ON THE NOSOLOGY OP PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
473 
study, a microscope was presented to aid him in carrying out his 
investigation of structures, a subject of vast importance, but hi- 
therto untaught and little known at the Veterinary College. The 
pupils are pleased to acknowledge that they still have Mr. May- 
hew’s valuable instruction in a private class, conducted with his 
usual zeal and industry, and embracing each division of their stu- 
dies. It is but justice to state, that few individuals, if any, would 
be successful at their examination without his instruction. No 
one now presumes going before the Board of Examiners who has 
not availed himself of that gentlemans assistance, although the 
examinations are not conducted more rigorously than is requisite. 
The circumstance of Mr. M.’s election on the Council is an infi- 
nite source of gratification to the pupils, who had frequently re- 
quested him to become a candidate for that office. Notwithstand- 
ing their urgent solicitation, Mr. M. was unwilling to be nominated; 
but from the circumstances which arose out of the General Meeting, 
the honour was thrust upon him, and no doubt can be entertained 
that he will exert himself to the utmost for the advancement of the 
veterinary profession. 
Henry Draper. 
Extracts from Domestic & Foreign Journals, Veterinary, 
Medical, Agricultural, Sporting, 6cc. 
On the Nosology of Pleuropneumonia. 
To the Editor of the “ Veterinary Era” 
Sir, — The name of a thing may by many be considered to be of 
slight import. So long as a thing may be indefinite, it may really 
be of little consequence. When, however, we come to terms of 
science, the position is a different one, and every word employed 
should always convey a positive meaning. Many terms in use 
have been handed down from our ancestors, to which meanings 
are now attached very different from those which originally and 
by right belonged to them. These are, however, so firmly esta- 
blished by custom, that it would be in vain to attempt their alter- 
ation. And so long as every one attaches the same meanings, it 
matters but little what may be the sound of the words themselves. 
No excuse can be allowed for the departure from a rule of so much 
importance, in favour of new words or terms. Badly defined terms 
and ambiguous expressions are the fruitful cause of a large pro- 
portion of the disputes occurring in the literary or scientific portion 
