112 ESSENTIALS OF VETERINARY LAW 
by his books of original entry. Day-books, or 
calling lists are frequently kept by physicians, and 
probably also by veterinarians, in such _hiero- 
glyphic characters as to be useless in court. One 
mark means a call, another means an office pre- 
scription, another some surgical service, and still 
another means an obstetrical case. These marks 
must be interpreted to the court, and he cannot be 
sure that the meaning of certain characters has 
not been changed. 
‘When a veterinarian has rendered professional 
service he should make such a definite record that 
anyone could understand what he means. ‘‘E 20 
S’’ may be for the veterinarian’s use enough to 
remind him that he examined so many sheep for 
scab, but perhaps before the suit was brought 
other things might have obscured the memory, and 
‘‘S’? be translated ‘‘shoats.’’ It is not sufficient 
to simply record a eall, the book should show just 
what was done. If hogs be treated for protection 
from hog cholera, the record should show how 
many, and whether the veterinarian furnished the 
virus, or the owner paid for it. The record should 
show with some definiteness just what animals 
were treated, and in case of the use of an unusual 
amount of time it should show how much. Such 
a record is of positive value in court. Most records 
made by medical men are of only possible value. 
The record may be made upon ecards for filing, or 
upon loose sheets of paper. It is better made in 
books which will show, by the presence of other 
entries before and after, that it is a genuine entry, 
and was not made up for the trial. 
Reasonableness of charge has already been 
