OBJECTS PROPOSED. 333 



before the State Board of Health, and receive encouragement 

 from all the friends of agriculture, as it already has from that 

 little bond of noble-hearted men who have formed a society 

 for the prevention of cruelty to animals. May they succeed 

 in this new field of labor, and thus in behalf of the sanitary 

 condition of our public markets and the demands of agricult- 

 ture, may they cooperate with the members of this honored 

 Board in elevating the standard of veterinary medicine. 



Having thus briefly glanced at the aims and merits of our 

 theme, let us pass to consider the means which are necessary 

 to accomplish such an end. And as you are the chosen 

 guardians of that state institution to which I have had the 

 honor to be called in this department, I desire to lay before 

 you on this occasion some general principles of the science 

 that will enable you to comprehend the scope which I now 

 have in view ; and also to make a few suggestions that may 

 seem necessary in the future management of the same. I am 

 not unmindful of the responsibility which rests on me, and 

 the great anxiety that the public feel in thus organizing a new 

 line of study in this important though much neglected branch 

 of science. But I can only fulfil my mission there by the 

 hearty cooperation of the farmers throughout the State, and 

 hence I desire a free expression of opinions, in order that we 

 may arrive at the most improved methods of teaching, and 

 the best plan for the establishment of such a school. 



We shall not attempt to graduate students for this calling 

 in our regular course of instruction ; but shall endeavor to 

 give them the outlines of the subject, so that they can com- 

 plete the same in a post-graduate course of one scholastic 

 year of special study. Then I would suggest that we confer 

 upon all meritorious students who pass the final examination, 

 the degree of D. V. M., which in plain English would imply 

 a doctor of veterinary medicine. I object to the degree of 

 V. S., on the ground that no medical man, however gifted in 

 surgery, ever had a degree that gave him such a title. And 

 as the majority of veterinary practice is rather medical than 

 surgical, I should much prefer the one before mentioned to 

 that of veterinary surgeon, even though usage might sanction 

 the latter. And yet, when speaking of one who was skilled 

 in such operations, it would be in good taste to allude to him 



