14 
At the earlier shows of the Club much appears to have 
devolved upon the Stewards, because the whole of the 
arrangements in the yard had to be made on the spot, 
and during the arrival of the stock; for the entries were 
sent in with the animals, and, indeed, in the first instance 
the certificates of feeding, etc., were delivered direct to 
the judges. After the preparations for the annual exhibi- 
tions of the Club became more systematic, the Stewards 
were saved a considerable portion of this unnecessary 
labour ; but they had still responsible duties to perform, 
especially in the appointment of the judges, which duty 
was entrusted to them from the year 1827 to 1863. Under 
this new constitution they were relieved to a great extent 
by the appointment of a Judges’ Selection Committee, of 
which they were ex-officio members; but they have still, in 
their respective departments, to decide upon any doubtful 
cases of qualification, to supervise the weighing of the 
animals, to be in attendance during the arrival of the 
stock, as well as during the time the judges are making 
their awards, and generally to see that the rules of the 
Club are strictly adHered to. 
In the same year, 1863, a special Divine Service was 
given for the first time by the Vicar of Islington for 
the men in charge of the live stock, and this has been 
continued ever since. Other items in the Club’s history of 
the years following may be noted, as the effect of the cattle 
plague, prevalent in 1865, upon the Shows and working of 
the Club, the appointment in 1867 of Mr. H. H. Dixon, the 
author of ‘‘ Saddle and Sirloin,” to write the reports of the 
Shows, which were discontinued in 1870, and the election, 
in 1872, of Professor Brown (now Sir George T. Brown, 
C.B.), as Veterinary Inspector to the Club* The want of 
such an officer had been felt for some years, as animals 
frequently suffered from the effects of travelling, and 
occasionally from disease ; also doubts had constantly arisen 
as to the ages of some of the pigs exhibited. These con- 
siderations led to the appointment of the Veterinary 
Inspector to examine the state of the dentition of pigs, 
and later, the dentition of cattle and sheep also, and to look 
to the animals generally. His assistance subsequently 
became still more requisite. Cases of foot-and-mouth disease 
had become frequent in animals that had been sent to other 
exhibitions, and the fearful visitation of the cattle plague, 
not only made it necessary for all animals to be examined 
before they could be admitted into the Show, but also that 
* Professor Simonds, who had resigned the office on his appointment to the Principalship 
of the Royal Veterinary College, being elected Honorary Veterinary Inspector. 
