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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



books for yoii all, in which, of course, I indude treatmenti 

 aud its observed effects. I therefore conjure you, most ear- 

 neatly, to lose no opportunity of observiag every case which 

 comes into the College. laveatigate it for yourselves ; verify 

 the diagnosis ; follow and make notes of the treatment. Keep 

 close along the limits and landmarks of clinical practice, and 

 of all the other departments which will be brought before you 

 here, but constantly respect this as the centre in importance 

 and as indeed our very calling. 



The agents you will see applied in the treatment of disease 

 are the subjects of two sciences — chemistry and materia 

 medica. I mean the drugs ; for we have other hygeiuic agents 

 of great importance besides drugs. Chemistry is a science in it- 

 self, infinite in detail, marvellous in definiteuess, promising sub- 

 stance upon substance for every conceivable use, medical, do- 

 mestic, artistic, scientific, manufacturing. The study of it isi 

 as it were, the opening of a new world, reaching from pole to 

 pole of nature, and with a future before it inconceivable in the 

 probable greatness of its effects upon civilization. Materia 

 medica resides, a? it were, within it, aud partakes in some 

 measure of its grandeur. These subjects will be brought be- 

 fore you in their general bearing, and also in their application 

 to veterinary practice ; and you will bear in mind that the 

 more you know of them, the more easily your mind ranges 

 over the multitudinous substances of nature, knowing their 

 properties and affinities, the greater are your resources, and 

 the more abundant the shafts of your skill. Nor must it be 

 forgotten that all scientific power comes out of the growth and 

 honest expansion of the mind itself, and that you cannot en- 

 ter upon the consideration and knowledge of this science 

 without growing and improvi&g your condition by the mere 

 fact of contact with it. 



I may not quit this subject without alluding to one who 

 has so long worthily filled the chair of Chemistry and Materia 

 Medica in this institution ; whose valuable life has for many 

 years past been given to our service ; in the excellent fruits 

 of whose labours we have participated; who has left his pro- 

 fession far richer than he found it ; who has been a true 

 friend to its members, whether old or young; and whose 

 example has tended to raise a profession the standing of 

 which, in public estimation, depends almost entirely upon the 

 moral and social character of its members. Gentlemen, it is 

 not without emotion that I can allude to the retirement of 

 Professor Morton. 



It is, indeed, a ripe and a willing, and, for his own sake, 

 perhaps a wise retirement. It is worthy of him to eujoy in 

 tranquillity the retrospect of an honourable and useful life, 

 and, I trust, long before the end, to seek promotion into the 

 elder ranks of society and social friendship, unalloyed by the 

 toils of scholastic duty. But, assuredly, none the less is his 

 retirement an unavoidable regret to us here. To me, per- 

 sonally, it calls up a host of memories. We commenced to- 

 gether our career as teachers in this institution. Mr. Morton 

 was the first who occupied the chair of Chemistry and Materia 

 Medica in the College ; and to him we are gieatly indebted 

 for the translation of these sciences to veterinary use. In- 

 deed, we may truly say that he is the founder of the veteri- 

 nary Materia Medica. Whenever the history of the progress 

 of our profession shall be written, be it even in hundreds of 

 years to come, the name of Morton will be found honourably 

 inscribed on the tablets of our science. When we have all 

 passed away, and the warmth of his heart is no longer known 

 here, the works of his head will still be reported by Fame. 



Let me say, then, in supplement to this voice of our his- 

 tory, that here Professor Morton has adorned his science with 

 the eloquence of a warm yet legitimate fancy, and that in him 



the voice of the gentleman has always been heard in our pro- 

 fession. I feel I am your representative when I bid him " All 

 hail !" from the distance which now separates him from bis 

 former functions, and when I express a hope that he may be 

 spared to our affectionate friendship for many a long year to 

 come, and enjoy, as a bright anticipation of the future, all the 

 peace and happiness this world can afford, 



A kindred subject now suggests itself. Carried away by 

 the thought of my noviciate pupils, I have said but little of 

 the valued presence to-day of the senior members of our pro- 

 fession. This is because I have spoken, as it were, from them 

 to my youngest friends, their latest descendants. I am, 

 however, glad to have their sanction here, and to find in the 

 College, on this occasion,^ a representative assembly of the 

 whole veterinary profession. And I also would say to the 

 senior pupils that, if I have not mentioned them more parti- 

 cularly, it is that I feel that words of good counsel never cease 

 to be applicable to all. The admonition, the instruction, the 

 warning aimed at one mark, like a ray of light, diffuses itself 

 on every side ; and minds and hearts catch it sometimes not 

 the less influentially because it comes sideways. I would 

 therefore only say in addition, to my old pupils. Persevere in 

 diligence ; let this session be more workful than the last ; 

 study together, be friendly together, be gentlemen together ; 

 and allow us the privilege of adding your names and memories 

 to the lists of honour, to be thought of and alluded to here- 

 after, on occasions like the present. 



Consequent on the retirement of Professor Morton the 

 chair of Chemistry and Materia Medica will be filled 

 by Professor R. V. Tuson, who has been selected from 

 many candidates to fill this important office. His testimo- 

 nials were most satisfactory and conclusive, and among 

 them was one signed by 40 or 50 of his previous pupils ; an 

 earnest of grateful regard ;from those of your own age and 

 standing. A new Anatomical Penionstrator has also been 

 appointed in the person of Mr. William Pritchard, 



The lectures on the other domesticated animals, except- 

 ing the horse, will be delivered by Professor Simonds as 

 heretofore. Mr. Varnell, the Assistant Professor, will con- 

 tinue to deliver the lectures on the descriptive anatomy and 

 physiology of the horse ; and my own lectures will embrace 

 the general subjects of anatomy and physiology, with vete- 

 rinary jurisprudence, and the principles of shoeing. You 

 will also have daily opportunities of observing the practice 

 of the College, and of profiting by concurrent clinical in- 

 structions. 



The books you will chiefly require are " Percival's Anatomy 

 of the Horse." and his " Hippopathology ;" " Blaine's Vete- 

 rinary Outlines," and ' Youatt on Cattle and the Dog;" also 

 " Morton's Manual of Pharmacy," and" Simond's Treatises 

 on the " Dentition of the Ox, Sheep, and Pig," and on 

 Variola Ovina." I must leave it to our new Professor of 

 Chemistry to recommend to you the special work or works 

 which he advises you to procure on that subject; but for 

 myself I would recommend you, as I have often advised 

 your predecessors, to study the very pleasing and profitable 

 work of " Billing on the Practice of Medicine." You will 

 also find in " Carpenter's Physiology," and in the works of 

 Todd and Bowman, a complete record of the present state 

 of physiological science ; and in " Quin and Sharpey's De- 

 scriptive and Structural Anatomy," the structure of tis- 

 sues answering to that of functions, is most elaborately 

 discussed. 



You will most of you, doubtless, become members of the 

 Veterinary Medical Association, which [possesses an excel- 

 lent library, of which you will have the use. 



