A manuscript on veterinary knowledge and skills as practiced by laymen in previous centuries is described, using a copy dated 1880 but with parts that are probably older. It was made and owned by members of the Bouckaert family from Waregem, who were well known in the veterinary practice and horsemanship circles of that time. Some of them were among the first official veterinary surgeons and certified 'farrier-veterinarians' (marechaux-veterinaires) in Belgium during the nineteenth century. During successive generations, the older family fathers were also involved in the treatment of humans, while the care of animals was left to the sons. The very orderly presented contents of the manuscript show a curious mixture of veterinary science, as contained in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century textbooks, intermixed with folk remedies, including oaths and semi-religious vows. Particular attention is given to pigeon diseases. A separate chapter contains succinct descriptions of some greatly feared contagious animal diseases, which were the domain of university trained veterinary 'experts'. A text fragment on canine distemper is given as an example of accurate description of symptoms, with warnings on prognosis and futile treatment attempts.
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