440 
REMARKS ON EDITOR^ COMMENTS. 
this year been added by the generosity of Mr. M‘Kenna, 
Veterinary Surgeon, Belfast. That gentleman placed the 
sum of £5 in the hands of the Professors, to be given as a 
<c General Proficiency Prize.” It has been expended in the 
purchase of a gold medal, which also has been awarded to 
Mr. T. Orme Dudfield. Pax. 
REMARKS ON THE EDITOR’S COMMENTS ON 
“ SMART MAUNDER.” 
By “Amicus Equi.” 
Dear Mr. Editor, — I was much surprised at your con- 
clusion in the case of “ Smart v. Maunder,” in your June 
number, when you said that you had much rather place your 
sick horse under the care of a certain class of “ true 
farriers” than under certain members of the Royal Vete- 
rinary College. This, I think, is too bad; for there are a 
great number of farmers who take the c Veterinarian/ 
who w r ould say to themselves, “ Here is the head of the 
veterinary profession, who says he had rather employ the 
farrier than the regular practitioner and so far low 7 ers the 
stand of the qualified practitioner to the level , if not lower, 
of the charlatan and empiric* I know there are numbers of 
young men who have never served a regular apprenticeship, 
(except to a “ true farrier,”) who receive their diplomas after 
being at the College only two sessions instead of four (as the 
bye-law states). How can you w r onder that there should be 
so many members of the Royal Veterinary College unfit to 
take charge of a sick horse, when there are so many of the 
class of wdiich I speak? For they go to the College and get 
their heads filled with anatomy and physiology, and they 
don’t know what, which, with their previous small know 7 - 
ledge of disease, so confounds them that they are in a com- 
plete chaos ; and the poor suffering brute must pay the cost 
of their errors by being tortured in all sorts of w ays by these 
jackdaw 7 peacocks. 
The remedy rests with the Governors of the Royal Vete- 
rinary College; for if they w 7 ould steadily enforce the bye- 
laws relating to the apprenticeship clause, you would not 
have to regret the errors committed by members of the 
College (such as come before your notice monthly, and I may 
say daily). I read with regret the number of patients who, 
I am sure, are killed by their maltreatment; and yet these 
ignoramuses ask the reason why they died ! 
