THE EDITOR. 
469 
dium of the vetet inary surgeon, as Mr. Youatt states with great 
propriety in his last leader," “ it did incalculable although we hope 
but temporary mischief to the veterinary profession. It likewise 
did — as all quackery must do in the long run — incalculable mis- 
chief to the farmer.” However, it only attacked those predis- 
posed, and rather of a sickly constitution, which is clearly proved 
by the great bulk of the veterinary profession, and almost every 
man of scientific repute, being fully exposed within the sphere 
of its virus without the least symptom of disease. 
Symptoms . — The patients complain of the circulation of the 
Sewell-ine papers among their employers, and likewise of the pub- 
lication of their own experience and practice being copied into 
other journals from The Veterinarian ; and hence too much 
publicity is given to their proceedings. They want the combined 
wisdom, knowledge, and practice of the profession to be exclu- 
sively published and circulated among themselves. In their opi- 
nion, this would prevent plagiarism by the farmer, the farrier, 
and the cowleech, &c. Such are the most prominent features of 
this malady. 
The disease is dangerous in a young patient : but if it attacks 
an old person, and combined with hypochondriacism, it is incur- 
able. 
Treatment . — Can it be believed that such a disease could have 
taken place in this enlightened age — among a class of men that 
ought to know — and we are fully persuaded that the majority do 
know — that “ the affectation of mystery may for awhile draw the 
admiration of the ignorant, but will never secure the esteem of 
men of sense ; but will always occasion suspicion in the minds 
of the more enlightened part of mankind.” Every attempt to 
monopolize or conceal any thing that relates to the preservation 
of health or the cure of disease, either by the human or veteri- 
nary practitioner, must not only be injurious to the interests of 
society, but likewise to the medical art. If medicine be a ra- 
tional science, including surgery, and founded in nature, it will 
never lose its reputation by being exposed to public view ; but if 
it be not able to bear the light, it is high time that it was ex- 
ploded. Secresy in every art and profession lays a foundation for 
imposition. Had medical men never affected mystery, quacks 
and quackery would never have existed. Let us, therefore, act 
with candour and openness ; then our employers will soon learn to 
dread every thing in medicine that has the appearance of secresy. 
The affectation of any mystery in any art or science retards its 
progress. Other arts and sciences diffused among the people 
have become the objects of general attention, and have been im- 
