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THE VETERINARY COLLEGE.
118 a moment, or who khows
aught of the histoty
of medicine, must be convinced that the
THE VETERINARY COLLEGE.
cessful
treatment of disease can
suc.
only be
in-
arrived at through such.& FOR the prosecution of physiological path. To show that the is for the of cultivation Veterinary College capable of being comparative quiry, anatomy, and for an acquaintance with the made a very valuable institution to medical science, it will only be necessary to say that diseases of domestic animals, which, .
by
their artificial modes of life, and other JOHN HUNTER was among its first and most causes, have been rendered’numerous, com- zealous supporters. He was so, not from ’plicated, and often difficult to ’discover ; venal motives, nor because he hoped one no institutions are so well adapted as those day to become a patentee of horse shoes, terrned Veterinary Colleges, or Schools. but because he saw in the future condition Every man of science is familiar with the of the institution, a rich field would be names of VicQ D’AZYR, DAUBENTON, and opened for the culture of the scientific CuviER ; their researches into the structure anatomist. In order to attain the legitimate of the animal economy could never have objects of the institution, and to fulfil the reached half their present extent, nor pos- benevolent views of its founders, weshall sessed such value, if the gates of the Veteri- introduce a brief historical’ sketch of the nary Schoolat Alfort had not been freely open Veterinary College, and afterwards show how to them. MAGENDIE availed himself of the little has been, and how much remains to be Same opportunities, and many of his experi- done, in the administration of what at pre. mentsowe their value to their frequent repa. sent mav be fitlv stvled a sinecure’s nest.
’
titionsattha.tschool. Foundpdon equallylibe-
The Veterinary College was established in i?92,- chiefly by the public spirited ex. ertions of a few individuals ; and as there were at that time no men amongst us fitted the exertions of its conductors, and from its for the situation, M. St. Bel, a French zeal and ability, was appointed having heen the arena of much interesting gentleman ofand for the same reason, the ex. professor ; physiological and pathological inquiry. amining committee were of necessity chosn RUDOLPHI, in his Elements of Physiology, from the* medical practitioners of the me. tropolis, who took an active part in establishhas acknowledged how much he was ing the institution. debted to that institution for numerous opyoung men of enterprise and talent portunities it afforded of determining points became pupils at the College, allured by the . of the greatest importance in a practical as prospect of gaining both profit andhonour in a new profession which promised wellto well as a scientific point of view. Our repay their exertion, and of which the not at first appear. St. Bel was pages have lately recorded the interesting difficulties did an active and efficient teacher, and his death, experiments of HERTWIG on the brain, made which took place in the second year ofhis at the same place. That a similar instituwas much lamented by the
plans, the Thierartzneishule of Berlin has acquired a very respectable reputation from
ral
in-
Many
tion
might be made equally available
for the
professorship, pupils.
As the objects and importance of the Vetepurposes, In this country, there can be rinary College became more generally no doubt ; and it is to direct the attention of known and understood, it soon acquired ex tensive and under the auspices the profession to the neglected, and almost of the patronage ; present professor, who has added useless state of our Veterinary College, and wealth and consequence to the chair, it mat to show them what benefit might accrue be said to have been a most highly favoured same
institution, with regard to the fiourisliicg from its judicious management, that we have state of its domestic affairs, if not in the discoveries which have crowned its efforts; thus introduced it to their notice. It is unnecessary to allude to the value oj for it is amenable to no tribunal for its con. duct, but that of the public, who have hither.
