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St.Bel, Charles Vial de – “Plan for establishing an institution to cultivate and teach veterinary medicine” (19, Mar 1790)

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‘The Veterinarian’ Vol 36 Issue 11 – November 1863

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‘The Veterinarian’ Vol 36 Issue 12 – December 1863

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‘The Veterinarian’ Vol 39 Issue 6 – June 1866

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4 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 15 Dec 1897

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The copyright of this material belongs to descendants of the creator. Images are permitted for reuse under a Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-commercial license.

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42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dec 15/97

Dear Capt Smith

I must not bore you in this your busy time, but merely write to ask that you wd let me know before recommencing with the horse-measurements, as I have much improved and simplified.

The enclosed (to be read to-morrow at the R. Soc), may interest when you are next at leisure.

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

5 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 5 Jan 1898

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The copyright of this material belongs to descendants of the creator. Images are permitted for reuse under a Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-commercial license.

[FS/3/3/2/5]

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Jan 5/98

Dear Capt Smith

Your two memoirs, which I enclose, interest me much.

Wd not the title of the M S be better
“Relation between the Weight of a horse and his weight-carrying power”?

What you determine in the relation to his estimated weight carrying power & these seemed wanting evidence to show that the estimate concurred with fact. As it stands, you show that

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the complex of motives by which experts judge, is on the average in direct ratio to the weight of the horse.

I wd suggest if you wish to submit the paper to the R. Soc to make this clear, and to explain the amount of reliance and of responsibility that is extended to experts.

It would be very interesting to collate the judgements of several experts about the same horse, but that wd be an inquiry by itself.

The following however ought to be done – viz show the mean deviation between the estimated and the calculated values in each

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of your 4 groups. Strictly, the ratios of error/weight shd be compared; possibly error (deviation) wd be near enough.

Another thing, in the greater strictness now exercised about the Proceedings, with the view of reducing the bulk of printed matter. I shd therefore suggest (rather strongly) you omitting down to the 2nd method in p. 4, so starting in medias res.

Please let me hesitate about submitting it to the R. Soc untill[sic] I shall have seen it again.

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The subject is not strictly in my line so it will be necessary anyhow for me to read it in in the first case, privately & subject to the approved of Michael Foster. If he or his referree[sic] it is all right the paper wd then go in regularly, which wd give me great pleasure. I should be always delighted to do any thing of the kind for you, you having done so much for me.

I was intending to write to you either to-day or to-morrow, because my article on “Measurement of Horses & Photography” comes out in “Nature” to-morrow. You shall

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have a copy soon after. It would indeed be a great help to me if I could photograph at the Vet: Hospital. Do not answer till you have seen the article. My drawback is that I have to be very careful about weather. Some recurrence of an old Syrian fever (apparently) has now kept me almost to my bedroom for a week or more & though I am getting right, I am not & shall not be capable

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of standing wet & cold like ordinary persons.

A very intelligent nephew of my late wife, Frank Butler who is staying (living) with me & acts as my secretary, would help effectively.

This is the first long letter I have written since my shiverings &c came on.

Very sincerely yours

Francis Galton

9 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 26 Jan 1898

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The copyright of this material belongs to descendants of the creator. Images are permitted for reuse under a Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-commercial license.

[FS/3/3/2/9]

Jan 26/98

42, Rutland Gate. S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

I hope your paper is satisfactorily launched. I spoke to Prof M. Foster about the probability of its arrival.

When you next write, will you kindly tell me a little more about the rope. The question of taughtness is not important, because a mere string or thread by its side, bearing

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two marks A, B, wd suffice for the scale, & cd be easily stretched

[sketch indicating “rope thread”]

tight enough; – but I want more especially to know whether you think a thoroughbred would submit to be led and to stand still between the rope & the wall.

I am busy measuring such photos as I possess, of horses who have been photoed[sic] more than once, in a fairly square position, to see how the results

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agree, taking the height at withers in all cases as 64” (for there is no scale attached to these) and the results are more than reasonably well accordant.

I take measure in these, simply? thee three

[sketch indicating “AC AB DE FG”]

With your 2 scales, along belly & on side, it will be possible not only to repeat and to verify this sort of work, but to do much

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more also. I am ashamed to be troublesome, but only say how grateful I shall be for any that you may send.

Thank you much for the hair I have arranged to have the variously colored[sic] hairs of horses to be analysed at Cambridge.

Some tradesman might drive a paying concern, by selling specimens of hair of famous race horses, neatly mounted between glass. Say three rows of these items in a frame with names below and chief races.

[sketch]

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

10 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 28 Jan 1898

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[FS/3/3/2/10]

Jan 28/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Captn Smith

Heartiest congratulations about the honorable[sic] medal.

Sincere thanks for what you send. I am just now in bed with bronchial catarrh, but hope to be up & at work again in 2 days. Then I will write further.

Very faithfully yrs

Francis Galton

12 – Letter to Frederick Smith from Francis Galton, 15 Feb 1898

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The copyright of this material belongs to descendants of the creator. Images are permitted for reuse under a Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-commercial license.

[FS/3/3/2/12]

Feb 15/98

42, Rutland Gate, S.W.

Dear Capt Smith

I have gone through your paper and enclose some notes thereon, also some very rough work of my own open it, just to see how far its results correspond with yr results mine, unrevised & mainly by eye are

Draught Carrying power of a horse of 1000 lbs in weight, is 177lbs. For every 7 lbs in excess of, or less than 1000, add or subtract 1 lb of draught carrying power. Probable error of this estimate 3/2 lbs.

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Please consider my notes on p. 1 & 5

Your addendum is a great improvement, I think

As a general upshot I am not sufficiently competent in the subject to submit the memoir to the R. Soc especially as it strikes me as not quite suitable for that particular society. But do not let my ignorant views affect your fuller

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knowledge & sounder judgement

Very faithfully yours with renewed thanks for all you have so kindly done for me

Very faithfully yours

Francis Galton

P.S

I hope to go abroad next week, for a long stay in S France & in Sicily.

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A insert “Direct investigation having been found inpracticable[sic] the method … was … [“]

B insert “estimated”

C ? as to the weight of the animal (that seems to be the only judgement tested)

D This seems to be a pelitio? principle.

E p5 How is the “probable error” got here?

I make the mean error to be about 6 lbs

24 – Letter to Fred Bullock from Frederick Smith, 18 Dec 1919

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