176 
it. F. henslNger. 
to a deficiency in the relative statute; at least I came to this con¬ 
clusion after a conversation I had with a higher official at the ont- 
break of the war. At that time, true to my principle, I 
offered my services to the Union, when the official gave me to 
understand that farriers were entrusted with the treatment of sick 
horses; he therefore was not permitted to appoint regular veterin¬ 
ary surgeons. I could, however, if I volunteered to go to the 
battle-field, find opportunities enough to realize my patriotism as 
a professional, and probably, through the influence of one or 
another official, be paid correspondingly. If it were in his power 
he would long ere this have employed qualified veterinary sur¬ 
geons, as success depends upon the ability of the horses as well as 
the troops. He, in addition, remarked that when the war is 
ended, it would require but little solicitation to dispose of the 
rough treatment practiced by farriers, and exchange it for the 
more modern, improved art of healing, based on scientific prin¬ 
ciples. 
I cannot conceal that I felt somewhat offended or ashamed to 
hear how inferior veterinary science ranked in the military code 
of this country. Under these circumstances it was not difficult' to 
decide. Remembering the proverb, a bird in the hand is better 
than ten in the bush, common sense bade me remain with my 
patrons, who had shown me many gratifying proofs of their ap¬ 
preciation. I also had occasion to observe that relatives, friends 
and pecuniary influences overbalanced the gravity of professional 
skill. 
In the four camps within my sphere of practice, there were 
three empirics and one diplomated veterinary surgeon. The self- 
made practitioners had the preference. The regular veterinary 
surgeon had charge of the patients in the Covington, Ky., camp. 
By virtue of his power he one day had twenty-six head of glan- 
dered and suspicious glandered horses destroyed, at least two- 
thirds of which were characterized by the three chief diagnostic 
symptoms, as I convinced myself, by examining the cadavers 
superficially, which were lying scattered about a half-acre space 
of ground ; the rest belonged to the category of the suspicious. 
Notwithstanding the lesions in the lungs were not at that time, as 
