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VETERINARY ANNUITY FUND. 
degradation in subsisting upon charity that is most acutely felt in 
the humiliating pressure of affliction ; but no sense of humiliation 
need attend upon receiving relief from a fund to the stock of which 
the recipients have been themselves contributors. It is but a just 
and equitable repayment that no person need be ashamed to receive, 
should he by age»or infirmity become entitled to its relief. In a 
word, contributions to this fund must be considered merely as 
money laid up for a future day. 
Before I conclude, 1 would express my best thanks to those 
gentlemen who have privately addressed to me their views on this 
subject, and generously promised their aid in every way to carry 
out this much required provident institution. 
I agree with you, that the general meeting of the Chartered 
body which will take place in May will be a most appropriate 
opportunity to bring the matter forward. I trust to attend on that 
occasion, and to be prepared with a more detailed statement of my 
plan, and earnestly hope to find all present interested in securing 
this desirable boon to the less fortunate of our brethren. 
Believe me, with kind regards, 
My dear Sirs, 
Very faithfully yours, 
• G. Baker. 
P. S — I owe you much apology for forwarding you this rough 
outline ; but really I have just now so many claims upon my time, 
that I cannot get the leisure to make a fair copy. Your readers will, 
I am sure, kindly excuse it. — G. B. 
VETERINARY ANNUITY FUND. 
Letter from Mr. Thomas Mather, Edinburgh. 
Messieurs Editors, 
The propositions laid down by Mr. G. Baker in the leading 
number of The VETERINARIAN of this year, suggesting the for- 
mation of a General Annuity Fund, for the benefit of decayed 
veterinary surgeons, their wives and families, having met with 
but few communications on the subject, I feel it incumbent on me 
to add another name favourable to its formation ; and I earnestly 
wish that every member of our profession would put his “ shoulder 
to the wheel” in order that Mr. Baker’s philanthropic sentiments 
be fully responded to. It is a scheme that requires few arguments 
to prove its usefulness; and I have not the least hesitation in 
