Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-07-05

ones are fed five and six times. when
they are particularly run down and il
danger of being mistaken for sort q.
eone-yard hat-racks, the patients ge;
nothing but cooked foods, and they
Ialriy rexel in them. They have tonics,
too, and 1t is remarkable to see the i'm
provement in their condition that a few
weeks work. The diet for 'debilities'
consists of oatmeal Cruel, linseed Cruel,
boiled turnips and scalded oats. Later
they get crushed oats and chopped hay,
and almost before they know it are in
the conValescent ward.
n operating rooms with their big
beds spread upon the concrete floors,
are as CHEEKY and Immaculate as if in
tended for human beings. For all eX-
p the most minor operations an
anaesthetic is administered.
The horses take the chloroform re-
markedly WE'LL" said the officer COM
handing one of the hospitals to the
correspondent of the Associated Press.
Il don't think we have lost but one
patient in the last six MONTHS" he
added.
Patient seems a most appropriate
resignation for the horses. They are
very pictures of patience until the.
reach the stage of convalescence. Each
! patient has a little aluminium tag and q
hospital chart which tells his age, color,
where he came from, what he shall
nave TO eat and drink and take, when
he shall have a nice hot batn and vari-
Gus rotations as to his condition and
oehavlor. There is Il personal touch
about the treatment of the horses which
in itself %bespeaks the esteem in which
they are held. Walking about the
wards, the 20. c." had Il kind word or
two for his patients. 1t seemed a par
tlcuiarly human thing to do. And he
patted most Of them and called many
by name.
This old charger" he said of one,
us a great favorite in the hospital. He
has been one of the bravest of the
brave, has lost an eye in battle, so
we call him Nelson. l am going to send
to Paris n get him a good glass eye
before he goes back to the front, so
none of the other horses will have a
chance to 'swank' it over him. 1t
they are made of a composition rot so
fragile. The horses do not mind the
artificial eyes at all n they look
awfully well in them"
So thorough is the work of the veteri-
nary service thai if a patient develops
a contagious disease all the horses in
the unit from which he came are called
IN for dislnfection and examination. So
successful is the work that 80 per cent
OF all sick cases and ''casualties' are
returned to active service.
IF we were dealing with human be-
l1ngs,' said the officer commanding, 1--WE
could run the percentage up to the
yes. But unfortunately in dealing with
the horses we have at times to Weigh
] their cases in the. scales of pounds
shillings and pence. In other words
we have to decide whether it will pay
to save the animal. Is he too old to lie
of much service when he is cured, o,
Will he course of treatment be so Ions
and expensive as to outweigh the value
of future usefulness? In striving 70,
war efficiency and the highest poten-
tlallt$ OF horse power all these things
must.be considered. 1t is the old. ole
story again of the survival of the fit.
test. There is no other way"
Some idea of the number of America,
horses doing their bit" in the war car
be gained from the fact hat 40 per cen,
or all admitted to hospital come from
the United States.