348 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
THE PROFESSORSHIP OE PHYSICS, CHEMISTRY, MATERIA 
MEDICA, AND PHARMACY, AT THE ALPORT VETERINARY 
SCHOOL. 
Alfort has lost one of its greatest glories in the resignation 
of Lassaigne, the great chemist, who for so many years has 
added to the lustre which the radiant genii of Fournoy and 
Duborg had shed over the chair of chemistry in that school. 
How few Universities in the great capitals of the world 
can boast of such a trio as has fallen to the lot of Alfort in 
the chemical professorship! We would gladly expatiate on 
this reflection did space and time permit. 
We have a few words to say as to the manner in which 
Lassaigne’s successor has been appointed. So soon as his 
resignation had been accepted, candidates were invited to 
compete for the chair, by examination, at the expiration of 
three months. Eight presented themselves. Among them 
were Messrs. Clement, Saurier, and Herard, assistants to the 
chemical professors of Alfort, Lyons, andToulouse, and Messrs. 
Chauveau and Guerdon, demonstrators of anatomy at Lyons 
and Toulouse. When the concours w 7 as announced, the first 
of the two last-named gentlemen was completing a treatise on 
the comparative anatomy of domesticated animals, the second 
on Veterinary Surgery. Yet they v 7 ere able, in the brief 
space of twelve weeks, to compete for the honour of succeed- 
ing to Lassaigne, and that against three professed chemists. 
With what success may be judged from the fact that, though 
M. Saurier, obtaining fifty-six points, was declared the suc- 
cessful candidate, M. Chauveau w 7 as only three below him, 
beating by three points the gentleman who for many years 
had been assistant to Lassaigne. Truly the feat, for a feat it 
was, speaks loudly for the individuals, but how much 
more for the state of affairs among French veterinarians as 
students of chemical science ! Even for the concours system 
the result, in the present instance, testifies very highly. 
— Valmam qui meruit ferat. 
