The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-05-14
VETERINARY MEDICINE.
TITS RISE AND PROGRESS.
Importance Of the Science to the Agricultural
Wealth and Prosperity Of the World.
New York the Banner City Of America in This
Science-What Has Been and Is Done and
Taught in the New York College
Of Veterinary Surgeons.

The practice OF medicine is as old as humanity,
nut Its concretion into is OF comparatively
recent origin The facts upon which medical prac.
uce rests nave been obtained by the study mainly OF
comparative anatomy ana by experiments made
upon the bodies or domestic animals, living and
dead; and yet, strange to say, until within lew
wears the care and OF those animals in this
country have been entrusted to grooms jockeys and
guacks generally Physicians did not deem the
study OF medicine for human diseases and Its de-
mOnstrafion upon the bodies OF horses, cows sheep
and dogs beneath their notice, but to relieve the
responding diseases In those useful animals was
looked upon as o degradation and shame 1t was
left to an eminent physician OF our city-Dr. John
Busteed assisted by Dr. Q. c. Grice, v. 81 agraduate
Of the Royal College Of Veterinary surgeons OF Eng.
land-to found In this city the
FIRST VETERINARY COLLEGE IN AMERICA.
They were led TO do this by The very great saugh-
terwhicn occurred annually among horses IN this
city from malpractice. IN one day Drs. Busted,
Frank Johnson and the late Thomas Adds Emmett
lost each valuable horse, and then II was that Dr.
Busted determined establish veterinary college
here There had been some feeble attempts pre-
viOusly made to instruct persons IN the veterinary
science, but it was hard work 10 overcome the pre-
JUDGE which existed against horse doctors and the
thing never succeeded. DR.. Dracey Clark first tried
it, ana after him DR.. Clements. DR.. Budd who
had been assistant with DR.. Clark and had
acquired a fair practical knowledge OF the dis
eases and treatment OF horses, though not
himself graduate Of any medical college, also
sought extend the knowledge OF veterinary medi.
cine. He wrote an Interesting book on the foot OF
The horse. Later. DR.. William Carver-familiarly
known as ''Bily'' Carver-wrote q book on the
diseases OF horses, and tried TO organize school.
But the obstacles too great to be readily over
come, and he yielded ana allowed the enterprise to
die. Meantime the Agricultural Society OF Massa-
chusetts had employed a veterinary surgeon i'm
ported from England, all such men had been
imported up to that time. About the same time
similar movement was taking shape in Philadelphia.
The nearest approach 10 a permanent institution
was made here In New York, by the gentlemen
nO0ve named, who organized board OF directors
and In 1857
OBTAINED A CHARTER FROM THE LEGISLATURE.
The manipuators OF that document In Albany, to
benefit their friends, hal, however, changed the
names OF the incorporators and substituted their
own men, and when o quorum was needed tor the
transaction OF business they could not be found
The few who resided in near the city, finding
that the honor was an empty one and that they
would be expected to pay out money rather than
ceive any, also backed out, and the result again
dead failure The charter allows incorporators to
hold real and personal estate to the amount OF
$I0o, 900. and grants to the trustees for the time
being power to confer the degree OF veterinary
geon and to furnish diplomas duly authenticated by
the president and secretary OF the college. In 1862
an amendment to this charter was obtained by
which several corporators resident in this
city and vicinity were added, and working
quorum made possible to be had.
board Of examiners and censors was also autho-
rixed to be elected by the college faculty
faculties respectively OF the medical colleges Of the
city Of New York or other medical or veterinary
medical practitioners. The trustees were also
powered TO declare the place or any trustee vacant
who should neglect or refuse TO attend SIX regular
meetings, and 10 fill the vacant place anu five trus
tees were constituted quorum for the transaction
Of business. The college, though chartered In 1857,
not go into active operation until 1864, the trus-
tees preerrlng to wait until sufficient sum OF
money had been obtained To enable them to pur-
chase a building and ground, thereby avoiding the
danger OF frequent change Of location. Until this
Institution was founded there was
NO SCHOOL IN Tue UNITED STATES
devoted to this most important branch OF science.
The college is now permanently established at No.
selected as being both healthful and convenient, an
ample range OF stables, an infrmary, museum. u
lecture theatre and dssecrng room were prepared
for the education OF students in veterinary science
anu comparative anatomy, and for the medical
treatment OF domestlcated animals, professors were
appointed requisite TO carry into eject the object OF
the founders For the man oil education there is no
field tnat Offers more Inducements than that Of vet
crnary science. The time is happily nast-thc trus-
trees say In their last report-when intelligent men
can take dlsparagng view OF PROBES
cioh "uio" iSV'uiSo ei "SOu.cOJ anu bicduSH
OF knowledge on the part of ITS mem
Ders, when entities luem to high
rank among scientific men. If they are
individually worthy. The educated veterinarian
not only ministers TO the necessities OF diseased or
disabled misunderstanding IN tins skill and close
perception OF SYMPTOMS and Indications OF disease
which lew other hJsicians are trained to-but he
health which IL in no degree secondary to that Of
those phl sicais who devote themselves to lnyestl
nS Whole conmunties In ms cop ~ Ss famar
eye at once detects The flesh oil diseased animals as
III those not properly slaughtered, II offered
animals IN heated, ievercd. other
healthy condition, and thus ministers more directly
TO the pnthc health .han 1t IS possible Tor
any medical practitioner TO 10. Nor is this all;
another great hold upon the regard OF the commu.
nifty possesasi by the veterinarian Is his knowledge
O tAsc INFECTIOUS. Contagious. epidemic diseases
amohg ali classes Of domestic animals which, II not
properly checked or prevented, cause immense
losses OF property and distress throughout commu-
mites or nations. such have no parallel except
in the desOistions OF war. there are many young
men graduated as doctors OF medicine now waiting
for practice, who. n they would give themselves TO
II, woAld rise rapidly 10 distinction and perhaps
wealth as veterinary surgeons. Every agricultural
college VIII need at least one professor and every
well settled county In the United states should sup
port one good veterinarian. As there is a general
lack oil information upon
WHAT VETERINARY MEDICINE IS
its definition VIII NOT be out OF ace. II is spe-
cialty OF general medicine having for Its province
the appiicats Oh the heal ng art 70 The care Of
general, but more particularly the domestic
animals IL requires for as scientific study anc
practice the same order or intellect and talents as
human medicine. It's curriculum Is the sane-viz.,
ANATOMY. physiology, chemistry, pathology and
therapeutics. Their range grcaIer vetcrl-
nary than human medicine, for while the former
specially includes MANY species, the latter IS
limited 10 put one. From the unity OF aamal
1Osms their comparative study becomes essential TO
comprehensive Knowledge Of any one, aud thus
does veterinary become the necessary complement OF
human medicine and C.ce relsd. Comparative
anatomy reveals that the tissues oil animals,
pared win those of man, present only such differ
cnceS OF arrangement H. and ultimate structure Of
the forms which they assume, the diversified
physical surroundings or habits of life OF Individual
species require. Comparative physiology teaches
that the general functions OF man anu animals
arc the same, being modified only Nv the special
varieties Of organization presented by ,llfcrent
animals Animal chemistry Is the same for al
species. Veterinary pathology Is but the transfer OF
she general principles which govern disease. The
scientific and success u practice Of veterinary mctlI