VETERINARY EXAMINERS’ BOARD. 383 
were would justly appreciate their motives, and that neither the 
honour nor the interests of their profession would suffer* 
There was another motive for this confidence. There had 
been an old bone of contention between the governors and the 
profession — the term profession is used advisedly, for there was 
scarcely a dissentient voice among those who had contributed to 
the advancement of their art — there was the recorded consent 
and approval of the medical examiners — there was the alleged 
pleading of both the Professors. There was a question at issue 
between the governors and us as to a right, exercised by the me- 
dical profession everywhere — by the veterinary profession every- 
where but at St. Pancras — by every association or profession 
beside in the world, namely, that of deciding on the competency 
or incompetency of those who wished to be enrolled among 
them ; and not the degrading, debasing transference of that 
examination to other hands. 
We had observed that, as the members of the medical exa- 
mining committee were removed by death, there was a greater 
and yet a greater pause in the appointment of their successors ; 
and, on the removal of Sir Charles Bell to Edinburgh, the pause 
was of still longer duration. Feeling the justice of our claim — 
as surely founded as any plea that was ever urged — was it un- 
natural for us to hope that the governors were at length thinking 
of doing us justice? that this vacancy at the board would be 
suffered to remain unfilled ? and another, and perhaps another 
still? and that when some years had passed, and we had still 
more vindicated our claim to their consideration, they would have 
placed some of the best of us where we should long ago have 
been ? Was it at all unnatural for these thoughts to occupy our 
minds? They did so; and never forgetting our obligations to 
those who fought for the first establishment of our school, we were 
perfectly satisfied to wait the coming, perhaps distant day. 
A short time ago, however, Mr. Stanley, of Bartholomew’s, was 
appointed to fill the vacant seat at our board. We have no ob- 
jection to Mr. Stanley as a professional man, and we mean to 
give him no offence ; but we do confess that we view with 
mingled disappointment and disgust another intruder on our 
