44 VETERIXARY EXAMINATIONS. 



lip reconlinc; the loss the Society has siistaiueil in the death of Captain Tod, and the 

 regret felt by the members of the veterinav.y department of the Society — this record to 

 be submitted to the general meeting for their approval. As to the object of their 

 present meeting, most of them would lie aware that in 1881 the Society would drop 

 holding examinations in the veterinary department, having made an arrangement with 

 the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, by whicli the holders of the Highland 

 Society's certificates were to be admitted as members of the Royal College. They had 

 been compelled to make this arrangement owing to the opposition given by the veter- 

 inary profession as a bodj-, with very few exceptions, to the Society getting a charter 

 for itself. He was sure they made uninterrupted attempts year after year to get a 

 charter, and no one aided them in these attempts more than his Grace the Duke of 

 Buccleuch — and he was sure every member of the Veterinarj' Committee strove to 

 the utmost to bring about such an event, which would have been a grand thing 

 for Edinburgh — he meant the Highland Society getting ^a veterinary charter for 

 themselves. He thought the veterinary profession was well worthy of a college of its 

 own in Edinburgh. It remained to be seen whether the step the Highland Society 

 liad been compelled to take would be of ultimate lienefit to the veterinary pro- 

 fession. Seemg, then, that the time wherein the Highland Society could grant 

 certificates would so soon expire, in 1881, he trusted those gentlemen who now held 

 certificates of the Society, and those who might be successful in obtaining certificates 

 lietween the present time and 1881, would appreciate the many advantages they 

 would derive from the Society by holding these certificates, which would in a coupley 

 of years become very rare indeed ; and he hoped that they would by their conduct and 

 character and professional career do honour to the Highland and Agricultural Society. 

 In conclusion the Chairman made some reference to the past history of the veterinary 

 department of the Society, which originated about 1823, wdien the Society started 

 Professor Dick. The movement was supported by many noblemen and gentlemen who 

 at that time saw clearly the effects of the want of veterinary science in the country. 

 There were, of course, many cow doctors and horse leeches going about the country 

 doing the best they could, f)ut they had no science in them. Since 1823, when they 

 started Professor Dick in his lectures, veterinary science had increased more and more, 

 until the present time ; and, looking liack to the jieriod when his connection with the 

 department commenced, in 1817, he could say, from his personal experience, no body 

 of gentlemen had advanced more in the social scale than those, who had devoted them- 

 selves to the study of this science. He earnestly advised the students to follow 

 up their studies even after they had entered into practice, and develop in themselves 

 further knowledge, which might lead to greater skill and proficiency in the profession. 



The Secretary (Mr F. N. Menzies) then distributed the honours to the students. 



The following are those who received certificates: — .J. Allan Frost, Limerick; 

 William H. Hill, Sunderland ; A. Mackenzie, Woodside, Keith ; George M. Mitchell, 

 Oarvald Grange, Prestonkirk ; Robert B. Prentice, Longford, Ireland, Society's gold 

 (ardal for best general examination- — Charles Rutherford, Edinburgh. 



The Secretary said, with regard to what Mr Gillon had said about the veterinary 

 department of the Society, a history of it had been compiled from documents in the 

 archives of the Society, and would be published in the " Transactions," so as to hand a 

 record down to posterity of what the Society had done in this department of science. 



On tlie motion of Dr Dycer, seconded l:)y Professor Williams, it was agreed that 

 the Secretary draw up a minute expressive of their regret at the death of Captain Tod. 



A vote of thanks was then passed to the Board of Examiners on the motion of the 

 Chairman ; and after a similar compliment to Colonel Gillon for presidmg, on the 

 motion of Dr Dycer, the proceedings terminated. 



