CERTIFICATES. 9 



indicating the application, on some previous occasion, of 

 a blister, ought to redouble our attention to the state of 

 the underlying structures. 



Duties of veterinary surgeons when examining horses. — A 

 veterinary surgeon, when examining a horse, should 

 confine himself to his own province, and should be 

 careful to refrain from volunteering his opinion as to 

 conformation, action, suitability to the purpose required, 

 or any other matter, about which he is not professionally 

 concerned. The position is, of course, altered, if the 

 employer seeks the practitioner's advice on any 

 particular point, or puts himself entirely in his hands. 

 I think, however, the veterinary surgeon might, with 

 propriety, mention to his client any vices which the 

 horse showed, while the examination was being conducted ; 

 although he would notice in his certificate, only those 

 that might affect the animal's soundness. He would, of 

 course, have nothing to say to such vices, as buck- 

 jumping, jibbing, and rearing, for instance. 



Certificates. — A certificate should clearly describe the 

 horse which has been examined ; should state his age, 

 and all defects which he possesses, and which might be 

 unsoundness; and should finally express the writer's 

 opinion. It might, for instance, run as follows : 



Address 



Date 



"I have examined to-day, at the request of Mr. 



