CORRESPONDENCE. 
61 
of Congress, published in G. O. 56 and 66, but for each of those 
four new regiments, two veterinary surgeons were allowed, one 
at $100 per month, and one assistant at $75 per month. 
When Congress passed that act, it must certainly have occurred 
to them that one veterinary surgeon for each regiment was in¬ 
sufficient, otherwise where was the necessity of allowing two for 
each of the new regiments ? Do not the horses require as much 
attention, and are they not equally as many, and as much scat¬ 
tered amongst the different posts, as those of the new regiments '( 
It is over 13 years that this unequal assignment has existed, 
and yet no alteration has ever been made. It may have been 
overlooked, with many more small details in the economy of the 
army, but taking into consideration that the item for the purchase 
of horses, etc., for the army is a considerable one in the appro¬ 
priation bill, and that a great saving could be made by the right 
treatment of diseased horses by skilful surgeons, it is my 
opinion that two veterinary surgeons in a regiment, or even one 
at every post where there are a considerable number of public 
animals, say four companies of cavalry, or the same number of 
other public animals, could, by skilful treatment and economical 
use of medicines (now wasted in the different companies of the 
regiment), save sufficient to reimburse the Government for the 
expenses incurred in this employment. 
In regard to the position itself, I desire to remark that G. O. 
73, 1863, allowing veterinary surgeons for the regiments, says, 
“one veterinary surgeon to rank as Sergeant Major.” In the table 
showing the organization of the army of the U. S., (Army Regis¬ 
ter, 1878,) I find, being recognized as civilians, these veterinary 
surgeons are excluded from the organization table. If belonging 
to the regiment as part of the regimental organization, and rank¬ 
ing as Sergeant Major, why is the usual rations and clothing 
allowance withheld from us ! i If civilians, why are we not hired 
and paid by the month in the Quartermaster’s Department, as all 
other civilian employees, or put on the same footing as contract 
doctors '( 
It is clear to me, as it must be to any one reading this article, 
that an irregularity exists, which, if cleared up, would induce 
