ACCOUNT OF THE DINNER. 287 
in a scientific point of view, was as interesting as the other, in 
shewing the handiwork of the omnipotent Creator. 
It had been said that a different — a more powerful — feeling was 
excited in treating the human subject. He would ask, was there 
no such feeling excited — was there no such consideration required 
when they were called upon to relieve the sufferings of a noble 
animal] But there were other points which, if this were true, 
would tend to raise their profession to a level with the others. If 
they were to calculate by the value and cost of the animal operated 
on, this would at once appear. Let them look at the different 
value of the man and the animal ; the soldier is worth to the coun- 
try only the value of his discharge, at an average £30 : a sound 
serviceable horse is worth twice that sum. If this argument, then, 
were to be considered good, it would follow that their science was 
more noble, as connected with the more valuable animal, and that, 
therefore, it should stand at the top of the tree. If they wanted to 
estimate the relative value which man puts upon his own kind and 
upon his horse, they had only to observe the hovels converted 
into human habitations, that were to be found in every part of 
the country, and compare them with the habitations of the horse, 
and it would be seen that the latter were infinitely more con- 
venient, infinitely more comfortable than those of the human being. 
If, therefore, their profession were to be judged by the standard of 
value which men put upon their patients, it would be quite clear 
that their profession should be considered as occupying the higher 
one of the two in the scale of usefulness. 
There was also another reason why the profession of the veteri- 
narian should require as much, if not more, science than that of 
the physician. The patients of the latter could speak, could tell 
what was the matter with them, and, at least, explain their feelings. 
Our patient is silent. There was, however, this advantage which 
the veterinarian possessed — his patient never fancied himself 
ill — he never shammed illness, which sometimes had frequently 
occurred in other quarters. Leaving the consideration, then, of 
their relative usefulness, and putting science out of the question, 
still he considered his profession was greatly indebted to the 
Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons: they had done much for 
science, and he therefore proposed that the company should 
