PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS. 15 



that information, absented themselves, they were suddenly informed that the 

 bill was before the House. It was only by the closest watching that they 

 were ultimately enabled to frustrate it. They were told that the object of 

 the bill was to improve the education of veterinary surgeons throughout the 

 kingdom ; and no doubt that was one of the objects ; but the effect of it 

 would have been to annihilate the Edinburgh Veterinary College entirely. 

 They had only the diploma or certificate of the Highland Society in Scotland, 

 which was recognised both by the Government of this country and also in 

 India ; but, according to the bill it was proposed to pass, gentlemen holding that 

 certificate would not be allowed to put V.S. to their names, which would be a 

 most anomalous position for gentlemen holding these certificates to be in, and 

 he thought they should take steps to have them relieved from such a position. 

 Besides the Scotch members who waited upon the Privy Council, they found 

 that other bodies had taken up the question ; and the College of Surgeons, 

 the College of Physicians, the Town Council of Edinburgh, and the Chamber 

 of Agriculture, had all petitioned against the bill, and had expressed them- 

 selves in favour of a charter for Scotland. It now remained for this meeting 

 not only to apply for a charter for Scotland, but to take steps to frustrate the 

 passing of the bill. They were all aware that the late Professor Dick had 

 left a legacy to carry on a college which he had established in Edinburgh, and 

 that the management of it was vested in the Town Council of Edinburgh. 

 Now, should the Town Council be indifferent in this matter, the Highland 

 Society ought to take the initiative ; for veterinary science looked to that 

 Society with the affection of a child to a parent, for it had been fostered in 

 this country already by what this Society had done. Now that veterinary 

 science in Scotland was in difficulties, and likely to suffer injury, he hoped 

 the Society would take steps to prevent that injury being passed upon it. 

 Last year one gentleman had fought against the bill almost single-handed, as 

 representing Miss Dick, and certain veterinary surgeons, and the agricul- 

 turists of Scotland. He hoped no single gentleman would be allowed to do 

 that, but that they would be united in their attack upon the bill He would 

 suggest that the meeting request the noble chairman to wait upon the 

 Government, immediately after the assembling of Parliament, and endeavour 

 to get them to grant a charter for Scotland ; and he had no doubt, if he did 

 so, and was backed by the Society, the application would be successful. 



The Chairman confirmed the statements of Mr M'Lagan as to the bill of 

 last session having only been frustrated by the constant watchfulness of its 

 opponents at every stage. He recollected very well that the propriety, and 

 even the necessity, of giving a charter for a Veterinary College in Scotland 

 was pressed upon the Government ; but hitherto they had not been successful, 

 and a very strong influence had been brought to bear upon the Government for 

 the purpose of keeping the whole of it in London, so that there should be but 

 one Veterinary College for the whole of the United Kingdom. He would be very 

 glad, if it was the wish of the Society, to take early steps for bringing this matter 

 under the notice of the Privy Council, and a resolution in favour of a charter 

 for Scotland by this Society would strengthen his hands very considerably. 



The resolution was unanimously adopted. 



Chemical Department. 



Dr Anderson reported on the work of the chemical department during the 

 past year, which, he stated, had been unusually heavy, the number of analyses 

 executed for members of the Society having exceeded that of any previous 

 year. Many of these had been of an elaborate character, and had in some 

 instances involved inquiries of some extent, and a great deal of correspondence. 

 The work of the past year had been further increased by the establishment of 

 a system of field experiments, which had entailed a very much larger amount 

 of labour than he had anticipated. This had depended to some extent on the 



