Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1878-04-04
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HUSBANDMAN.

counted for in the absolute scarcity of COM
petent velerinarians,-men who nave been
thoroughly and scientifically educated IN
this branch of medical science. That the
great multitude of intelligent farmers and
live stock owners of America should be
obliged to contend with quacks and charla-
fans. while all other civilized nations (some
of them as far back as a hundred years ago.
have been provided by their governments
with amply endowed veterinary colleges, is
beyond all sound reasoniag,- lis, in fact,
nothing less than a national disgrace, and
Justly merits the d~erision of other nations.
In view of the vast interests involved. and
the fearful tribute which is annually ex-
tracted from the public by the ravages of
endemic and other diseases among live
stock, it is a matter of surprise that no in-
telligent efforts have been made in the way
of prevention. The national government
has hitherto confined itself to the gathering
of statistics, and the apparent exactness of
these proyokes the impression, that the ag-
ricultural department takes particular pleas
ure in holding up before the gaze of the dis
gusted sufferers the multiplicity and great
ness of their losses. AS an expression of a
faint feeling of sympathy, the report is fla
vored with a sprinkling of the kind of abom-
nations which we are won to see paraded
in the agricultural press as remarkable spe-
cimens of sure cures. propounded by travel
ing . boss DOCTORS" COW leeches, and town
gossippers.
It is but reasonable to believe that a COM
petent head at the Agricultural Bureau,
having a due regard for the true interests of
the agricultural classes of the United States,
in consideration of the vast amounts Of cap
ital invested in live stock, and the many and
heavy losses to which the owners are con-
stantly and almost helplessly subjected, that
such a functionary would long ago have Ia
ken steps towards ameliorating these condi-
tons, and thus lessen the losses of this, the
largest class of producers in the land. The
inactivity in this direction, displayed by
this department, warrants a belief that the
matters under consideration will be apt to
remain in status quo, unless the National
Agricultural congress, now in session, en-
braces the opportunity of its meeting to
frame an appeal direct to the national con-
gress. Not only the press, but the whole
agricultural population, would second such
a motion.
l have on former occasions, through the
agricultural press, and otherwise, called at
te2tion to the disastrous consequences that
would be certain to follow on the appear
ance of a p%estilencc, like the rinderpest,
from the want of a sufficiently numerous,
able and scientific body Of veterinarians in
America. judging from the spread OF ep-
idemics, their peculiar tendency to migrate
from east towards west, over the whole
globe, it seems almost certain that some day
this country will be visited by such a plague
that will carry havoc among our numerous
herds. Our loose and insufficient govern
ment regulations, concerning the inspec-
ton of live stock, ETC., at the various places
Of embarkation in Europe, Regulations
which would certainly not be sanctioned by
any other civilized government), sufficiently
indicate the facility with which such a
plague, when once here, would be apt to
devastate the vast herds of our broad land.
With the example before us, of the efficient
in force in all the European coun-
tries, it is astonishing to witness the lethar-
gy of our government, its utter disregard Of
public interests in this direction, and the
general. cutlery from the agricultural popu-
lation. By neglecting to provide for the