CORRESPONDENCE. 
489 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
ARMY VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
Editor Veterinary Review : 
Since yon have been so kind as to call the attention of the 
Government and the profession to the condition of the army, as 
regards the veterinary service, let me ask, through your columns, 
to direct attention to a point which seems to have been overlooked 
The determination of the War Department , to accept only regu 
larly qualified veterinary surgeons hereafter is a great improve¬ 
ment in the right direction, but the question remains whether or 
not proper measures have been taken to secure the services of 
such men. It is not enough that the declaration be made to em¬ 
ploy only educated surgeons, but such provision must be made 
that they can, without injustice to themselves, accept of the posi¬ 
tions offered. In the first place, the remuneration is not sufficient 
to secure the best men, for a private practice of seventy-five dol¬ 
lars a month can soon be established by any moderately talented 
veterinarian, while he has the prospect of a further and continual 
increase of patronage. Secondly, the veterinary surgeon is em¬ 
ployed as a civilian, and receives no rank whatever, being, in reali 
tv, unconnected with the service except in the capacity of a con¬ 
tractor ; no matter how talented he may be nor how rapid his 
progress in the acquirement of knowledge, he has no opportunity 
for professional advancement, unless he finds it in private life. 
Such a condition of affairs must certainly serve to greatly impair 
the efficiency of this branch of the service, for there is nothing to 
stimulate the surgeon to rise above a routine practitioner who 
sees in his work only the meagre living which his limited salary 
affords. 
Lastly, and the overlooked point in question, why does the 
Government require a candidate for the position of veterinary 
surgeon to repair to the point where the regiment is stationed, 
and there undergo an examination before he can know that he 
has a chance of being accepted ? This seems like surrounding 