comparative anatomy; every
man who renect! to
supinely
relied upon the
report of the
119
director ;; iLo cntio has demanded a for its acts, or disturbed its quiet repose. -
reason
much underrated,) isannum, and 60
at two guineas per at twenty.guineas,
pupils
An advertisement, dated 1825, sets forthwould produce an income of about 4000L The liyery keep of sick horses requiring that " the extreme ignorance and tence of the greater part of the practitioners a small quantity of, food, at the usual charge on the diseases of horses, called farriers, had of stable-keepers, 3s. per night, must, on a been longand universally complained of. large scale, be ratheraa profitable concern ; To remedy this, .and to meet the evil in the and as " horses are shod at the College most effectual manner, several gentlemen forge, at the ordinary prices," it must be informed themselves into a society for the im- ferred, that the Institution does not lose in provement of the veterinary art. A large practising a trade by which so many indipiece of ground was provided, and a range viduals gain a livelihood. It must be obvious, that if these’departof stables., a forge, a blteatre for dissection and lectures, and other buildings, were ments can be profitable in the hands of£ erected at a considerable expense." private persons, they must, on this ex" The grand object of the Institution was tended scale, be more than amply sufficient to form a school of veterinary science, in to support themselves, and all the expenses which the anatomical structure of quadrupeds attending them ; and we are ignorant of any of all kinds, the diseases to which they are deductions which should be made from the subject, and the remedies proper to be College income, excepting the salaries of applied, might be investigated, and regularly the professor and his deputy, which are, taught, in order that enlightened nominally, only a few hundred pounds ;’; titioners of liberal education, whose whole with, perhaps, a demonstrator and a drugstudy might be devoted to the veterinary grinder, who would not draw much from art, might be gradually dispersed over the public purse..he bonus, which the former kingdom, on whose skill and experience gentlemen receive for professional opinion, confidence might be securely placed. For must also be considerable. We only wish this purpose pupils are admitted at the to show, by these remarks, that the grant of College; who, in addition to the lectures 5001. per annum, fiotn Parliament, is.quite and instructions of the professor, and the unnecessary, and, perhaps, even injurious practice of the stables under his superin- to the true interests of science ; for we see, tendence, at present enjoy (from the liberal in too many instances, that public institudisposition of some of the most eminent tions are rendered corrupt by superfluity. characters of the faculty to support and proWhatever may now be thought of the imtect this establishment) the peculiar advan- portance and emoluments of our veterinary tage offree admission to their medical and professor, at the death of St. Bel the office anatomical lectures. In order, however, was so little desirable that for some time that no doubt might arise respecting the no qualified person could be found to fill his sufficient qualifications of pupils upon their station : it was refused by Mr. James Clark, leaving the College, they are to be strictly of Edinburgh, who, at that time, had a examined by the Medical Committee, from high reputation; and finally accepted by Mr. whom they receive a proper certificate if Moorcroft, upon condition that a coadjutor they are found to have acquired a sufficient should be allowed him. knowledge in the various branches of the In the dearth of veterinarians, no one veterinary science, and are competent to seemed to offer but Mr. Edv.’ard Coleman, practice with advantage to the public." young man, who had been educated chie Hy Among the rules and regulations, we find at the Borough schools, under Messrs. Cline and Cooper, whose powerful interest was the following :" Every subscriber of the sum of twenty the occasion of his elevation. He had made himself known to the guineas, is a member of the Society for life." " Every subscriber of two guineas an- managing Committee, by some investiganually, is a member of the Society for one tions and experiments on the subject of year, and is equally entitled to the benefits horses eyes; but was, otherwise, professsedly of the Institution, whilst he continues such." ignorant of veterinary aifau’s; indeed, his So said the advertisement, which is fol- humble language, on coming to the College, lowed by many noble names, and a list of was, that he came to learn rather than to twelve hundred subscribers. teach ; but being a man of persuasive manIn order to form a probable guess at the ners, and considerable address, he soon acstate of the Institution, to support which quired siifficient boldness to forget his discongreat and unremitting pecuniary exertions qualifications, and to fill, with must be made," we will just contrast its iidence, the vacant chair into which he had . revenues with the expenditure, as it appears almost unwittingly fallen. Certain it is, that Mr. Coleman owed not to us who are not unacquainted with the details of the subject.his promotion so much to his own merits, a Twelve hundred subscribers, (the number to a fortuitous union of circumstances ,and
incompe-
