368 D0G3 : THEIR MAXAGEMEKT. 



of beast I know nothing of ; I am ignorant — entirely 

 and totally ignorant — of the creature that Magendie and 

 other respectabilities report of. As to the tales told by 

 the French physiologists, I confess an inability to credit 

 one-third of them ; and from the list of those narrated 

 by English physicians, I am obliged to make a very 

 wide selection. My unfortunate capacity for incredulity 

 in this matter has been educated by a professional ac- 

 q^uaintance with the animal ; and gentlemen must par- 

 don me if I am disposed to think, they who are not 

 ashamed to publish their wanton disregard for life would 

 not be very tender with respect to a mere report 

 about the creature whose suffering they despised. 

 Where sympathy is dead, the conscience cannot be very 

 acute. 



I have yet another custom here to deprecate ; and I 

 am sorry to add, it is one which books and teachers 

 equally countenance. I allude to the employment of 

 instruments in parturition, without any rule being 

 pointed out as to the time when such aids are necessary. 

 Hundreds of bitches are murdered by the misdirected, 

 efforts of Veterinarians ; and of the brutalities resorted 

 to by other persons, I designedly take no notice. Such 

 fellows — mere pretenders — are below the conteinpt of 

 every honest mind ; and my indignation passes over 

 them to face the persons by whom their interference is 

 permitted. It is horrible to think of the amount of tor- 

 ture which man's favorite animal is hourly subjected to, 

 through the culpability or weakness of those who should, 



