350 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
able little bill is sent in and paid without qnestion, when it is 
any odds that there never was anything whatever the matter 
with them. 
“ The coachman decides who shall attend the stable, and 
while, of course, he must keep his charges in pretty good gen¬ 
eral condition, he is not likely to secure the best veterinarian in 
case of real illness, because the first-class man would hardly 
enter into any scheme to rob the owner. So the nnscrupulous 
surgeon is called in, charges double the price, and does inferior 
work. If the owner should by chance have an idea of getting 
a particular man to do the work, in a majority of cases his plans 
are knocked in the head by the treachery of the coachman. 
Medicine ordered is tossed out of the stable window ; the horses 
do not get better; the coachman claims to know a man who 
can fix them up in no time. He is called, and they are fixed 
up, and the two conspirators divide the profits. So it goes, 
through all the ways in which it is possible for the horse owner 
to be fleeced, beginning with his purchase of the horse, and 
winding up with the carriage man and the things that are 
needed about a stable. 
“ The whole system is based, of course, on the ignorance of 
the owner, and it is surprising that any one could remain con¬ 
tent to know so little about his own property, while so often 
professing a genuine love for it. It is safe to say that not one 
out of ten owners of horses in the city has any intelligent idea 
of them, what it should cost to keep them, when they are sick 
or well, well or badly fed, shod and cared for, or why he ever 
bought them in the first place. The whole thing is planned 
and arranged for him, and he accepts without a question, and 
pays the bills.” 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
THE TRUE STORY OF THE ARMY VETERINARY SURGEON. 
Flushing, New York City, July i8, 1898. 
Editors Amejdcan Veterinaiy Review : 
Dear Sirs :—The item of the Breeders Gazette in regard to 
“ Competent Veterinarians for the U. S. Army,” as cited in 
your news columns of the July issue, needs correction, as other¬ 
wise the faulty comprehension of the present status of the army 
veterinarian, as stated in this article, may be carried further and 
lead to exaggerations in our petitions to Congress which may 
result in harm rather than good. 
