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YORKSHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
variety of points in a manner not to be obtained by any other means. 
I feel strongly that these meetings are calculated to be of the greatest 
possible advantage even to the most experienced amongst us ; and if 
so, what must they be to young men just entering upon practice, or 
who have as yet had only little experience ? To these they cannot 
but be invaluable, and I am greatly astonished that there is any 
young practitioner to be found who does not appreciate and avail 
himself of the advantages they offer ; his, however, is the loss if he 
fails to do so. 
Whilst on this subject I must express my regret that there are 
young men in our own district who have not yet joined this associa- 
tion, or, who having joined, have left again, pleading want of time, 
or distance from the place of meeting. Neither of these are to my 
mind sufficient reasons for standing aloof, and I am afraid our young 
friends do not properly appreciate the advantages the association 
offers to them. I would strongly recommend young men to attend 
the meetings regularly, and take a real interest in the proceedings. 
I should like to see the name of every properly qualified practitioner 
throughout the length and breadth of the country enrolled in one or 
other of these associations, and I hope the day will come when this 
desire will be realised. A great deal has been said and written as 
to the legal status of the profession, and also as to the education 
of those entering it ; these are most important subjects to us as 
a body, and I believe that it is only through the instrumentality 
of our associations that we can grapple with such questions. With 
regard to our status we must agitate, and continue to agitate, until 
we obtain from the legislature a due acknowledgment of our 
position. We certainly have not occupied hitherto that legal position 
to which we have a right, but we are steadily progressing towards it, 
and if we are true to ourselves we must soon attain to it. For my 
part I have never been able to see why we have not just as great a 
right to be protected against men without diplomas practising as 
veterinary surgeons, and styling themselves such, as have the members 
of the Royal College of Surgeons or Physicians to be protected from 
a similar class. 
Then, with reference to the subject of education, here again I 
look to our associations to bring about by their united efforts a 
great improvement in this important matter ; it is undeniable that 
greater strictness as to the general education of students is much 
needed for their own sakes and for the credit and respectability of 
the profession, but do not let me be understood as considering book 
learning to be everything. I believe we can boast of men in our 
profession of the highest learning and attainments, and I would that 
their numbers were much greater than they are, but I believe that 
we are entitled equally to boast of others whose opportunities having 
been small, have entered the profession under great difficulties in 
this respect, but who by uprightness, integrity, and indomitable 
perseverance have raised themselves to a respectable position amongst 
us. Still, knowing as I do what a help education is to a man in 
making his way in the world, I say let us by all means do our best 
