606 
F. OSGOOD. 
ers, or otherwise to recommend such legislation, and to or¬ 
ganize proper methods to enable them to get rid, so far as 
possible, of the contagious diseases of animals, many of which 
are communicable to mankind with such distressing results. 
Cities and towns are seeking for men who are able to detect 
disease, and unsafe qualities in the animal food products, meat 
and milk. In several of our States veterinarians are now ap¬ 
pointed in the militia, and given rank and recognition as com¬ 
missioned officers. In fact with each year there is an increased 
demand for these men, and even now positions which did not 
heretofore exist, or were exclusively held by men of the medi¬ 
cal profession, are now satisfactorily filled by veterinarians. 
How great this satisfaction is is well shown by the increasing 
demand. In relation to the importance of these recent ap¬ 
pointments in the military organizations of some of the States, 
it ma} T not be out of place for me to call attention to the great 
differences which exist in the forms of our Government and 
those of many of the European States. With us all legislation 
must commence at the peripheries, if I may use the term, and 
central legislation only comes as a result ol the expressed 
desires of the States to the general Government, while in 
Europe legislation commences at the centre, originates with 
the general Government, and is executed by the different 
Governmental divisions of the country. 
We have, for years, been trying to get the general Govern¬ 
ment to recognize the army veterinarian by giving him a com¬ 
mission, and with it, all that belongs to an officer of equal rank. 
So far without success. May it not be that this very perfect¬ 
ing of the militia service in this direction will prove to be the 
one necessary step that will lead to this desired recognition 
of our science by the Governmet at Washington ? 
In connection with the subject of the appointment of veteri¬ 
narians to military positions, I think it may be of interest to 
give some account of the standard of veterinarians in the 
armies of continental Europe and Great Britain. 
In France the veterinary department of the army has 
charge of the preservation of the health of animals, the treat¬ 
ment of their diseases, and the inspection of meat intended for 
