Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-24
For the Journal
EDUCATED HORSE DOCTORS.

There is evidently q growing idea in the
minds Of the people and especially among the
farmers, stock-growers and all who deal In
stock animals, to have educated and compe-
tent men who understand how to attend their
animals when sick. Experience and practice
have shown that persons can become educated
in the diseases of horses and cattle. Those
who have had practical experience manage
their practice on just the same principles 40
the physician and surgeon do theirs The
better and more thorough man 10 educated
in the ways and diseases of the horse, the mors
closely he clings to the. principle that that
! which is beneficial to man in disease, is also
beneficial to the horse in proportionatc doses,
the average being three times the quantity to
the horse as to the man. The disease from
which the animal is suffering is known by
studying its symptoms from its appearances
and actions. Therefore we have means of
knowing the disease and its remedy. This is
as far as this (almost science) has advanced.
Every one who studies the art has to depend
more upon his own brain and judgment than
anything else, because there is no regular es-
tablished method Of teaching it. We have
several books written on the subject by as
many different authors, but none of those
books go into the rudimentary principles so
essential in thorough teaching. a4
| The authors have written only what they
know from practice and observation. As yet
thereis no book that teaches the anatomy of the
horse, as there is of man. There is no work
treating of the physiology of the horse.
There is nothing but one or two works that
treat on some Of the different parts dissected
in very fair manner. Until there are works
published of the whole anatomical system viz:
skeleton, muscles, nervous and circulatory, as
to the text books on human anatomy and
system of teaching organized, similar to the
medical colleges, there can be no true ad-
vancement in the art. Until such course il
established it cannot be science, therefore
there can be no truly scientific Veterinary
surgeons.
Then why not make it science and have q
regular established school for teaching the art
and give those who desire to educate them
selves in it, an opportunity to do so? There
would be no lack of students although those
unacquainted with the business might think
there would be. Being practicing ply sician,
| have very fair chance to judge something
of it, and I can safely say that there are near
ly as many and perhaps more days in the year
than there are not, that am called upon by
neighbors, friends and strangers to prescribe
for their sick or lame horses. do not care
for the business and that is the mind of prac-
titioners generally; and when we comply
with such requests, we do so more to accom-.
modate than for pay.
There should be those who can attend to
such calls, and every two or three towns
will furnish all the business one smart able
veterinary surgeon can attend to. have no
doubt but that every large village, with its
surrounding towns, will give a man business
enough so he can live in as pleasant circum-
stances as the majority Of country practition-
ers. The Legislature should establish such
school, the people would be grateful for it
and very grateful when they came to receive
the benefits of it. Teachers or professors
should be selected from the medical profes =
sion, because the business although a sepa-
rate one is closely allied to it, and no man
can organize such course of teaching that
has not studied man. All this may easily be
done. Aud it would make a great addition
to our State Agricultural College to have
such department added to it.
| hos tbo q,
of all intelligent farmers, stock growers and
horsemen, and in fact all intelligent persons.
Let every one in favor of such an advance in
the help Of suffering dumb animals, do what
complished; then when your valuable horses
are sick or injured, you can have the best
of help for The animal. You can have man
who can show diploma-a guarantee that he
has pursued his studies where the horse is
dissected all through and through by him, and
before him by those who have made it a
science. Then it will be that your horses
will be saved from death where they now die
from trivial diseases, because they are not un-
derstood.
If the intelligent and meaning look from
the eyes of noble horse suffering the tor
lures of pain, does not appeal to every one
who has feeling and sympathy. then let the
animal suffer and writhe in his agony. But
if it does, how can you answer his appeal
more to his interest than by educating kind
and humane men to relieve those suffe-ings
HAMILToNIAN KNOX.