292 EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS, 
by it (blood-letting). Indeed, we question its utility or ad- 
missibility in any case partaking of the nature of what we all 
understand by influenza .” 
Now, by way of rider to this, with some months’ additional 
experience to guide us the more surely through the labyrinths 
of this intricate vital matter, although we feel confirmed in still 
adhering to our general non-bleeding practice, we would simply 
add, that we are not prepared to cast out altogether our 
phleams from the influenza stable; since we have in a very few 
cases — and only in a very few — ventured to make cautious use 
of them at a time when our patient was suffering from disease 
of chest which had refused to give way to other measures. We 
have not bled early by way of meeting or fore-running the 
inflammatory action. We do not hold with the medical maxim 
of venienti occurrite morbo. In fact, we have not let blood 
until, as we said before, other measures — counter-irritants es- 
pecially — have failed to arrest the morbid action, nor until 
the moment when life itself was in imminent peril from un- 
checked and destructive inflammation. We are great advo- 
cates for early counter-irritation ; nor do we in our own 
mind feel satisfied on that head until decided and wholesome 
impression has been made. This failing, and the symptoms 
running on to an alarming extent, our patient being still in 
possession of his strength, we have ventured — -seeing no 
other prospect of relief — at such a juncture to draw (from a 
young horse) three or at most four quarts of blood ; and we feel 
no little satisfaction in saying that, in such cases, the operation 
has not disappointed our expectations ; on the contrary, it has 
been attended with the happiest results. Still, we repeat, in 
our general practice we refrain from letting blood. 
A few more diurnal revolutions of the wheel of time will 
bring “ the first Monday in the month of May” before us ; a day 
which, in conformity with the directions of our Royal Charter, 
will find the members of the Veterinary Profession assembled 
in their representative college, the Freemasons’ Tavern, to hear 
read the “ Annual Report” of the proceedings of the Col- 
lege for the past year, and to elect six members of Council to 
