Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1920-01-16
"QUACK" VETERINARIANS

nNE of the most harmful of the
~ "quack" practitioners Of the age is
the jack k-of-all-trades veterinarian who
knows how to cure every ailmcnt to
which any kind of AN animal is subject.
and seldom accomplishes cure or
causes an improvement in his patient.
In every community there are always
men who pose as sort OF a"one- horse
veterinarian" or. more commonly. as
horse doctors" In most instances they
are well meaning enough, do the best
they can. and often in. spite of them,
the animal makes some headway to-
ward recovery-nearly, always due to
natures own recuperative elements.
Cases are common where good animals
have been lost through mistreatment
Of this sort; instances. in which the
owner was either too .stingy to pay
for the services of competent vet
erinarian. or where he misplaced con-
fidence in the ability of a neighbor
who cured Bill Jones horse. Of the blind
staggers. or Jim Smiths COW of milk
fever. Generally regulations have been
gained for this class OF men through
accident. .and ever afterward they are
regarded as knowing everything about
animal diseases; when; as n matter Of
fact. they know nothing of contribut-
ing causes or remedies. and rely almost
wholly on cures they have heard about.
or read Of, or gained an inkling of
thorough seeing some real veterinar-
ian doing his work. without knowing
how he did 1t. why he did 1t. Of the
particular seat of trouble he was try
ing to reach.
OF course. there are animal ailments
that the .layman can handle. as there
are human ills which the average wom-
an or man is able to alleviate, such as
stomachache or collie. burns, scalds.
and the like. But when there is some-
thing out Of the ordinary the matter
you need competent Veterinarian for
the animal as you would an able ply
0tctan for the person. We, do not deny
that occasionally there are 10 be found
men In O. community who though long
experience with stock know a great
deal about ministering to the diseases
&c which they are subject. But these
men are by no means numerous: while
on the other hand the kind without
extended experience are legion. II a
veterinary Is handy, better get him
when you have a sick animal or an in
fected herd. 1t will pay you many
times over the expense. In these days
OF improved stock. and consequently
more valuable animals. It Is not wise
to take chances. An improperly treat
cd individual may infect your entire
herd and cause you the loss OF all of
them; a crippled or very sick horse or
COW OF OtneT amman may ne saved with
the right sort of doct0rinS, but GER
tainly not with the wrong kind--and
when you experiment with inexper-
fenced "curers' you' invite disaster.
Appropus of the man who gives medi-
cine Unfortunately to animals with
out knowing just what the effect will
be. we are reminded Of, the following
story:
A rancher in West Texas had a val
liable mare with IA case of rheumatism
which the best of veterinarians had
failed to cure. One day the mare was
bitten by snake, and the owner sent
for a neighbor who could do little
''veterinarying." but didn't claim any
thing. The whilom doctor came and
administered an injection of something
near the bite of the snake. The swell
ing caused by the reptile didn't affect
the mare much, but strange to relate
she got well of the rheumatism. The
tale Travelled and the practitioner got
lots of!free advertising as curer of
rheumahism. and was beseiged for
treatment of that ailment. 10 all he
replied3 Hell. l doctored that mare for
snake Bite; II she got well OF rheuma-
tism. 1t was the snake and the medi-
cine together that did 1t. If YOU want
n cure go and get snake bit, and I'll
give you the other--but darned If |
remembered what IT was I gave that
mare"