ARMY VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
335 
ARMY VETERINARY MEDICINE. 
ITS HISTORY ; THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE ARMY VETERIN¬ 
ARY SURGEON ; HIS RIGHTS AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF A SCIEN¬ 
TIFIC PROFESSION AND WHAT IS REQUIRED BY THE GOVERN¬ 
MENT TO ESTABLISH AN EFFICIENT VETERINARY DEPART¬ 
MENT. 
By A. A. Holcombe, D.V.S., Veterinary Inspector U. S. A. 
(Continuedfrom 'page 299.) 
The Board lias endeavored to keep the numbers and quantities 
of the articles in the above table down to the minimum required 
for the proper treatment 4 of the diseases of the horse, and it feels 
convinced that a more limited supply table would not enable the 
veterinary surgeons to carry out the practice indicated by the 
most recent and advanced writers on the principles and practice 
of veterinary medicine and surgery. 
In order to encourage thoroughness and system in the study 
and treatment of the diseases of the horse, as well as to furnish 
information regarding the management of the veterinary depart¬ 
ment of the army, a monthly report of sick and wounded for each 
company and battery, similar to that adopted by the Medical 
Department, should be forwarded by veterinary surgeons and 
company farriers, through the company and post commanders to 
the Quartermaster-General. While the number of instruments 
recommended is less than can be found at any ordinary veterinary 
hospital in civil life in this country, still they are believed to be 
sufficient. The first cost for an outfit for the army will be $25,000, 
which under ordinary use and wear should last for ten years. It 
is believed that a great saving in the purchase of this outfit could 
be made if it were done by an officer familiar with the use of 
veterinary instruments. 
The panniers should, like those in use by the Medical Depart¬ 
ment, be so arranged as to contain only articles that are on the 
supply table. They should contain the articles of medicine in 
quantities allowed for one hundred horses in field service for three 
months, and a pocket case ball forceps, corkscrew, 6 oz. graduate 
glass, prescription scales, 2 spatulas, 16-ounce syringe, memoran¬ 
dum book, and two lead-pencils. 
