341 
Mr. McTaggart to the Editor of “ The Veterinarian .” 
Dear Sir, 
I have received a letter from the Royal Veterinary Col- 
lege, signed a “Veterinary Student,” giving the lie direct to 
your statement of the London Veterinary Medical Society’s 
transactions in 1831, in reference to the election of Mr. 
Morton to the office of Librarian, and the Society’s acceptance 
of Mr. Vines’s resignation as a fellow and honorary associate of 
that Society. As 1 was then a student at the Royal Veterinary 
College, and a member of the said London Veterinary Medical 
Society, and one of the Committee of Management at the time, 
it becomes me to testify to the verity of the then proceedings. 
Your statement in The Veterinarian of May, in allusion to 
those proceedings, is perfectly correct. 
On the night of election the chairman read over the ballot 
tickets, Mr. Morton and Mr. Vines being the candidates. Mr. 
Morton had a majority of one, and was declared duly elected ; 
and which was evinced from the circumstance of a scrutiny not 
being demanded. At the close of the meeting Mr. Vines (very 
ungentlemanly) made a snatch at the ballot papers which were 
lying upon the table, and said he would see who had voted 
against him ; Mr. Morton, however, prevented him, and most 
of the papers were destroyed. 
I was likewise present on Nov. 24th, the night on which Mr. 
Vines consigned his certificate of the Society to the flames, and, 
denouncing it in no simple language, he declared that he would 
no longer be a member or honorary associate of such a Society. 
My signature is attached, confirmatory of that evening’s pro- 
ceedings. 
The resolutions quoted of the Society’s transactions, Dec. 6th, 
accepting the uncouth resignation of Mr. Vines, are likewise 
perfectly correct : I had the honour of being in the chair that 
evening. The resolutions of the Committee were every one con- 
firmed by the members of the Society. 
It says little for the calumniator of the Society’s proceedings 
in 1831, to shelter himself under the signature of a “ Veterinary 
Student let him avow himself, and he will then be noticed as 
he deserves. 
I have the honour to be, dear Sir, 
Your’s, very respectfully, 
David McTaggart. 
Liverpool, May 16th, 1836. 
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VOL. IX. 
