, 1861-02-05
Veterinary School for the State of I'LL
.. notR.

Veterinary School for the State Of I'LL
n0tAs
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Although the value Of stock iu the United
States is IN enormous ono, being estimated at
one Thousand millions Of dollars, not one OF
the State Governments has thought It necesa
~ to establish q Normal School for the cduca-
'tlon of Veterinary Surgeons.
Private establishments Of this kind either
soon broke down or could only subsIst in n
miserable way or by deplorable means.
Some years ago several English Veterinary
Surgeons established such school in Boston,
but the State Of Massachusetts refused to sup
port 1t, and the managers reduced the cole
glatc courac to eight months. Either the State
Of Massachusetts, should support tho enter
prise in proper way, or prohibit By law this
manufacturing Of Veterinary Surgeons by
steam
The experience during the last century in
Europe has proved that Veterinary schools, If
they. shall accomplish the purpose for which
they were founded, require large amount OF
capital, and cannot exist without large appro-
prlatlons out Of the means Of the State. There
the collegiate course Is from three to four
years.
France first made the establishment OF Vete-
1fnary schoolsa Government affair." just hun-
dred years ago, in 1761, Bourgot, in Lyons, laid
the foundation stone Of the first institution Of
this Kind; England, Germany and Italy soon
followed this example; even Russia, as long as
thirty years ago, established them. The school
at Chaft1ow has q yearly appropriation from
the Crown Of 24,92o rubcl in silver, and "the
most enlightened people Of the world" ~ have
not done ANYTHING us yet In this direction. The
Governor Of Illinois lately proved, in the most
cSeentive.is Of the importance OF of the exist
ence Of the Veterinary profession. He sent
the Chief Surgeon OF Lunatic- Asylum to
Massaehusetts to examine and report about
the eplenro-pneumoniat then raging there. and
1ay his information before the people of the
state IN MS report to the Legislature, But
this report has not seen light as Jet, probably
for very good reasons.
BY the establishment of Veterinary schools,
the Americans would soon be convinced that
tho present standpoint of the Veterinary sci
ence Is W no means an inferior one, that all
the conditions for the re-eBtablishment Of the
health OF animals stand on the same intelli-
gent basis as those for the cure 0fEmcn, and
that theory and practice must be combined to
enable any one to be professional Veterinary
Surgeon.
Wnue at present, as general thing, the
American regards every individual who styles
himself "Horse Doctor" as q 1on}er. and in
most cases with decent show Of reason. he
soon would learn Of the difference between the
Intelligent Veterinary physician and the mere
empirlc or quack.
In private conversation Is well as before the
courts Of justice the American Veterinary Sur
geon prides himself or being selfmade man
andno book,leasned doctor, that he has the best
and most elective prescriptions and that be
paid much money for them. Even our courts
do not scraple to take the dispositions Of such
mon as evidence aud often attach more import
auce to Il, this class ofmen being generally very
numerously represented, than to the evidence
Of the educated Veterinary Surgeon, who emf
grated from abroad.
To many, this may sound as an improbable
1T, but practice Of Is years In this country
has convinced me tint this fact is indisputable
By the establishment OF Veterinary Schools
the prevalent scarcity Of veterinary surgeons
would be obviatcd in few years, the present
system Of empires and patent medicines donc
way with, the veterinary profession would
soon be regarded as m honorable one, and in.
.elligcnt and well educated young men would
be induced to study and practice the veterinary
science, which would be Of great importance
to the profession as well is to the general vel
farc.
In times when tho country isthrcatened with
contagious cattle diseases, the teacherI of the
veterinary institutions would be tho proper
authorities to advise the people In regard to
| the impending danger, how to avoid it md
| how to remove the epidemic
Besides, these institutions would be tho
meaus OF communications between the differ
ent States, In order to ascertain in scientific
way the true nature Of many diseases as yet
still unknown, such as murrain, black. tongue,
big head, hog cholera, &C., to learn If they arc
diseases known to science, and merely dis
| guised hy tho baTbarons names with which
they are chrIstencd, OF if they are diseases Pc
| cu}iar to the latitude. Furthermore, our State
has no adequate laws in regard to Veterinary
police. We also want legal prescriptions as to
| the sale OF barter Of domestic animals, by
which In Europe numerous aud costly Inv.
suits are avoided. In our large cities the sys-
| ten OF "meat inspection" should be intro
1 duced-a system the importance of which for
the preservation Of the general health is as yet
] not recognized at al1 These aud other bene-
(! flcial measures could eaeily be introduced By
our State Legislature, If they were recon-
| mended by the professors Of m existing Veteri-
nary School, while the good intentions and
rndeayors of individuals towards this end will
alwayB be fruitess.
| The professors for such School could be
| called from England, In case the right material
conld not be found in this country.
| ALBEnT BoRcHERpT,
| Veterinary Surgeon
| CHICAGO, Jan, Goth, 1861