64 ESSENTIALS OF VETERINARY LAW 



appropriation act makes provision for the pay of 

 such a special attorney, it would seem that such 

 employment would be unconstitutional in the ab- 

 sence of special legislation in addition to the ap- 

 propriation. Moreover, such special employment 

 seems unadvisable, because it tends to conflict with 

 the regular authority of the office of the Attorney 

 General. 



40. What Constitutes Practice of Veterinary 

 Medicine or Surgery? The act regulating the 

 practice of the veterinary profession should define, 

 with considerable preciseness, what shall be 

 deemed practicing that profession. First it should 

 make the use of the designation ''Veterinarian," 

 or ''Veterinary Surgeon," or "Doctor of Veter- 

 inary Medicine," or "Doctor of Veterinary Sur- 

 gery, " or of such initial letters as " V. S. " or " D. 

 V. M. " or " D. V. S. " on signs, door plates, or in 

 advertisements, as presumptive evidence of such 

 practice. The actual treatment of injuries or 

 diseases in animals not belonging to the human 

 family, whether by drugs, manipulations, applica- 

 tions, or by the use of surgical instruments should 

 be deemed practice of veterinary medicine or sur- 

 gery, whenever done for pay, or upon the animals 

 belonging to another, unless in an emergency and 

 gratuitously. Holding one's self out to practice, 

 either by advertisements, signs, cards, by personal 

 solicitation, or otherwise, should be sufficient evi- 

 dence to convict of violation of the statute ; but in 

 every case the terms of the statute must govern its 

 application. 



The responsibilities of the practice are very 

 great. A single incompetent, or careless, or un- 



