OF TIIE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
Kid 
November 18 th. 
At this meeting the President took the chair, lie was most 
cordially greeted, and in return expressed his thanks to the 
members for the honour they had again conferred upon him. lie 
assured them that their meetings had ever been to him both 
pleasin^and useful; and that he anticipated, in the session now 
commenced, much that would be honourable to them, and useful 
in their after professional career. He trusted that such a society 
would long continue to exist ; and he was assured that, while it 
existed, it would be an ornament to the Institution to which it 
belonged. 
The subject for discussion was, Inflammation of the Lungs, 
introduced by Mr. Charnley, and defended by him with great 
spirit. The discussion was animated and useful. He main- 
tained that cold becomes an excitant of this disease (thus oppos- 
ing the usually advocated theory), and that by its action on the 
air passages creating irritation in them, and also by impinging 
on the surface of the body, and thus determining a greater vo- 
lume of blood to parts already irritated, it might be regarded as 
a powerful agent in pulmonary inflammation, and the diseases 
connected with it. He w r as supported by several members, and 
opposed by others, who held that cold is only, at best, a predis- 
posing, not an exciting cause of inflammation. The most com- 
mon cause was maintained to be — removal to a heated and im- 
pure atmosphere after exposure to cold or severe exercise. 
The use of blisters to the sides was by some approved of, by 
others deprecated. The majority thought that, in the earliest 
stages of the disease, they might create too much general irrita- 
tion ; but that, when the inflammatory action was somewhat 
lowered, they would prove exceedingly beneficial. Others con- 
tended that, when the affection had assumed a chronic form, 
blisters were very liable to cause an effusion into the cavity of the 
thorax. The form recommended by those who had employed 
these agents was the cold acetous infusion of the blistering fly. 
Setons found both their supporters and objectors. The full con- 
sideration of the Essay occupied three meetings of the Society. 
November 24 th. 
The Vice-President filled the chair : he was warmly received, 
and eloquently acknowledged his obligations. 
November 26th. 
The “ approbation and thanks of the Society,” handsomely 
framed, were presented to the Secretary by the President, in ac- 
