QUACKS AM) BONE-SETTERS. 325 



educated veterinarians in this country. But there is quackery 

 enough at best in all professions. But when the majority of 

 men in a given calling shall assume to have been taught the 

 " secret of success " by intuition, and the people financially 

 sanction the same by their patronage, there is something 

 wrong in the condition of the public mind. The light of 

 science has not 3'et penetrated every superstitious nook of 

 American society ; and hence we not infrequently hear of nat- 

 ural-born " bone-setters " and " horse-doctors " who claim a 

 knowledge of their business far transcending that of our best 

 educated men. 



With such a condition of things we cannot expect much 

 progress in the veterinary art. Nor shall we ever see any 

 good results from this calling until the public demand reform, 

 and thus require a more faithful adherence to the principles of 

 physiological science in the course of preparation for this 

 kind of practice. And here I will say, without fear of con- 

 tradiction in this or any other intelligent audience, that he 

 who deems himself competent, without previous study, to 

 administer to the wants of our domestic animals, when 

 stricken with disease of any kind, is equally well fitted to 

 assume the responsibility of administering to his own beloved 

 family. For we should remember that all these creatures, as 

 well as man himself, in point of structure, are "fearfully and 

 wonderfully made," and should therefore be treated with the 

 same thoughtful attention and care that belong to human 

 practice. 



On this basis veterinary medicine becomes an honorable 

 calling, and ever worthy of our esteem. But strange to say, 

 there are physicians among us who ignore and criticise our 

 efforts to popularize this b anch of the healing art. Some 

 have treated us with not a little contempt for having turned 

 our attention in this direction. Others have lauded our 

 efforts and have given us a helping-hand in our investigations ; 

 for they have seen the folly of intrusting our pets and valu- 

 able animals to the hazardous experiments of the ignorant. 

 This was practical y demonstrated during the progress of the 

 late epizootic, as men of all type- and of different degrees of 

 intelligence suddenly became renowned in the treatment of 

 this equine malady ; but since its decline they have not been 



