A Philosophical and Practical Author:JOHN LAWRENCE General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1802 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: CHAP. VI. ON VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. , A MONGST the improvements of thefe lat- ' ter times, the extenfion of a regularly cultivated fyftem of veterinary praftice, and the attempts to refcue the fuperior clafles of do- meftic animals from the torturing hand of pre- fumptuous ignorance, are not the leaft confider- able, either jn the view of humanity or ufe: it is true, that during the various ages which have patted fince the days of Columella, the number of writers treating on the veterinary fcience, according to the beft medical light which their times afforded, has been confiderable ; but their works had never any very extenfive circulation, competent praftitioners were wanted to put their precepts in force, and difeafed animals were either totally neglefted, or confided to the unmeaning and capricious efforts of the illiterate vulgar: entirely to wipe away this opprobrium of humanity and common fenfe, would infinitely redound to the credit of the prefent times; and it is confoling to be able to announce, that attempts are daily making towards that beneficent end, by confiderate and philanthropicthropic charafters, in various parts of our own, and a neighbouring country. The endeavour to promote veterinary practice amongft enlightened men, muft neceflarily be a firft objeft in a treatife profefling the principles of humanity: it is our bufmefs then to enquire, what caufes have hitherto operated, or now fubfift, to prevent or retard its progrefs; to demonftrate how little they confift with right reafon, and to propofe fuch prafticable mea- 1 fures, as may effeft, by eafy and gradual ftep...« less