Army Service.— The United States army has long had its nominal veterinarians, but many of these were uneducated men, appointed by political influence or advanced from the po sition of farrier-major, and there was little to tempt professional men of character and ability into the service. The army veterinarian had practically no army status, no rights, no pros pects. He was not even enlisted, there was no special provision for him during survice, and no pension if he had to retire disabled. In the ses sion of Congress for 1900 the first step was taken for the improvement of the army veteri nary service by enacting that the army veteri narian of the first grade must enter on the basis of an examination to be prescribed by the Sec retary of War, and that he shall have the pay and allowances of a second lieutenant of cav alry, while those of the second grade shall have $75 a month and the allowances of a sergeant-major. To-day the military veterina rian, under the Military Defense Act of 3 June 1916 has an opening to advanced rank and nominal authonty, a transfer from the Quar termaster's to the Medical Department with su pervision and access at least to the medical mind in the military body. The requirements for the United States army veterinary service are that the applicant must be an American citi zen between 21 and 35 years of age, a gradu ate of a recognized veterinary college, a person of good moral character, free from mental and physical defects, and satisfactorily pass an ex amination prescribed by the surgeon-general.
State first law restricting the practice of veterinary medicine was en acted in New York in 1886. In 1901 12 States had veterinary medical laws. To-day each State has its Veterinary Examination Board which offers semi-annually an examination to graduates of recognized veterinary schools and issues a certificate of ((veterinary surgeon" .to those who pass the examination. satisfactonly which pernuts the successful applicant to prac tise veterinary medicine legally within the State. Some States, especially those in which there is no recognized veterinary college, may recognize the license to practise granted by the Veterinary Examination Board of another State depending upon the need of veterinarians within the State and the opinion of the examining board.
Bureau of Animal The Bureau of Animal Industry was established in 1884 in connection with the Department of Agriculture at Washington. The immediate cause of the formation of the Bureau was the urgent need by the Federal govertunent of official informa tion concerning the nature and prevalence of animal diseases, and of means required to control and eradicate them, and also the neces shy of having an executive agency to carry ottt the measures necessary to stop the spread of disease.and to prevent the importation of con tagion into the country, as well as to conduct investigations through which further lmowledge might be obtained. The Bureau deals with the investigation, control and. eradication of con tagious diseases of animals, the inspection and quarantine of livestock, horse breeding, ex periments in feeding, diseases of poultry and the inspection of meat and dairy produce. It
makes original investigations as to the nature, cause and prevention of communicable diseases of livestock, and takes measures for their re pression, frequently in conjunction with State and Territorial authorities. It prepares tuber culin and mallein and supplies these substances free of charge to public health officers, conducts experiments with immunizing agents, and pre pares vaccines, sera and antitoxins for the pro tection of animals against disease. It prepares and publishes reports of scientific investigations and treatises on various subjects relating to live stock. The effect of the work of the Bureau on the health and value of farm animals and their products is well known, and the people of the United States realize the immense im portance of veterinary medicine.
Since 1S,S1 el, rinary medicine has made far more progress than during any previous period in its history. Every branch of veter inary science has shared in this advance. Pa thology has made the most marked progress. Bactenological study has discovered new dis easeg, changed the views held regarding many others, and has pointed the way to new methods of prevention and cure through the use of bacterins, vaccines, antiserums and bacterial toxins. Many diseases have been proved be yond a doubt to be due to infection by specific bacteria or gerrns. Some that may be men tioned are tuberculosis, anthrax, blackleg, glanders, tetanus, hog-cholera and rabies. In the United States veterinary medicine has gained distinction by the assistance and pro tection it affords to the livestock industry of the country. Contagious pleuropneumonia of cattle ravaged the herds of this country for 49 years and was finally exterminated in 1887 and has not appeared here since. Foot and mouth disease has invaded the herds of this country four times (1870, 1902, 1908 and 1914), and each time it has been successfully exter minated. Texas fever is rapidly disappearing from the South through the eradication of the Texas fever cattle tick. Hog-cholerab anthrax and blackleg are being successfully prevented by immunization of susceptible animals. Tuber culosis is being slowly eradicated through the operation of the Tuberculous-Free Accredited Herd Plan of the Federal govenunent and legislative measures regarding cattle reacting to the tuberculin test. The annual physical ex amination of dairy cattle is also accomplishing much toward its eradication.
Veterinary medicine can offer much assist ance in the study and prevention of the diseases to which the human family is susceptible. Some grave maladies of the human species are cer tainly derived from diseased animals such as rabies, glanders and anthrax. Food products derived from animals often serve as a medium by which serious maladies may g.pu'n wide dis tribution in the human family. Raw milk may carry and distribute typhoid, septic sore-throat, diphtheria, smallpox and tuberculosis. Pork, if insufficiently cooked, may bring trichinosis and the tapeworm of matt. Others may yet be added to the list See CArns., DISEASES or ;