OF THE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
29i 
be the author of so infamous a thing, but that it was the work 
of some one who wished to deprive him of the honour which 
was his due as the discoverer of many important facts connected 
with the subject. 
He then addressed the Society in a sarcastic style : they were 
becoming authors, he found ; he came among them to enlighten 
them ; they had need enough of some one to guide them. 
He was in vain called to order by Mr. Spooner, the vice- 
president of the society, and by Mr. Ferguson, who was then 
acting as chairman ; and he replied to both by gross abuse. 
He was reminded that he was not a member of the society. 
He affirmed that he was — that his resignation had been informal, 
and therefore could not be legally accepted ; and that he had 
a right to attend, and would do so. Many members now 
mingled in the quarrel ; the regular subject of discussion was 
forgotten or abandoned ; and it was one scene of uproar and 
confusion, in which language that would have disgraced the 
lowest assembly was too freely used. At length Mr. Vines with- 
drew; but it now being impossible to return with pleasure or ad- 
vantage to the discussion of the original physiological question, 
the meeting very soon broke up. 
On the following day Mr. Rush sent a memorial to the Com- 
mittee of Management, complaining of the ungentlemanly 
attack which had been made and urged upon him, and praying 
them to take the matter into consideration, and to adopt such 
steps as would prevent the future occurrence of such a scene. 
The Committee met, and replied to Mr. Rush’s memorial. That 
Mr. Vines was not a member of the society ; but that they would 
be careful that such conduct should not again take place. A 
communication was also sent by the Committee to Mr. Vines, 
informing him that complaint had been made of his conduct at 
the last night of meeting, and that they did not consider him to 
be a member of the society. 
The whole College was, now at war; and, instead of the quiet 
pursuit of their studies, even the dissecting-room was made the 
scene of discord. Some of the members of the committee were 
personally insulted there : they were pointed out as those who 
had expelled Mr. Vines, and they were hooted out of the room. 
These gentlemen called a special meeting of the society, in order 
that their conduct might be investigated. 
At that meeting the documents which I have quoted were 
read; and, on the motion of Mr. Rush, it was decided, by a ma- 
jority of fifteen, that “the committee is exonerated from the 
charge of having acted partially in the exclusion of Mr. Vines 
as a member of the society.” 
