The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-06-27
Veterinary Surgery.

the subjoiaed article upon the above
named. subject, aud We direct especial
attention to it As worthy Of considera'
ton. Maj. McWhirIcr says:
There is no branch Of science which
commands 20 much and receives 50 LITTLE
attention at the hands Of those to whom
the interests Of our country are commit
ted as the prevention and cure Of dis
eases in animals. When it Is known
that in the State Of Tennessee there are
horses .that cannot be buugh. tor les
than 10000; bulls and cows worth
from $4,000 10 $4,000, to say nothing
lof the tens of thousand, Of animal,
whose value cannot be estimated, III the
economic interests Of life, it must seem
to any thinking mind that We nave been
crimnaily negligent in not deYoilng to
their well being and condition that at
tcntou which, not only the sentiment
Of humanity might suggest, but which
tie great future Of hecglntry demands,
Before the var it was a noted fact niat
tie physicians Of tie South felt far
more confidence in the collection oftheir
fees when called upon to visit the slave
|of q planter than his mo,her-in Iaw.
This, Of course, may be exaggerated,
and yet it Is q medical tradition which
must have had some foundation in fact.
Now, there is far more reason for tie
scientific study Of the malad.es that ai-
feet the stock Of the country, sreakine
from an economic standpoint, than there
was for the pcrpe,uation Of life in al IN
stitu;ion which history has proved to be
"a barrier - progress and an evil t. be
wiped out only By thc best blood Of our
Southern land. What is the cause Of
this neglect. 1t lies just here: Men Of
science have considered it beaeath their
dignity t, devote their attention to the
treatment Of animals. They have rcle'
gated this 10 the mediocre talent Of the
country they have felt that the ply
lactcrics Of medicine would be soilcd by
brushing against sick horse or Il sui.
:criug COW, or grunting hog.
In Canada the highest institutions Of
learning have chair Of veterinary sur
gerry, and it is considered just as much
an achievement Of human genius to be
able to treat horse rs to treat man
80 it is in the old country, but here in
I the United States our young men seem
afraid to take hold Of this branch Of
medical science lest it should reflect up.
on them socially and bring down upon
Them professional contempt. THIS SEN
timent is a serious barrier to our agri-
cultural interests. l. it to be supposed
that a farmer would think any the les,
Of a man who could take the grand prin
ciplcs Of science and apply them TO the
great interests upon which his success
as an individual and the prosperity oI
the country at large 50 seriously depend,
simply because he devotes his lie to
those interests and his talents to their
support? The trouble is we have not
given the proper encouragement to men
Of talent in this direction.
There was time, and some Of US re.
member it, when dentistry was almost
equivalent to social ostraclsm, when spe-
ciallcs in all departments Of medicine
were considered out Of the regular line
of things, and to that extent unworthy
Of social notice. But "old things are
passed away" and he who can do most
good to any community is to be honored
and respected by all.
Our young men are to be taught that
to save the life Of horse is worth more
to the country than to make Il corner
on wheat, or cover margins on stocks
that the life Of II beast is to be put upon
level commensurate with its value Il
society and its power to support or di'
rect the great interests Of civilized life.
AS it is, u man cultured in anatomy,
physiology and pathology fcclsas though
he would compromise himself by direct
ing his knowledge to the prevention or
cure Of disease in animals upon which
his own existence aud the prosperity OF
his country necessarily depend.
No university is doing its duty to tue
community which supports 1t that does
not give TO its scientific departments this
direction Of development. We should
not be far wrong in suggesting that the
life Of some animals that contribute to
the support ana prosperity Of country
il more worthy Of consideration than
that Of thousands Of ignorant and vi.
cious loalers whose example is IL banc
and whose existence is pest to the So
ciety in which they live. Our farmers
meet intelligent counsel in the protection
Of their stock, and would honor any
man who upon the high base of science
would devote his energies and his tai.
ents to this all important interest.
But our institutions Of learning must
take hold Of this. He who can cure Il
horse or save the life of Il COW, or direct
the hygiene of the poultry yard or the
stye, must be considered, and officially
and socially recognized as the full equal
OF him who can ampuiate limb or mer-
curlallze patient. An eminent writer
has spoken of animals rs "uur poor re-
lalions"; ah, they are poor in that they
make us rich. The Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has
done Il good work, but there is some.
thing yet higher than this to be done.
Speaking from an economic standpoint
millions upon millions can be saved to
us by a proper recognition Of the i'm
por,ance Of this great branch Of utlita.
Ran science. No university should be
considered worthy of general support
ihnt 1nos nat establish u,,, , ,nr,,,