ABUSES AT THE ENGLISH VETERINARY COLLEGE. 41 
be differing with each other as to the treatment of disease ; but this 
I cannot think. I am sure that all petty differences would be pur- 
posely avoided ; and 1 take the manner in which the examination 
of students in the schools of human medicine is conducted as a suf- 
ficient illustration of what our examinations would be. I look upon 
the matter in this light, — that if veterinary surgeons were examiners 
(I do not mean two or three, but if the board were constituted of 
them), we should have more really useful students leaving the 
College — men that were “fit for active service” — men that would 
not disgrace the profession, as too man}' do when they leave the 
College and commence the practice of their profession. I do most 
positively assert, that if young men have never been in the service 
of a veteinary surgeon or a medical man, or served an apprentice- 
ship to one of them, the greater number will not be competent to 
begin business on their obtaining a diploma from the present ex- 
aminers ; for at the College they will scarcely meet with one-fourth 
of the varieties of disease w'hich they would if connected with a 
country practitioner in good practice. 
I think the veterinary surgeons would give them a good, genu- 
ine, searching, and useful examination, and not such as is often the 
case now. I know it well. I have seen the “list of gentlemen 
who have obtained their diplomas” before and since I did, and some 
of them were totally incompetent to follow their profession with 
pleasure to themselves or honesty to their employers — men who 
never served an apprenticeship — never had even a tolerable educa- 
tion — knowing scarcely any thing of anatomy, or chemistry, or 
practice, and not likely ever to know it, as they were always at any 
thing and every thing except what they should be. In short, they 
have “passed” to the astonishment of their fellow students, and 
even of themselves. I can justly say, from being intimately ac- 
quainted with them, that they were not “fit to practise the vete- 
rinary art ;” and I consider myself better able to give an opinion 
on their abilities than the medical examiners were. Had they been 
examined by a board of veterinary surgeons, I know how it would 
have been with them; and I know now full well that the day will 
come that these young men will wish they had been rejected: 
others have been rejected far more competent than they, and have 
been thankful for it. It is often thought that there is more luck 
than any thing else in passing the examination. I am sure that if 
veterinary surgeons were examiners, there would be a greater dread 
of being rejected than at present. 
How is it, I would ask, that, as the English Agricultural Society 
has allied itself with the College, it does not see to the appoint- 
ment of a lecturer on cattle pathology] Of what use, I would say, 
can such an union be, if the agricultural interest is not benefitte 1 1 
VOL. XIV. F 
