320 VETERINARY MEDICINE IN AUSTRALIA. 
account for the necessity of these larger doses to produce 
purgation ? Venesection I rarely have recourse to ; indeed 
there appears to be a prejudice against it everywhere, 
and I believe it is less resorted to than formerly. Short 
cuts and great promptitude are specially called for in the 
treatment of disease in this country. This must be the case 
for the sake of most of our employers; since they tell us, 
“ if my horse be not ready to go to work in three, four, or 
five days, I’ll turn him out, and let him take his chance;” 
therefore, “ round-about ways” and the usual course of 
treatment have to be avoided, and I have seldom seen a bold 
practice a bad one. Before dismissing this portion of my 
subject, may it not be reasonable to suppose that there are 
plants indigenous to this country that might be made avail- 
able in the cure of diseases that are specially prevalent here ? 
Hence the desirability of botanical knowledge ; and I hope 
the day is not far off when it will become a necessary branch 
of the veterinary surgeon’s education. Of its importance there 
can be no doubt. At all events, better to possess it than 
to be without it, for, as Professor Morton used to say, 
“ knowledge is no burden.” 
3. For whom ive practise. 
In no country, perhaps, on the face of the earth are the re- 
presentatives of all nations more commonly to be found than 
in Australia. Here are to be met with the plodding John Bull, 
the cautious Scotchman, the impulsive Irishman, the vivacious 
Frenchman, the boasting Yankee, the chattering Chinaman, 
and others ; and all these we have to do with more or less in 
practice. What is generally understood by the lower order 
at home is a class very different here ; in fact, they are our 
chief and best paymasters. They work hard, are well paid, 
and pay well in return ; indeed, I generally find that those 
whose livelihood is gained by the employment of horses are 
our most satisfactory clients. Many of those who keep horses 
for their amusement merely, or luxury, are apt to think their 
keep a sufficient extravagance, and, therefore, employ us with 
reluctance. Many of the characteristics of the working 
classes become developed as they become independent. The 
transition from a state of oftentimes abject dependence to a 
place where their energies have full scope produces this; 
but, unfortunately, they seldom attain the desired mien. 
We would like their motto to be, “ Neither servile when 
dependent, nor overbearing when the reverse.” The John 
Bull of this class requires his twenty shillings’ worth of cure 
for his pound; Brother Jonathan comes to us, but “ guesses” 
