that a horse somehow has “ the lung 
fever” or that he is liable to have the “ staggers; ” he knows 
that a horse has four legs and that his “ cords ” are some¬ 
times strained, but beyond ideas of this vague nature he has 
none; he may be able to sit in his saddle and command his 
regiment, battalion or squadron, as the case may be, but to 
superintend and direct the professional duties of the veteri- 
arian in the hospital and operating room is absurd ; he might 
as well be ordered to “supervise and direct” the Post Sur¬ 
geon in his professional duties in his hospital and operating 
room. 
No. 290 ****** 
“ It shall be the duty of the veterinary surgeon to visit 
daily or more frequently if necessary, all sick or injured ani¬ 
mals of his regiment and to recommend to the officer respon¬ 
sible for them such treatment as he may deem proper. To 
this end he shall have access to the stables at all times, and 
his suggestions as to care and treatment of public animals 
will be received with consideration. He shall also, under the 
