204 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



education. England, I am sorry to say, with the best 

 horses, cattle, sheep and swine in the world, did not follow 

 the example set by her neighbors across the Channel. 

 The Royal Veterinary College was established in London 

 in 1702, by a Frenchman named Saint Bell. It had no 

 governmental encouragement and support, but has always 

 existed on the receipts of its hospital and the fees of the 

 students. 



The other veterinary schools of Great Britain are in Scot- 

 land, — one in Glasgow, the other two in Edinburgh. 



One of the Edinburgh colleges was founded by the late 

 Prof. Dick, who left it money when he died. The other, 

 known as the New Veterinary College, is managed by Prof. 

 W. Williams, who founded it a few years ago. 



The graduates of this profession in Great Britain are 

 practitioners of veterinary medicine, but not veterinarians in 

 the broader sense, as they are on the Continent. Many of 

 them have large practices, and some have even made for- 

 tunes in private practice, but I do think that their field of 

 usefulness is restricted by their not occupying more impor- 

 tant positions as guardians of the public health. 



The course of study at the Continental schools is four years, 

 and instruction is given both in the general practice of 

 veterinary medicine and inspection of slaughter-houses, and 

 other veterinary sanitary regulations as well, besides train- 

 ing the students to original scientific research. 



In the English schools the course of study occupies three 

 years, and is almost entirely practical. 



In the United States and Canada we have a number of 

 colleges for the study of veterinary medicine. They have 

 no uniform standard of education. Like our medical schools, 

 they range from diploma mills — striving to turn out as many 

 graduates as possible regardless of fitness and education — to 

 institutions that are endeavoring to raise the standard of the 

 profession and accomplish useful, honest results. 



Our American veterinary colleges, like those of Great 

 Britain, are the results of private enterprise, and depend on 

 the tuition fees of their students and the proceeds of their 

 hospitals for the means of carrying on their good work, or, 

 possibly, in a few instances, evil. 



