New-York tribune., 1901-03-22
AN ANIMAL PHILANTHROPY.
4 MODERN VETERINARY HOSPITAL
WHERE NEATNESS AND MERCY
GO HAND IN HAND
M MkS
4


Boston March q (specaD-Among the many
| forms Of modern philanthropy there is hardly an
other so striking as a free hospital clinic for the
dumb animals of the poor philanthropy which.
like free treatment for human beings. is intended
also give necessary practice TO the students OF
an important branch OF human knowledge. Such
department IS one of the recognized features OF all
established hospitals. and is quite natural and
important a part of the Harvard Veterinary Hos
pital city institution which was the first
OF its kind 70 be established in the country. and
compares favorably in number of cases treated
with fits London prototype although the latter Is
so much older.
The hospital Is itself part OF the Harvard
School of Veterinary Medicine which. It is feared
close its doors despite the fact that II Is
lust completing most successful 1t is
now certain that the university, handicapped by
the restriction of funds to special purposes. VIII De
unable longer support this department Of its
work This circumstance has already compelled
the free clinic TO remove to less convenient quar-
ters and make small charge for medicines.
Unless endowed by some person of means-inter-
ested phlanthropically in dumb animals. or. more
practically in the scientific value Of the work done
by such Institution in the interests Of compare
tive medicine. in its economic value as regards
the character and treatment OF the animal eptdem-
les which and then overspread the country
school, hospital and free clinic must soon cease 10
exist.
There is belief In many minds that dumb ami
mails and medicine cannot exist together except
for purposes of vtvisecton-a belief that continues
In spite the fact that veterinary hospitals now
exist in all the civilized countries of the world. and
that the dignity Of animal medicine and the dig
nifty OF animal patients has received universal
scientific recognition; and Il is curious fact also
that the AngloSaxon the last to recognize
the dignity Of animal medicine. The government
of Louis XIV in France founded the first school OF
veterinary medicine in Europe. Similar schools
were soon after organized unde- government pat
ronage in Austria, Prussia and other European
! ahO
College OF London founded private vent
This the beginning Of the present Royal
College OF Veterinary Surgeons as we'll as Of the
two now for many years established IN the city OF
Edinburgh. In 1882 Harvard University organized
the first American school upon the basis of those
already existing abroad. school Of which the
veterinary hospital and its free clinic for dumb
animals Is important part and this action has
been since followed by the University OF Pennsyl
vania and by Cornell University. Counting these
and the smaller institutions that have sprung from
them, there now some fourteen American
schools OF veterinary medicine. Among them. how
ever there are but two free clincs-of which that
Of the Harvard hospital is the larger.
The Harvard hospital has the distinction OF being
the first OF its kind. and IS probably equally known
to the OF valuable animals throughout New
England and to the classes of Boston. whose
affection for their pets is none the less great be-
cause they have a smaller monetary value. In the
of things the two classes represent sepa-
raely the two working aspects of the institution.
for the hospital proper has not only paid its
way during the eighteen years OF IT'S existence but
mas InateTiay reduced ne de4t incurred IN found,
endowed and the hospital left free TO accumulate
500 and s While the free cnic OF in Wheh
hss Is IN e9age m eHe fT 9r e
ing the period from August 10 November % OF
promises gain Of a thousand over the 1866 cases
treated during the year previous. These figures
compare favorably with those of any such clinic
The free clinic is exactly comparable to free
/
sadly missed 10y a class in the community that
hardly afford the services Of trained veterinsrtans
The student doctors are young men taking three
years veterinary medicine, AT tho end of
which time they are expected to be able TO recog-
nize and prevent disease, not only in single pa
& fs at ag ~ ~ ni,5ai condttinns as aecting the use
of animals for food and be thoroughly CONVEX
SAINT with the scientific relations between the study
of man and animas-a course OF training sufi-
cientiy different from that which produced the old
school horse doctor. The cases are brought TO the
hospital as in an ordinary out patient clnlc, ac-
companed by friends if not by relatives ives and the the
monkeys more commonly seen with hand
t,p at F ,bnn, 10 the clinic while in the
hospital wards there have been not only the do
rnestic animals. but lions tigers camels and the
highly educated animal members of ZOOS Circuses
mails are examined and treated 5y stdeHtT WoTR E
structors. and. finally. OF DR.. Charles T. LYMAN
Trai Department in washington. In the hospital
they receive the trained attendance that their more
ton for animal suffering Neatness and order are
as characteristic of Its arrangements of those OF
any hospital for fIman beings The straw which
this hospital takes the place Of linen IN otneIs
is as fresh and well cared for as any linen cou,d
6e anG tS for imYad nats dogs and other small
animals. are as well kept as the most forine
operations the consideration for possible suf-
/ operates on suffering humanity. In small opera
tions cocaine is used as local anesthec, ana IN n
under the influence of ether.