162 
W. H. HOSKINS. 
tions that I have refered to, with one or two others that I shall 
speak of hereafter, are largely based upon the practical side of 
our profession, and from no school in or out of America have so 
many practical men marched forth as from our alma mater. It 
is then with no feeling of distrust that I urge you to agitate and 
necessitate among your people the importance of these positions, 
and to be continually drilling yourselves to the point of being able 
to fill them. Great has been the progress of the profession under 
our National Government, which, until a few years ago, allowed 
almost anyone who styled himself a veterinary surgeon to hold 
such a position ; but this has changed, and while the compensation 
is yet too small, and the promise of rank unattractive, only grad¬ 
uates of recognized colleges can now fill these positions; but their 
condition has been bettered, and the outlook is much brighter. 
Good and efficient instruments are now furnished, aud the 
category of drugs now includes almost all that are requisite in the 
advanced condition of our science. To the Department of Mis¬ 
souri one of our most trusted fellow-graduates has been called, 
and from his frequent and valuable contributions to the Review 
we are fully assured that he is serving his profession well, and 
from him we can look for much advancement; also for sugges¬ 
tions by which we as a body of the profession may exert our in¬ 
fluence in the betterment of the condition of army veterinary 
surgeons. Two others of our alumni have entered the United 
States Cavalry, and followed for a time the ofttimes monotonous 
routine of a life under such conditions. From one I have receiv¬ 
ed a long letter deploring the associations that are offered the 
veterinarian in the army, and sadly referring to the boasted qual¬ 
ifications of former surgeons in his regiment. He says there is 
but little to do, for the so-called farrier in each company suits his 
own pleasure as to when he needs your assistance, and from thus 
being burdened with a large amount of idle time, the degrading 
vices of drinking and gambling have won many whose early pro¬ 
fessional life promised a good and bright career; this has arisen 
in great part from the fact that those whom you are ranked with 
have these accomplishments as their aim. A better rank would 
alter this and make such positions an honor to hold, and to the 
