This humane service was brought into being in 1796. Previously the
treatment of equine diseases in the service had been entrusted to the
farriers, zealous, but for the most part ignorant, men working by
rule of thumb. The founding of the Royal Veterinary College, London,
just prior to that period helped materially in putting the corps on a
sound professional basis, and the diploma of the College was a _sine
qua non_ for a commission in the Corps. The first Veterinary Surgeon
appears to have been Mr. John Ship, who was appointed to the 11th Light
Dragoons in June 1796 and a few months later Professor Coleman of the
Royal Veterinary College was appointed Principal Veterinary Surgeon
to the Cavalry and Senior Veterinary Surgeon to the Ordnance. Under
his energetic guidance the foundations of our splendidly efficient
Veterinary service were laid. The service was re-organised in 1881, all
regimental appointments, except those in the Household Cavalry, being
abolished, and in 1891 substantive military rank was conferred on the
officers instead of relative rank. The South African war brought a
further development in the inclusion of N.C.O.'s and men in the Corps,
and now the Corps musters a very strong body of experts whose services
have been of inestimable value in the great war on the Continent.