ON THE DISEASES OF CATTLE, &c. 681 
of thirteen years, as a veterinary surgeon I have had many ad- 
vantages, and gained, I trust, some practical knowledge. 
I have thus, Gentlemen, ventured to put you in possession of 
the circumstances which induced me to believe that, by tiie exer- 
cise of all my energies, I might be useful to you as rising mem- 
bers of the profession. 
If my conjectures were correct, I was necessarily convinced 
that I was by duty bound to the profession I had chosen to 
follow, as well as by every tie of honour to my country and 
humanity to the lower animals, to take that course which would 
tend to the accomplishment of so laudable an object, assisting, to 
a certain extent, the advancement of science ; thus I fancied to 
become a humble means of adding to our nation’s wealth, by 
implanting in the minds of veterinary students proper principles 
for their guidance, when in after-life they should be called to 
administer to the wants of suffering animals, by which they 
should be rescued from the grim jaws of death. I will close these 
remarks by quoting from the immortal Nelson, “ Palmam qui 
meruit ferat.” 
In the early part of this Lecture it was asked, How was 
this branch of veterinary medicine to be placed on its true basis — 
how were the wants of the country to be supplied ? and it was 
answered, by the application of the same principles that have 
redeemed from obloquy and disgrace a once equally degraded 
branch of the art. Here, then, it is right to inquire what means 
have proved so useful, and what causes have effected this im- 
portant measure ? what power exists to support and uphold the 
elevated position now attained ? One plain reply will be suffi- 
cient, — Anatomy and Physiology, with the principles and prac- 
tice of combatting disease, have been regularly and perfectly 
taught in this Institution : these powers may and will, I trust, 
now be put in force towards effecting another noble purpose. 
Anatomy is that branch of science which teaches us not only the 
structure of the animal body, but the form, size, and relative 
position that each part holds with regard to the other. It is gene- 
rally divided into human and comparative ; the former having 
reference to the component parts alone of the human frame, while 
the latter takes cognizance of those of the inferior animals as 
compared with man. A knowledge of the composition, struc- 
ture, and relation of the bones, ligaments, muscles, &c. is termed 
descriptive anatomy. 
Physiology consists of a knowlege of the uses of the several 
parts which constitute or build up the animal frame. This, like 
anatomy, is divided into general and descriptive, human and com- 
parative. It is unnecessary for me here to add, that without a 
