OF VETERINARY PRACTICE. 
309 
the arm and object of the veterinary surgeon. Whatever defi- 
ciency he may find in them with regard to intelligence and moral 
worth, it is one of comparison only, and its effect is, partly at 
least, supplied by the state of dependence and helplessness in 
which they are found. If hitherto the veterinary surgeon has not, so 
generally as he ought, placed himself in this situation, and acted 
on these feelings and views, let it be attributed — it ought so to be 
— to custom — to neglect of investigation — to indolence — to defect 
in his early instruction — to any thing rather than to a natural 
want of sensibility. 
Let him be supposed, at length, to acknowledge the natural, 
the honourable character which he ought to assume, and what 
will be the necessary consequences ? The aim and object of the 
veterinary surgeon is the life and health and enjoyment of his 
quadruped patients. Then they find in him at once a friend 
and an advocate — the champion of their natural and unalienable 
rights. He cannot, after a moment’s reflection, be insensible to 
the justice of their claim ; the more he has to do with them, the 
more he is convinced of their good qualities, and, without any 
affectation of extraordinary humanity, any display of fine feel- 
ing (Bah !), he becomes their friend ; and steadily, unobtru- 
sively, effectively, he, to a very material degree, benefits their 
condition. By the force of example — by a quiet but unyielding 
opposition to every act of cruelty — by the seemingly unstudied yet 
irresistible display of the connexion between care, and comfort, 
and kindness, and health, and usefulness ; and of disease, and 
loss of power, and diminution of usefulness with neglect and 
barbarity — how much misery may he prevent — how much ani- 
mal enjoyment scatter around him, and at the same time essen- 
tially promote the interest of his employer ! How much good 
has already been accomplished by the advice and at the sug- 
gestion of the veterinary surgeon ! 
Supposing that the owner, from ignorance, or carelessness, or 
callousness, should wish that a certain course should be pursued 
with regard to his horse, or a certain operation performed that 
would be attended by considerable torture and no equivalent 
benefit. These cases used often to occur. What is the duty of 
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VOL. X. 
