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82 HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE VETERINARY DEPARTMENT OF 



Appendix No. 3. — Proceedings relative to a Veterinary Charter 



for Scotland. 



Although unnecessary to narrate all the steps taken by the 

 Society and other public bodies with the view of obtaining a 

 National Charter for the veterinary profession in Scotland, it is 

 due to the agriculturists and owners of live stock in this part of 

 the kingdom to place on record the following brief outline. 



As has already been stated, the Edinburgh Veterinary School 

 was established in 1 823, under the auspices of the Society. There 

 also existed in England the Eoyal Veterinary College of London. 

 Upon the petition of certain members of that body and the late 

 Professor Dick, a Charter from the Crown was obtained on the 

 8th of March 1844. The petition was signed by Professor Dick 

 in his indi\'idual capacity, and without his holding any previous 

 communication with the Society or its Secretary on the subject. 

 The Professor, however, was not aware of the intention to ask the 

 broad and exclusive privileges which were claimed, namely, the 

 sole right to confer diplomas on persons to be distinguished as 

 A' eterinary surgeons. 



The attention of the Society was immediately attracted to 

 the matter. No communication had been made to it of the peti- 

 tion upon which the Charter proceeded, and they had therefore 

 no opportunity of stating the claims of the Edinburgh College. 

 The Directors prepared a memorial giving a history of the case, 

 and referring to the serious injury that must result, not alone to 

 Edinburgh College, but to the public and the veterinary art, by 

 sustaining the monopoly claimed by the Poyal College of Vete- 

 rinary Surgeons in London of granting diplomas. The Society 

 was much indebted to its President the Duke of Ptichmond, for 

 the exertions made by His Grace in 1844 to obtain a Charter 

 for Scotland, and subsequently to the Duke of Montrose, who 

 was appointed President in 1845. The result seems to have 

 been, that while the Government were fully made aware that a 

 wrong had been done to the profession in Scotland, they declined 

 to revoke the Charter. 



For some years after the Charter was granted to the English 

 body, the Society suspended its examinations ; but owing to great 

 dissatisfaction ha^'ing been expressed by those who took an 

 interest in the welfare of the College and the veterinary profes- 

 sion in Scotland, the Directors for these reasons, and on a petition 

 by the pupils, reconstituted its Board of Veterinary Examiners in 

 1848. The cause of dissatisfaction is referred to in the account 

 -of the examinations for that year. 



The Society was for many years afterwards desirous of obtain- 

 ing a Veterinary Charter for Scotland, not for the institution of a 



