Pferdelazarett in Doncherry

Summary

Sign: Saxonian equine military hospital 234. !Stop! Admission strictly forbidden to horses with mange or suspicion of mange... (sign only incompletely visible.)

1. Intertitle: Horses with mild illness on the way to the military hospital. Image: Horses are led through ruined city with ruins of a church prominent in the middle of the frame; gate to a complex of buildings (military hospital).

2. Intertitle: Critically ill horses are brought into the military hospital (a former French cavalry barracks) by horse-transport wagon. Image: Cart with horse on loading area rolls towards the gate.

. Intertitle: The sick horses are examined and directed to the appropriate departments. Image: In the inner courtyard: horses in rows next to each other, each held by the reins; individual horses are led away by men in white coats (doctors or assistants), pan across inner courtyard.

4. Intertitle: Translation: Woe betide him that grooms badly here. Image: On the whitewashed wall of the stables the inscription in French; horses (in a very long row next to each other) are being groomed in front of the stables.

5. Intertitle: Stabling. Image: Horses are groomed in a stable, doctor comes, observes individual horses; roll-call in the inner courtyard: doctor comes and examines an individual horse.

6. Intertitle: Taking blood samples to settle suspicion of equinia. Image: Taking a blood sample from a horse, sample in test-tube held close to camera.

7. Intertitle: Treatment of a horse with eye problems. Image: A horse is given eye drops then the eye is gently stroked.

8. Intertitle: Dental treatment – filing off a damaged tooth. Image: A large device with screws is attached to a horse's mouth; a doctor (or assistant) roughly inserts an oversized file into the horse's mouth, horse at first retreats a couple of steps, although it is being held by two assistants; at the second attempt filing is intensively undertaken (treatment seems extremely rough).

9. Intertitle: Bandaging a foal. Image: A foal is held by several assistants and bandaged on the left foreleg.

10. Intertitle: Operation for cancer of the hoof. 1) Anaesthetising 2) Turning the horse over. Image: Inside a stable: a horse receives an injection, lifting tackle is attached, then the horse is tipped over; horses are groomed (shot from behind, logical context of this shot unclear).

11. Intertitle: A foal with mange is shorn. Image: A relatively fine shearing machine is used to shear around the foal's neck.

12. Intertitle: Bringing a horse with mange to the sweat oven (temp.: 120 degrees Celsius). Image: A grey is led backwards into a wooden shed (oven), head protrudes through the opening.

13. Intertitle: Convalescing horses in the paddock. Image: Horses running freely, hoof inspection: a blacksmith works on a back hoof, files, fits a new horseshoe; horses stand in front of an inscription on a whitewashed wall: What do you say to me? It's only an animal? You and I are also creatures. Man and horse feel the same pain. His blood also flows for your hearth.