prac-
the
a
greater
120
ppoved tt
fortunate themselves sneered at, under that name, to whether this choice has Sons to London for the benefit and send one for the public, his conduct decides. of a College education. These gentlemen continued for some time These young men carried into the country to exercise jointly the duties of the probook, and attempted to pac. fessorship ; but Mr. Moorcroft soon found the the cares of his own business sufficient for tise its frog-squeezing doctrines ; but finding him, and resigned the situation wholly to his that their horses were lamed and injured, junior colleague. they have uniformly returned to the common Finding himself now alone in power, Mr. plan of shoeing, with their faith, one should Coleman was anxious to do something snppose, rather shaken in the principles which should justify his elevation ; but it is they had been taught, but with too much no easy thing for a Commander-in-Chief, respect for their master, from whom they who has the art of seeming wise, to descend derived their pretensions to knowledge, to learn the duties of a subaltern, and who, openly to decry him. Seeing that the thin under such circumstances, could doubt that heeled shoes were losing ground, and pre. vious - to the publication of his book, the his talents had guided his good fortune1 Among the few veterinarians at that time, professor invented an iron artificial frog, who could boast a liberal education, there calculated to bring’pressure upon this part was much want of confidence, and various in the stable, for which lie obtained a pa. opinions on the most important point of tent ; it was rather the most ridiculous of practice. St. Bel’s system of concave all his patents, and if it ever was used be. shoeing, had been found useless and unavail- yond the pecincts of the College, it is now ing, and the common method was generally only to be seen in the collections of the allowed to be destructive to the foot, so curious. So highly did the professor deem its merits, that it was ushered into the that Mr. Coleman found himself called to make his election, or adopt some mea- world by a separate treatise from his own sure for alleviating this evil, which should hand, published in the first and we believe carry with it the semblance of originality. onlyNumber of ’Veterinary Transactions;’ The writings of a French author, Lafosse, for even his friends considered this so an. were then in considerable repute; from them, fortuate a production, that future exposures and from some of the pupils at the College, were best avoided;indeed the whole afai the Professor derived his favourite doctrine, of this patent artificial frog, both in princi. that contraction, and all diseases of the foot, ple and application, was of such a nature would be preverited, by causing the frog to aswould have damned a man of less good receive a primary degree of pressure; there- fortune than the author. IIe seems finally fore, sending to Coventry the concave-shoe to have been of the’ same opinion as his of his predecessor, he began to recommend friends, having published nothing more on the thin-heeled shoe of Lafosse, and to ad- these subjects; but instead of changing his vocate the necessity of this delusive system plan of slioeing, or seeing the errors of his of frog pressure. way, he only went deeper into the mire, It is much to be regretted that he should and at different times .subsequently, has have allowed these feelings, and, perhaps, taken patents for two or three fantastic a premature desire of profitable fame, so fancies, bearing the elegant names of freg early to wed his faith to error; though, had and pit 60’shoes, and calculated even more lie possessed sufficient candour to have ac- than the shoe of Lafosse, to bring unnatural knowledged his mistake, when he found the pressure upon this soft and retining frog. practice fail, instead of obstinately persist- In the course of thirty years, some hundreds ing in the same for thirty years, we should of young men have been educated in these not have had the sin of hypocrisy to add to false doctrines, which we venture to say a lack of judgment. Had he even been none of them have found generally practi. content with teaching, and waited till time cable; yet, though much dissatisfaction prehad ripened his experience, and proved the vails, there are many circumstances which truth or falsehood of his first convictions, concur to suppress the inquiry wludi the before he published on this important sub- subject merits. Coleman’s is a tribunal ject, all might still have been well ; but, un- from which there is no appeal, for the fortunately for the veterinary, art, these public are silent, and there is no rival esopinions appeared in a large cltiarto volume, tablishment, as there ought to be, to forma hereafter to be considered, which set the check upon its proceedings. The examining seal upon all future improvements at the committee, composed of gentlemen of the College, and has proved a bar to the admis- medical profession, is a dead form as faras sion of more liberal views, and a stumbling regards this important subject, and the pablock to knowledge. pils themselves are indebted to the professor By this time the public had become fOUl1 for all that they know, for lenity at their exof the title of Veterinary Surgeon, and it amination, and perhaps promotion in the was usual for opulent farriers who found army afterwards.
