464 
CORRESPONDENCE WITH 
To the next letter we are permitted to affix the proper signa- 
ture. It is the production of one who has done the cause of 
veterinary science much service, and whom all his brethren 
respect — Mr, W.C. Spooner, of Southampton, 
My dear Sir, — In the leading article of your last Number you 
have mooted a subject of much importance to the profession, 
and on the proper understanding and discussion of that subject 
the interests of the members of our profession are intimately mixed 
up. I refer particularly to that part in which you state that 
“ a certain number of practitioners are averse to the diffusion of 
veterinary knowledge beyond the circle of the profession. ” I 
have no time to go into this subject as it deserves, but must 
content myself with embodying my own opinion in a few hasty 
remarks. 
The question, as to how far our profession is benefitted or 
injured by the publication of veterinary knowledge, is one of 
much difficulty. There are few advantages without some draw- 
backs — few benefits without a bane : but my own impression is, 
'that the advantage of such publication vastly preponderates over 
the disadvantages. At the same time I am free to acknowledge, 
that the profession has been greatly injured by many popular 
veterinary works, some consisting of little more than recipes, the 
effects of which are, to render the horse-owner self-opinionated, 
and to make him fancy that he knows as much of the disease of 
horses as the veterinary surgeon himself. Works, therefore, that 
treat of disease in a superficial manner, making it appear 
altogether as a very simple and easy affair, have been, and still 
are, of much injury to the profession. 
It must, however, be borne in mind, that these popular works 
have been years before the public — that nothing we can do will 
prevent their sale, though possibly some of us may be able to 
render them not only much less injurious but even in some mea- 
sure beneficial to the profession. But, putting these works out 
of the question, let us take, for example, those of Blaine and 
Percivall alone, — the value of which will, I think, scarcely be 
disputed by any one. For my own part, I must candidly con- 
fess, that I have derived, in times gone by, far more valuable 
knowledge from them than from all the lectures and demonstra- 
tions I have ever heard at the College. The case, I am aware, 
is very different now : for the talents, the knowledge, and the 
zeal of the professor of anatomy cannot be too highly appreci- 
ated : but in my time demonstration was a farce, and 1 could 
not have got on at all without the aid of the authors before- 
mentioned. 
