424: THE MEANS OF PREVENTION. 



spirit of every wealthy American should have been openly advocated 

 for a period of more than five years without finding a single pub- 

 lic supporter. The object is certainly noble ; the plan proposed is 

 not visionary, for it has found able support from several medical 

 men of eminence. Then why this apathy ? Is it because the vet- 

 erinary profession has not upheld it ? There is no such thing as the 

 veterinary profession in this country. There are a few isolated men 

 of variable degrees of school education, but these all seem more 

 afraid to tackle this subject, jyro or con^ than they would be of the 

 " rinderpest," which they would not fear much, in all probability, 

 as it would increase their yearly balances. Probably it is because 

 there is no money in it. " Millions in it " is the only thing which 

 could awaken a profession dead to all professional ambition, and 

 without the first spark of a genuine scientific spirit. 



To form such an association, it is only necessary for a limited 

 number of representative breeders and patriotic citizens to call a 

 preliminary meeting at any of our large cities, there to draw up a 

 preamble, and a few regulations calling a large public meeting at a 

 later date. Hundreds of •responsible men are interested in this 

 undertaking, but all seem afraid to take the lead. Once having 

 formed a permanent association, a board of trustees should be se- 

 lected, so as to represent the great geographical sections of the coun- 

 try, and for a period of ten years each. They should themselves 

 select their own officers. The treasurer, who in the future should 

 be an officer of the school, should be the only paid man ; the others, 

 when all is going (if it ever will be), should receive only traveling 

 expenses. There is one position in connection with such an associa- 

 tion which will be replete with work, and that is the position of sec- 

 retary. 



The locating of such an institution is a matter of immense im- 

 portance. All things considered, it seems as if the city of Cincin- 

 nati were esj)ecially indicated for this purpose. It is sufficiently 

 central in every direction. It is large enough to furnish all the 

 elements for a clinic. It seems to be more or less excluded from 

 the contemptible jealousies which are occasionally cropping out be- 

 tween our other large cities. While I am, in general, in favor of 

 uniting such an institution with a university, our conditions seem 

 rather to warrant us in keeping it an entirely separate institution. 

 Such a connection might save a little in expense, by the teachers 

 in several of the natural sciences being taken from the university ; 

 but, on the other hand, the natural sciences, with the exception of 

 botany, need to be peculiarly adapted to the use of veterinarians ; 