their
credit
two-guinea
upon of
.
aught of the histoty
of medicine, must be convinced that the
THE VETERINARY COLLEGE.
cessful
treatment of disease can
suc.
only be
in-
arrived at through such.& FOR the prosecution of physiological path. To show that the is for the of cultivation Veterinary College capable of being comparative quiry, anatomy, and for an acquaintance with the made a very valuable institution to medical science, it will only be necessary to say that diseases of domestic animals, which, .
by
their artificial modes of life, and other JOHN HUNTER was among its first and most causes, have been rendered’numerous, com- zealous supporters. He was so, not from ’plicated, and often difficult to ’discover ; venal motives, nor because he hoped one no institutions are so well adapted as those day to become a patentee of horse shoes, terrned Veterinary Colleges, or Schools. but because he saw in the future condition Every man of science is familiar with the of the institution, a rich field would be names of VicQ D’AZYR, DAUBENTON, and opened for the culture of the scientific CuviER ; their researches into the structure anatomist. In order to attain the legitimate of the animal economy could never have objects of the institution, and to fulfil the reached half their present extent, nor pos- benevolent views of its founders, weshall sessed such value, if the gates of the Veteri- introduce a brief historical’ sketch of the nary Schoolat Alfort had not been freely open Veterinary College, and afterwards show how to them. MAGENDIE availed himself of the little has been, and how much remains to be Same opportunities, and many of his experi- done, in the administration of what at pre. mentsowe their value to their frequent repa. sent mav be fitlv stvled a sinecure’s nest.
’
titionsattha.tschool. Foundpdon equallylibe-
The Veterinary College was established in i?92,- chiefly by the public spirited ex. ertions of a few individuals ; and as there were at that time no men amongst us fitted the exertions of its conductors, and from its for the situation, M. St. Bel, a French zeal and ability, was appointed having heen the arena of much interesting gentleman ofand for the same reason, the ex. professor ; physiological and pathological inquiry. amining committee were of necessity chosn RUDOLPHI, in his Elements of Physiology, from the* medical practitioners of the me. tropolis, who took an active part in establishhas acknowledged how much he was ing the institution. debted to that institution for numerous opyoung men of enterprise and talent portunities it afforded of determining points became pupils at the College, allured by the . of the greatest importance in a practical as prospect of gaining both profit andhonour in a new profession which promised wellto well as a scientific point of view. Our repay their exertion, and of which the not at first appear. St. Bel was pages have lately recorded the interesting difficulties did an active and efficient teacher, and his death, experiments of HERTWIG on the brain, made which took place in the second year ofhis at the same place. That a similar instituwas much lamented by the
plans, the Thierartzneishule of Berlin has acquired a very respectable reputation from
ral
in-
Many
tion
might be made equally available
for the
professorship, pupils.
As the objects and importance of the Vetepurposes, In this country, there can be rinary College became more generally no doubt ; and it is to direct the attention of known and understood, it soon acquired ex tensive and under the auspices the profession to the neglected, and almost of the patronage ; present professor, who has added useless state of our Veterinary College, and wealth and consequence to the chair, it mat to show them what benefit might accrue be said to have been a most highly favoured same
institution, with regard to the fiourisliicg from its judicious management, that we have state of its domestic affairs, if not in the discoveries which have crowned its efforts; thus introduced it to their notice. It is unnecessary to allude to the value oj for it is amenable to no tribunal for its con. duct, but that of the public, who have hither.
