636 
SOUNDNESS AND UNSOUNDNESS. 
ject of unsoundness. I may further add, there are very few 
practical subjects that are taken up and discussed as they 
should be. How seldom do we see the names of any of 
our eminent veterinary surgeons in your journal. How very 
little interest appears to be taken in the general welfare of 
the profession by those men whose duty it is to aid and 
assist in its advancement. How very chary they are in 
giving us the benefit of their opinions. I can assure 
Mr. Hawthorne that, as far as I am individually con- 
cerned, no subject connected with the veterinary profession 
has occupied more of my leisure thoughts than the present 
defective and unsatisfactory state of veterinary jurispru- 
dence and the warranty of horses. As far back as the 
years 1849 and 1850, I endeavoured by my feeble efforts to 
arouse the profession to a sense of this. I was aided by the 
late much lamented Mr. Percival. We both faileil, and for 
a time it has been. slumbering ; now I hope we shall be more 
successful. I presume no member of the veterinary pro- 
fession will be bold enough to deny the advantage, if not 
the necessity, of doing something in this matter. I am 
perfectly aware of the difficulties we have to contend with, 
and the differences of opinion that exist with regard to it. 
Let us not be dispirited, but grapple with them as they 
arise ; make an advance in the right direction, and we 
cannot fail to do the state some service. As any plan, if 
bad, is better than none, I will lay before you a rough out- 
line of what I imagine would be a good one. But before 
doing this, I must inform Mr. Hawthorne, that upon one 
important point I differ from him; inasmuch as I think this 
is purely a professional matter, 1 would therefore let none 
but professional men have anything to do with it. 
The plan I would propose should be such as this. In the 
first place let a committee be appointed, with a chairman, 
secretary, &c., in the usual way ; to draw up a circular, con- 
taining a number of questions upon the subject of unsouud- 
ness, &c. Let copies be printed, and one sent to every 
member of the veterinary profession to be found in the 
published register, of five years* standing, requesting each to 
answer the several questions according to his opinion, and 
return it to the secretary ; who, with the other members of 
the committee, shall then examine and decide each question 
by the majority. Also, let these opinions be published, and 
a copy be sent to and kept by each member of the profession, 
who will thus be prepared at all times to produce it when 
required, either in a court of justice or other place, and to 
show the opinions of the majority of veterinary surgeons upon 
