FARRIERY, as may be seen in the pre ceding article, originally implied nothing more than the art of applying iron, or other substances, to the feet of horses, whereby to defend them from the injuries to which they are subject in travelling on hard surfaces. It was probably owing to the opportunities afforded to the smiths, while shoeing horses, of observing the various diseases of the foot, and conse quently of haranguing on the subject, that they, in time, acquired an undue reputation for perfect ability, in not only that particular, but for a general know ledge of whatever related to the animal at large. It will not surprise us to find persons so ignorant as our forefathers of yore were yielding thus implicitly to the presumptuous claims of the farrier ; in deed, when we consider how little was known of the art of medicine, and of the very structure of the human frame, it must appear that no other alternative presented itself. But we cannot look back to later dates, without feeling both astonished and ashamed at the indiffer ence, indeed the inhumanity, with which that most useful animal, the horse, has been so long treated.
Happily, however, in these days of im provement, when science has in so many instances removed the mists which cloud ed the vision of our ancestors, and has proportionally enlarged our ideas, the eye of research has been turned towards the sufferings of the brute creation, and a new profession has sprung up, which not only adds to our stock of medical informa tion, but, while it removes that imputa tion of cruelty, which had too long stained the character of an enlightened age, pro mises to reward our kindness and assidu ity with the most liberal remuneration. In this we allude to the establishment of a Veterinary College, where, under the auspices of the most distinguished and public-spirited characters, the whole art of medicine and of surgery, so far as they relate to horses, &c. together with the true principles of shoeing, and of treating horses while in a state of disease and of health, are publicly taught by a surgeon, who has made them his study, and who has the designation of Professor of the Veteri nary Art.
Such an establishment, which was not novel on the Continent, was truly a deside ratum ; like most of our important im provements, it was first proposed and acted upon by a foreigner, Monsieur St.
Bel, who, in the year 1788, came over from France, and, observing the lamentable want of veterinary knowledge, published proposals for the establishment of a col lege. The matter was not, however, no ticed, until the Agricultural Society of Odiham, in Hants, seeing the vast benefit which must inevitably result from such an institution, agreed to support Monsieur St. Bel. He was accordingly nominated to the professorship, under the patronage of many eminent characters. The Duke of Northumberland was elected president; and the list of vice-presidents was graced with the names of earls Grosvenor, Mor ton, Oxford, and Rivers, Sir George Ba ker, Sir T. C. Bunbury, Sir William For dyce, and the celebrated John Hunter, Esq.
Vicinity to London being an important object, and a pure air no less indispen sable, Pancras was fixed upon for the scite of the college. Its success, how ever, was not, in the first instance, much to be vaunted; indeed, its stability be came somewhat doubtful, owing to a va riety of causes. The fact seems to be, that St. Bel, though a perfect enthusiast, and to a certain degree skilled in the ve terinary art, had not that complete ac quaintance with the subject which so conspicuous a situation imperiously de manded ; he was also deficient in that peculiar ductility of disposition, and that accommodation to the opinions of others, which in every instance are preposses sing, and, to a man in his situation, were indispensable. Ile died in 1793, and Messrs. Coleman and Morecroft were ap pointed joint professors. Both these gentlemen appear to have been highly qualified for the pre-eminent situations they held; Mr. Coleman being a surgeon who had distinguished himself by a work of great merit; and Mr. Morecroft being a medical gentleman who had visited the continent, for the purpose of acquiring as complete an insight into veterinary operations as the schools in that quarter could furnish. The latter, however, ul timately retired, and left Mr. Coleman to fill the professor's chair, which he does with infinite advantage to the public, and with no less credit to himself.