199 
RESPECTABILITY OF THE VETERINARY 
PROFESSION. 
SlR, — I HAVE been waiting for a considerable time in the hope 
that some one of the heads of our profession would reply to the 
letter which lately appeared in The Veterinarian, signed 
“ A Sporting Surgeon.” Mr. Pritchard, it is true, did so ; but, 
as his letter contained no refutation of the arguments there laid 
down, I am induced to trouble you with a few lines, first pre- 
mising, that they are not intended to appear in the pages of The 
VETERINARIAN. No ; I have too much regard for that periodica 1 
to wish to make it the vehicle of anonymous communications; 
and for many reasons I am compelled to withhold my name ; but 
I think, Mr. Editor, you may, out of justice to the profession, 
make the state of it the subject of another “ Leader,” your 
former one being calculated both to give the public a lower idea 
of the profession than they have, and to discourage young mem- 
bers entering upon it. In the first place, I have to learn that 
country surgeons occupy the very autocratic and influential 
position your correspondent seems to assign them ; that they are 
on such “ free and easy” terms with gentlemen, and have such 
access to their houses. I have seen them, Mr. Editor, much 
more frequently in the position assigned to the poor veterinarian, 
viz. in the servants’ hall ; nor is this difficult to be accounted 
for. Families of rank usually employ a physician, and leave 
the medical attendance of their domestics to the country surgeon 
or apothecary ; no such grand position truly ! And yet your 
correspondent gives us his pity and advice : yvw(h aeuvTOV, says 
the Greek poet : your correspondent would do well to profit by 
his advice. I do not deny the truth of some of his assertions; 
others I deny in toto. It is true, there are men of ability and 
education who are, no doubt, content to be put in the back 
ground, and treated superciliously ; but such instances are, I 
hope, rare ; and could we not produce parallel ones from the 
medical profession I It does not follow, because a man becomes 
a surgeon he instantly becomes a gentleman, let his manners 
and habits be what they may. It does not follow, because a 
man becomes a veterinarian, that he immediately sinks down to 
the level of the groom. That our profession is in itself degrading 
(as you seem to imply) I indignantly deny. Are not the ope- 
rations and practice of the human surgeon, which he is daily 
called upon to perform, infinitely more disgusting than those 
belonging to our own art? I think, upon comparison, they will 
be found to be so, and but ill counterbalanced by the fancied 
social superiority of their position in society. Improve the 
character of the profession, enforce the apprenticeship laws, 
