[Military veterinary services in the former Dutch East Indies 1849-1950]

The former Dutch colony is a vast archipelago and Java was the center of the Dutch colonial authority. In the outlying districts this authority had lesser influence. The army had a double task, at the one hand the protection of Java against foreign aggression and on the other hand police actions in the outlying districts. As usual during the 19th century, the army used animals, principally horses, but elephants were also used for provisioning the remote districts. In the beginning the veterinary care was in the hands of empiricists, but in 1830 the first officer horsedoctor was active and little by little a military veterinary service was developed and well trained vets came to the colony They were at the basis of the development of; veternnary medicine in the Dutch East Indies.