YORKSHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
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association. I thank you sincerely for this mark of your confidence 
and esteem, and in accepting the position I assure you I do so with 
many misgivings as to my ability to discharge properly its duties. 
Indeed, I cannot hope to discharge them in the same satisfactory 
manner which our late worthy President Mr. Freeman and others 
who preceded him have done, but throwing myself on your kind in- 
dulgence, and with the help of our very efficient Secretary, whose 
labours are most valuable to this association, and who I know will 
give me every possible assistance, I will endeavour to do the best of 
which I am capable. I am of opinion that every one of us should 
take greater personal interest in the welfare and advancement of our 
profession, and should be willing, although at some sacrifice of time 
and trouble, to take his share in promoting the general good, and it 
is with this end in view that I have consented to accept the office of 
President for the coming year. 
In addressing you as President, my remarks will be very brief, 
and, I fear, very commonplace, and perhaps in substance only a 
repetition of what has been often said before ; yet still believing, as I 
do, that these associations are of the most vital importance to the 
standing and the prosperity of the veterinary profession, I cannot do 
better than express my views in regard to them, even at the risk of 
repeating what others have said far more forcibly than I can hope to 
do. Some few years ago there was not a veterinary association in 
the provinces — why, I do not know — but now, thanks to the 
energy, ability, and perseverance of such men as our friend Thomas 
Greaves (all honour to his name), who has stirred up the profession 
and been instrumental in instituting several associations similar to 
our own, there are many in active operation, their number is steadily 
increasing, and they are becoming a means by which much good may 
be done, not only to the profession generally, but to the countryat large. 
To the profession these associations do good by bringing the members 
together, making them personally known to each other, enabling them 
to enjoy social intercourse, to exchange ideas, and to make united 
efforts for the general benefit of the whole body. To the country 
their benefits must be equally great, for when we consider what a 
large portion of the wealth of this country consists of livestock, and 
how intimately the well-being of the people is concerned in the health 
and general sanitary condition of the animals coming under our 
care, we cannot but see at once that any institution which has for 
its object the advancement of veterinary science must be a national 
boon. The value of these associations ought also to be felt and 
acknowledged by every man practising as a veterinary surgeon, from 
the youngest to the oldest and most experienced. The advantages 
they offer should be highly valued ; indeed, for my own part, I have 
not only through their means formed acquaintance and enjoyed the 
society of many kind and genial friends, but I hope I have profited 
by the interesting and agreeable meetings we have had together. 
The valuable papers which have been read from time to time by the 
various members, together with the discussions which have arisen upon 
hem, have thrown light — the valuable light of experience — upon a 
