EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS, 
703 
and his family, and probably a confidential one, almost at his first 
visit; but is the “horse-doctor” asked into the house ? If invited 
at all, is it not into the butler’s pantry or the servants’ hall? Nay ! 
does he even, at times, see any body save it be the groom or the 
coachman, with whom his business more immediately is? And 
does it not often happen that the veterinarian visits his patient and 
prescribes for him without ever setting eyes on a single individual 
of the house or the mansion ; and that his business is, on occasions, 
all the way through transacted with those alone who feed and clean 
his patients? In this respect, the practice of medicine on the dog 
has much to boast compared with that on his equally favoured 
brother, the horse; and for this reason many veterinary practi- 
tioners have given the preference to dog-practice. 
By these few cursory observations, elicited from us by the con- 
tents of a “ Sporting Surgeon’s” letter, we hope it will not be 
thought that we have “ befouled our nest,” or represented matters 
worse than they are. We write from no little hear-say and ex- 
perience, and the facts have appeared to us as we have briefly set 
them down. The statement of a grievance is said to be one step 
towards remedying it. In the present instance some persons — out 
of the profession — might think that we had the remedy in our 
hands. This is not quite the case ; though, no doubt, much may 
be effected towards our professional elevation by acts against the 
admission into our body of any save such as can shew they are 
master of certain qualifications. Our Charter has not yet achieved 
what was expected of it; and one great reason why it has not lies 
in the dissatisfaction it has given to one part of the profession, 
while the other — we believe major part — have been upholding and 
promoting it all in their power. Let us hope all opposition and 
wrangling is about to give way ; and that ere long we shall have 
to congratulate our brethren not only on the unanimity of their 
chartered body, but on the good the Charter has thereby worked for 
them, and the improved status , in consequence thereof, they are 
likely for the time to come to occupy in society. 
