436 
ANNUAL MEETING. 
The President of the Royal College was not made 
acquainted with the fact that the Bill had passed the Com- 
mons, and was in Committee in the House of Lords, until the 
day of its being set down for a third reading in the House of 
Lords, but lost no time in having interviews with the noble 
lord who had the management of the Bill, and several other 
members of the Upper House ; but, to his regret, he found 
that it was too late to effect any amendment, as the Bill was 
ready for the third reading that evening. 
The Council have had their attention recently directed to a 
clause in a “ proposed Medical Act Amendment Bill,” about 
to be brought before Parliament, and which appeared in the 
Lancet of November 26th, 1870, which runs thus, in Section 
20, Clause 29 : — “ Nothing in this section shall impose any 
penalty on any person engaged solely in the cure or treat- 
ment of the diseases or injuries of animals, and not of human 
beings.” 
The subject was referred to the Parliamentary Committee, 
and a deputation was appointed to wait upon the framers of 
“ the Bill,” with a view to an alteration being made in the 
clause, so as to effect a recognition of the Royal College of 
Veterinary Surgeons. 
This deputation, consisting of the President, Professors 
Simonds and Brown, Mr. G. Fleming, and the Secretary, 
waited upon the proposers of the Bill on the 4th of Feb- 
ruary. 
The President explained the object of the meeting. He 
then read “ Clause 29” of the proposed Bill, and having 
referred to it as an infringement of the rights of the Royal 
College of Veterinary Surgeons, as secured by Charter, he 
pointed out the relevant portion of the Charter thus : 
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons was a chartered 
body, “ recognised as a profession, and that its members were 
solely and exclusively of all other persons whomsoever shall 
be deemed and taken and recognised to be members of the 
said profession or professors of the said art, and shall be 
individually known and distinguished by the name or title of 
veterinary surgeon.” 
The subject to which he particularly desired to draw atten- 
tion was that the clause, in the proposed Medical Amend- 
ment Act, not only did not recognise the Royal College of 
Veterinary Surgeons, but, in his opinion, would give a legal 
right to unqualified men to practise as veterinary surgeons, 
because, as an Act of Parliament of subsequent date to our 
Charter, it would interfere with our now unquestionable 
rights as by that Charter established. 
