New-York tribune., 1900-09-30
THE V VETERINARY SURGEON
IMPORTANCE OF THE ANIMAL BRANCH
OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
CREDIT WON BY ITS OFFICERS IN THE SOUTH
AFRICAN WAR AND ROYAL RECoGHu
TION OF THEIR SKILL

TIoN OF THEIR SKILL
Love me. love my dog" is an old and familiar
~dage which applies with just as much force
to the equine as to the canine race, and mas
much as there is kinder more needfu
friend of our four footed companion and pets
than the vet" it naturally follows that every
one who is fond of horses and dogs must have a
particularly warm spot in the corner OF his or
her heart for their doctor. quite aside from the
important role which he plays. not alone in war
fare but likewise in wellnigh every phase Of
our everyday life. For the line between human
and animal pathology is so thin. there are so
many human ailments that are averted by the
cure and prevention Of disease in animals. that
it is just as difficult to conceive ourselves de-
prived Of the services Of the wet" as of the
physician.
In no country of the world does the vet"
enjoy higher degree of regard and considera-
tion than in Great Britain. where the death
fortnight ago of Sir Henry Simpson. who held
for more than quarter OF a century the Office
Of Veterinary Surgeon-in-Chief to the queen.
served to call forth not only widespread ex-
pressions of regret but likewise comment on
the amazing progress made in animal medicine
in the forty years that had elapsed since he
first received his diploma a a member of the
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. This has
now been placed by Parliament upon the same
level other learned bodies, the so-caled
Medical Act endOwing it with prerogatives and
advantages analogous to those of the Royal Col
Iese of Physicians and the Royal College OF
Surgeons. Sir Henry. who was knighted by the
Queen in 1887. ranked one of the gentlemen
Of the royal household. and the number Of au-
tograph portraits, of valuable pieces of plate
and of souvenirs of one kind and another bear
were royal gifts which he received furnished
striking evidence of the high esteem and warm
regard in which he was held not merely by his
sovereign. but likewise by all the members Of
tie Teigning family.
While the consideration thus manifested for
Sir Henry Simpson was largely Of a personal
character. it likewise constituted a tribute to
the profession of which he was distinguished
a member 1t for his services as vet
that he received the honor of knighthood and it
is no secret that several of his military col
leagues already nominated for titular re-
wards of the same kind on the part OF the
Crown for the invaluable assistance which they
have rendered in connection with the war in
South Africa The latter has been essentially
cavalry campaign. and not even in the Civil
War in the United States in the Franco
Prussian war Of 1870 nor yet in the Turzo- Rus
sian war of 1877. has cavalry ever been so
powerful factor as during the hostile opera
tons drawing to a close in South Africa
MOUNTED TROOPS STILL USEFUL
It had been asserted far and wide that the
modern long range rifle and the modern field
gun which may be said to have received their
baptism OF fire in the conflict between England
and the BOer Republics. would transform the
conditions OF warfare to such an extent as to
eliminate the horse and to render mounted
troops useless Actual experience has proved
the reverse to be true The early successes OF
the Beers were wholly due to the fact that they
were mounted. and such possessed superior
mobility to the British infantry by which they
were opposed. But the scene was changed as
soon as Lord Roberts moved forward General
Frenchs corps OF cavalry and horse artillery,
which after rounding up General Cronje capt
ured Bloemfontein. thus turning the tide OF
Boer victory In fact the entire war in South
Africa may be said 10 have been fought and
won by mounted troops and horse artillery.
The campaign has served to show that mobility
is an even still more important factor in modern
warfare than quickfiring guns and long range
rifles. and that mobility both regards troops