MORE ABOUT OUR ARMY VETERINARIANS. 
119 
qualified veterinary surgeons, either as regards rank or reward, 
■ scientific services. If, however, the Government will not think 
its horses, that is no reason why veterinarians should not think 
themselves, and, so far as they are concerned, what is the 
nedy ? It is, I think, proper to say that in the present condition 
affairs graduated veterinarians should not remain or take 
sition in the service where they are paid hardly enough to live, 
ve but a poor prospect of promotion or pension for services or 
i uries to which their profession renders them so liable. Happily 
ire is plenty of professional work outside of the army, so that 
i veterinary surgeon can do better without the army, than the 
ny can do without him. Surely, the animals of our cities, great 
i small, and the flocks and herds which range our vast domain, 
ord, and will continue to afford at paying prices, plenty of work 
• competent veterinary surgeons. But the time is not distant 
ten army veterinarians will be satisfactorily recognised and re- 
rded. This will as surely follow the present condition of affairs, 
that rivers flow down to the sea. 
It is not necessary to survey here the extended fields of re- 
irch necessary to fit the veterinary practitioner for the active 
ties of his profession. All of you, gentlemen, are quite familiar 
rh this, and also know that inadequate services only can be 
idered when there is want of proper study and practical expe¬ 
llee. But it is well to keep the fact in view that what costs so 
ich time and labor, and has so extensive an application for 
>notnic and humane purposes, is worthy of recognition and re- 
rd. The necessary knowledge is not to be picked up along the 
Asides, nor is it to be found in battle fields where, as things 
i now, the poor wounded war horse, with little or no care, so 
en struggles in anguish “ through the last dark passages of 
stence, without either the pride of the soldier, the reason of 
' philosopher, or the hope of the Christian—that is evil, pure 
1 un mixed !” 
3ne word more as to the social status of the veterinarian. I 
lture to prophesy that ere long he will in our army, as in the 
dies of England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy, Sweden, etc., 
ik as a commissioned officer, the grade probably varying, as in 
