SITTINGS OF THE COUNCIL. 
463 
It is almost unnecessary, I should hope, in this country, to point 
out the inutility of vivisections. The effect of their frequent 
repetition on the minds of the students may be judged of from the 
sangfroid of one who was firing a horse’s nose, as he said, “ for 
pastime.” What consideration could such a brute have for the 
sufferings of his patient? Was he likely to give himself any 
additional trouble to spare or diminish them 1 
If an)* - authority were necessary, I might mention the late la- 
mented Sir Charles Bell, who, in his lectures, constantly declaimed 
against experiments on living animals, as being not only cruel, but 
leading to no useful result. 
But here we have not even the excuse which may be given for 
experiments, namely, that they may be the means of discovering 
facts tending to relieve suffering and disease. The operations 
performed are well known, in many instances, to be useless, and 
could all be equally well performed on the dead subject. 
Hoping that this subject will be taken up by abler hands than 
mine, 
I remain, dear Sir, 
Your’s, very truly. 
Knightsbridge, 
July 20, 1846. 
THE COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF 
VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
Sitting of July 1, 1846. 
This was the Quarterly Meeting held by special clause in the 
Charter, requiring that a meeting of the Council should be held 
the first Wednesday after every quarter-day. 
Present — the President, the SECRETARY, Messrs. Braby, F. C. 
Cherry, W. Arthur Cherry, Ernes, Field* Henderson, 
F. King, jun., Mayhew, J. Turner. 
Mr. F. C. Cherry wished to know whether any reply had been 
received through Mr. Walter of the responsibility of the Council 
for the liabilities of the Veterinary Committee. 
The President stated that not any had as yet been received. 
Mr. W. Arthur Cherry's, first motion — “ That consecutive re- 
elections of the same gentleman to fill any office, however often 
such consecutive re-elections may occur, are not to be considered 
precedents 
