8 
lasted for one year, but was revived in 1855—at that time he published the first 
edition of the Modern Horse Doctor, the advocate of Veterinary reform, the outlines 
of Anatomy and Physiology of the horse. In that year of 1855 he obtained from 
the legislature a charter, establishing the first Veterinary College in America under 
the name of the Boston Veterinary Institute, with a Medical Staff, consisting of 
G. PI. Dadd, - in the chair of Anatomy and Physiology. 
C. M. Wood, - do. Theory and Practice of Medicine and Surgery. 
R. Wood, - - do. Practice on Cattle. 
A. S. Copeman, - do. Chemistry and Pharmacy. 
This Faculty formed also the Corresponding Staff of the American Veterinary 
Journal, in which many interesting articles, especially from the pen of C. M. Wood 
can be found. 
Why did this first step fail? Why did the Institute live but a short time after its 
birth? And why also did the Journal stop its publication after living about three 
years after its resurrection, are facts which I have not been able to establish with cer¬ 
tainty. But these are not the only facts to be considered with the advancement of 
Veteiinaiy Medicine in Massachusetts. I would not be doing justice to one of her 
practitioners, should I omit to mention the name of E. F. Thayer, who had establish¬ 
ed himself in Boston in 1854, and brought himself to such a position that we find him 
in 1859 receiving the appointment of Cattle Commissioner to investigate the disease 
known as pleuro-pneumonia ; and by him principally was the whole work of the inves¬ 
tigation carried on. His work proved so satisfactory, and his ability and straightfor¬ 
wardness and close observation had been so well appreciated that we find him again in 
1861 receiving another appointment to work upon the same disease—in 1868 we see 
him seated amongst the delegates of the State Commission, who had assembled to con¬ 
sider the effects, danger and sanitary 1 measures concerning the appearance of Texas 
Fevei and at last we find him also holding another appointment in 1870 to take 
measures to protect the State against the foot and mouth disease, the Epizootic Aphtha 
In 1858 Massachusetts is again at the head of the States, it forms at Boston the Veter¬ 
inary Medical Association, with C. M. Wood as President, with E. F. Thayer as 
Treasuiei this was probably the first Veterinary Association formed in this Country 
New York during that time had been watching the efforts of Massachusetts, she 
had seen the Boston Veterinary Institute born and nothing more. She had witnessed 
the death of the American Veterinary Journal, and jealous of being on the first 
giound, and piobably thinking she had benefited by the failure of her sister State 
in 1857 she applied to her legislature and obtained for her a charter incorporating 
and legalizing the New York College Veterinary Surgeons. In that year assisted by 
several gentlemen, Dr. John Busteed obtained from the Legislature of New York 
a Charter granted to the New York College of Veterinary Surgeons. Shortly afterwards 
by private subscriptions, a handsome building was erected in West 23d Street near 
6 th Avenue, and all seemed fair to go on well, Dr. Busteed and Mr. Ralston, M. R. C 
V. S. L. an ex-Indian Veterinarian constituted the faculty, and incomplete as this 
was, it was the first steps towards the regular establishment of the School ; but when 
the time came for the lectures the faculty failed in its duties, and shortly afterwards 
the college was closed up, and the whole place used for a livery stable, which was 
destroyed in 1865 or 66 by fire. It was to be regretted that this attempt-proved 
such a failure, for properly speaking everything in that enterprise looked like success. 
Dr. Busteed, whose name by the way, must necessarily be connected with any 