comparative anatomy; every
man who renect! to
supinely
relied upon the
report of the
119
director ;; iLo cntio has demanded a for its acts, or disturbed its quiet repose. -
reason
much underrated,) isannum, and 60
at two guineas per at twenty.guineas,
pupils
An advertisement, dated 1825, sets forthwould produce an income of about 4000L The liyery keep of sick horses requiring that " the extreme ignorance and tence of the greater part of the practitioners a small quantity of, food, at the usual charge on the diseases of horses, called farriers, had of stable-keepers, 3s. per night, must, on a been longand universally complained of. large scale, be ratheraa profitable concern ; To remedy this, .and to meet the evil in the and as " horses are shod at the College most effectual manner, several gentlemen forge, at the ordinary prices," it must be informed themselves into a society for the im- ferred, that the Institution does not lose in provement of the veterinary art. A large practising a trade by which so many indipiece of ground was provided, and a range viduals gain a livelihood. It must be obvious, that if these’departof stables., a forge, a blteatre for dissection and lectures, and other buildings, were ments can be profitable in the hands of£ erected at a considerable expense." private persons, they must, on this ex" The grand object of the Institution was tended scale, be more than amply sufficient to form a school of veterinary science, in to support themselves, and all the expenses which the anatomical structure of quadrupeds attending them ; and we are ignorant of any of all kinds, the diseases to which they are deductions which should be made from the subject, and the remedies proper to be College income, excepting the salaries of applied, might be investigated, and regularly the professor and his deputy, which are, taught, in order that enlightened nominally, only a few hundred pounds ;’; titioners of liberal education, whose whole with, perhaps, a demonstrator and a drugstudy might be devoted to the veterinary grinder, who would not draw much from art, might be gradually dispersed over the public purse..he bonus, which the former kingdom, on whose skill and experience gentlemen receive for professional opinion, confidence might be securely placed. For must also be considerable. We only wish this purpose pupils are admitted at the to show, by these remarks, that the grant of College; who, in addition to the lectures 5001. per annum, fiotn Parliament, is.quite and instructions of the professor, and the unnecessary, and, perhaps, even injurious practice of the stables under his superin- to the true interests of science ; for we see, tendence, at present enjoy (from the liberal in too many instances, that public institudisposition of some of the most eminent tions are rendered corrupt by superfluity. characters of the faculty to support and proWhatever may now be thought of the imtect this establishment) the peculiar advan- portance and emoluments of our veterinary tage offree admission to their medical and professor, at the death of St. Bel the office anatomical lectures. In order, however, was so little desirable that for some time that no doubt might arise respecting the no qualified person could be found to fill his sufficient qualifications of pupils upon their station : it was refused by Mr. James Clark, leaving the College, they are to be strictly of Edinburgh, who, at that time, had a examined by the Medical Committee, from high reputation; and finally accepted by Mr. whom they receive a proper certificate if Moorcroft, upon condition that a coadjutor they are found to have acquired a sufficient should be allowed him. knowledge in the various branches of the In the dearth of veterinarians, no one veterinary science, and are competent to seemed to offer but Mr. Edv.’ard Coleman, practice with advantage to the public." young man, who had been educated chie Hy Among the rules and regulations, we find at the Borough schools, under Messrs. Cline and Cooper, whose powerful interest was the following :" Every subscriber of the sum of twenty the occasion of his elevation. He had made himself known to the guineas, is a member of the Society for life." " Every subscriber of two guineas an- managing Committee, by some investiganually, is a member of the Society for one tions and experiments on the subject of year, and is equally entitled to the benefits horses eyes; but was, otherwise, professsedly of the Institution, whilst he continues such." ignorant of veterinary aifau’s; indeed, his So said the advertisement, which is fol- humble language, on coming to the College, lowed by many noble names, and a list of was, that he came to learn rather than to twelve hundred subscribers. teach ; but being a man of persuasive manIn order to form a probable guess at the ners, and considerable address, he soon acstate of the Institution, to support which quired siifficient boldness to forget his discongreat and unremitting pecuniary exertions qualifications, and to fill, with must be made," we will just contrast its iidence, the vacant chair into which he had . revenues with the expenditure, as it appears almost unwittingly fallen. Certain it is, that Mr. Coleman owed not to us who are not unacquainted with the details of the subject.his promotion so much to his own merits, a Twelve hundred subscribers, (the number to a fortuitous union of circumstances ,and
incompe-
prac-
the
a
