172 HISTOPJCAL ACCOUNT OF THE VETERINAKY DEPARTMENT OF 



Forty-ninth Session, 1871-72. 



Mr Thomas Walley, Manchester, was, at the beginning of the 

 session, appointed to the Chair of Cattle Patholgy, rendered 

 vacant by the death of Professor Duns. 



During the currency of this session, Mr Gillon of Wallhouse 

 was nominated to the Chairmanship of the Highland Society's 

 Committee on General Shows, when Captain Tod of Howden 

 was, with much acceptance, named Chairman of the Committee 

 in charge of the Veterinary Department. 



Eighty-seven students attended the class of the Principal 

 this session, seventy-seven the class of chemistry, seventy- 

 eight the class of physiology, seventy-eight the class of anatomy, 

 and eighty-three the class of cattle pathology. The examina- 

 tion took place on the 15th, 16th, and 17th April 1872 ; 

 thirty-seven gentlemen went up for the certificate, and thirty- 

 three passed. 



An interesting practical examination occupied the whole of 

 the first day. Each student was required to examine and report 

 in writing on the soundness of a couple of horses, had to show 

 aptitude in putting on ropes and hobbles, and then undergo a 

 clinical examination on the site and mode of performing the 

 various surgical operations usually performed on the lower 

 animals. Afterwards, at the abattoirs, an examination was held 

 on various morbid specimens, on several ailing subjects, and on 

 the teeth of cattle and sheep as evidence of age. This portion 

 of the Society's examinations proved an admirable test of the 

 candidates' knowledge of the habits and disorders of cattle, 

 sheep, and pigs, — a department of their profession which some 

 veterinarians have hitherto been apt to overlook and under- 

 value. 



At the close of the examinations. Captain Tod said he thought 

 the short sessions which the students now had were not sufficient 

 to enable them to gain a proper knowledge of their duties. He 

 hoped that before long the sessions would be lengthened, or, if 

 they could not be lengthened, that instead of two sessions there 

 should be three. 



Professor Williams said he, too, thought the time had come 

 when three sessions ought to be made compalsory. He would 

 further suggest that there should be two examinations ; that 

 at the end of the first or second year, as the case might be, 

 there should be a first examination on elementary subjects con- 

 nected with the profession, and that at the end of the third 

 5^ear the examination should be more practical than it was at 

 present. 



