150 DEFECTIVE VETERINARY EDUCATION. 
after much negotiation, failed. However, in 1789-90, he returned 
to this kingdom, and, in consequence of his exertions, aided by the 
Odiham Society, that institution merged itself into the Veterinary 
College, thus established in the year 1791, the celebrated John 
Hunter, Mr. Cline, and other eminent medical and surgical practi- 
tioners taking a warm interest in the institution. M. V. de St. Bel 
was the first professor, and a synopsis for the routine study to be 
followed in the institution was laid down, and w r as as follows : — 
1st course. The study of Zootomy. 
2d. — The study of the Exterior of the Horse. 
3d. — Operations. 
4th. — Pharmacy. 
5th. — Botany. 
6th. — Shoeing and Pathology. 
7th. — Attention to the Stables. 
8th. — Epizootic Diseases. 
But scarcely had the young institution began to work when its 
founder and professor unfortunately died, and a change in its sys- 
tem and management was the result. The course of instruction the 
first professor had marked out was abandoned, and only the diseases 
and structure of the horse were taught. Nor was it till the year 
1841 that any instruction on cattle, sheep, or swine, was attempted; 
and this was only brought about by a large annual grant of money 
from the Royal Agricultural Society; with what success your 
readers are aware from the report of the proceedings of that body, 
for which see The VETERINARIAN for June last, volume xx, 
p. 362. 
It does appear a most extraordinary circumstance, that a com- 
pany of gentlemen professing to be procurators for the public good, 
and having besides a considerable pecuniary interest in the welfare 
of the Institution, should suffer the management to go on so 
blindly. The Veterinary College of England ought to be a model to 
the world! What has it become? A degraded, neglected, institu- 
tion ! How is it to be expected that persons of good family and 
education should be at all anxious to enter an institution so 
managed as not to have a reading-room or even a shelter for the 
pupils from the inclemency of the weather, save the stables or the 
gateway. Can we be surprised that many valuable hours are 
wasted in idleness, or, what is worse still, spent in some adjacent 
tavern. Even a police-station now-a-days has its library and 
reading-room, and every institution has more or less regard to the 
wants "and comforts of those who frequent it. 
About a twelvemonth ago I took a journey purposely to look 
through the Agricultural School at Cirencester. Having obtained 