greater
120
ppoved tt
fortunate themselves sneered at, under that name, to whether this choice has Sons to London for the benefit and send one for the public, his conduct decides. of a College education. These gentlemen continued for some time These young men carried into the country to exercise jointly the duties of the probook, and attempted to pac. fessorship ; but Mr. Moorcroft soon found the the cares of his own business sufficient for tise its frog-squeezing doctrines ; but finding him, and resigned the situation wholly to his that their horses were lamed and injured, junior colleague. they have uniformly returned to the common Finding himself now alone in power, Mr. plan of shoeing, with their faith, one should Coleman was anxious to do something snppose, rather shaken in the principles which should justify his elevation ; but it is they had been taught, but with too much no easy thing for a Commander-in-Chief, respect for their master, from whom they who has the art of seeming wise, to descend derived their pretensions to knowledge, to learn the duties of a subaltern, and who, openly to decry him. Seeing that the thin under such circumstances, could doubt that heeled shoes were losing ground, and pre. vious - to the publication of his book, the his talents had guided his good fortune1 Among the few veterinarians at that time, professor invented an iron artificial frog, who could boast a liberal education, there calculated to bring’pressure upon this part was much want of confidence, and various in the stable, for which lie obtained a pa. opinions on the most important point of tent ; it was rather the most ridiculous of practice. St. Bel’s system of concave all his patents, and if it ever was used be. shoeing, had been found useless and unavail- yond the pecincts of the College, it is now ing, and the common method was generally only to be seen in the collections of the allowed to be destructive to the foot, so curious. So highly did the professor deem its merits, that it was ushered into the that Mr. Coleman found himself called to make his election, or adopt some mea- world by a separate treatise from his own sure for alleviating this evil, which should hand, published in the first and we believe carry with it the semblance of originality. onlyNumber of ’Veterinary Transactions;’ The writings of a French author, Lafosse, for even his friends considered this so an. were then in considerable repute; from them, fortuate a production, that future exposures and from some of the pupils at the College, were best avoided;indeed the whole afai the Professor derived his favourite doctrine, of this patent artificial frog, both in princi. that contraction, and all diseases of the foot, ple and application, was of such a nature would be preverited, by causing the frog to aswould have damned a man of less good receive a primary degree of pressure; there- fortune than the author. IIe seems finally fore, sending to Coventry the concave-shoe to have been of the’ same opinion as his of his predecessor, he began to recommend friends, having published nothing more on the thin-heeled shoe of Lafosse, and to ad- these subjects; but instead of changing his vocate the necessity of this delusive system plan of slioeing, or seeing the errors of his of frog pressure. way, he only went deeper into the mire, It is much to be regretted that he should and at different times .subsequently, has have allowed these feelings, and, perhaps, taken patents for two or three fantastic a premature desire of profitable fame, so fancies, bearing the elegant names of freg early to wed his faith to error; though, had and pit 60’shoes, and calculated even more lie possessed sufficient candour to have ac- than the shoe of Lafosse, to bring unnatural knowledged his mistake, when he found the pressure upon this soft and retining frog. practice fail, instead of obstinately persist- In the course of thirty years, some hundreds ing in the same for thirty years, we should of young men have been educated in these not have had the sin of hypocrisy to add to false doctrines, which we venture to say a lack of judgment. Had he even been none of them have found generally practi. content with teaching, and waited till time cable; yet, though much dissatisfaction prehad ripened his experience, and proved the vails, there are many circumstances which truth or falsehood of his first convictions, concur to suppress the inquiry wludi the before he published on this important sub- subject merits. Coleman’s is a tribunal ject, all might still have been well ; but, un- from which there is no appeal, for the fortunately for the veterinary, art, these public are silent, and there is no rival esopinions appeared in a large cltiarto volume, tablishment, as there ought to be, to forma hereafter to be considered, which set the check upon its proceedings. The examining seal upon all future improvements at the committee, composed of gentlemen of the College, and has proved a bar to the admis- medical profession, is a dead form as faras sion of more liberal views, and a stumbling regards this important subject, and the pablock to knowledge. pils themselves are indebted to the professor By this time the public had become fOUl1 for all that they know, for lenity at their exof the title of Veterinary Surgeon, and it amination, and perhaps promotion in the was usual for opulent farriers who found army afterwards.
their
credit
two-guinea
upon of
.