STATE OF VETERINARY PRACTICE. 
381 
Pneumonia, then, would be easily distinguished from the disease 
that has been just treated of, and from pleurisy, if the symptoms 
of the maladies of cattle were but a little more attended to than 
they generally are. 
STATE OF VETERINARY PRACTICE. 
By a Lover of the Brute Creation. 
The editorial remarks for the month of May in the last year 
touch upon the present state of the veterinary profession. That there 
is a glut in the market there is no doubt, but, when we look round 
and see the unequal distribution, there may be found a remedy. 
There are, no doubt, many localities not yet supplied with a regu- 
larly educated veterinarian, and mostly the ground is occupied by 
blacksmiths. I may say that in one locality of Yorkshire — that 
which I know too well — for a distance of forty miles there are 
only blacksmiths, and yet it is a neighbourhood where some of the 
most valuable stock in the country are kept. 
The fact is, there are too many grooms at both schools, who 
go there and get a diploma, or not, and then advertise, professing 
to have a thorough knowledge of the veterinary art. 
As regards the Insurance Company, there is no doubt that it 
would meet with encouragement, did it not too often appoint per- 
sons without any judgment. I know an instance of a man who 
got an appointment as veterinary surgeon to the Association. Now 
this man has all his medicines made up by another self-dubbed 
veterinarian, not having the least idea himself of what they are 
composed : — in fact, I know an instance where this fellow ordered 
a quarter of a lb. of currants to be stewed in two quarts of water 
down to one, and given to a cow : — and in another case, where a cow 
was labouring under milk fever, he ordered four lbs. of treacle and 
two pints of castor oil. Such a man may be appointed! Again, as 
to the inspector — often an ignorant man — if the cow-doctor has a 
case that only looks bad to him, the inspector is called in ; he 
says it is impossible any man can cure him, and the animal is con- 
demned. Such are the men employed in many cases. I could 
relate much more, but, as this is anonymous, it may be rejected. 
The remarks, however, treasure up. 
[Anonymous communications, unless purely of a scientific nature, 
are certainly liable to objection, and for obvious reasons. The 
present letter, however, contains some homely facts which we 
should be sorry to suppress. — E d.] 
