THE EDITOR 
555 
which they complain ( Can the veterinary art be more rapidly 
and surely advanced than when it is the practice of each member 
of our profession to contribute his mite to the general stock ; and 
when each one is proud to think that, to a certain degree, accord- 
ing to his opportunity and his ability, he has contributed to the 
onward progress of his profession ? 
The principle of exclusiveness which has been advocated, where 
is it to be found in all its pride and strength, but among those 
whom the graduated veterinary surgeon should be ashamed to 
resemble, — the farrier, the quack, the cow-doctor, or the doctor of 
every disease ? — each possessing secrets known only to himself — a 
kind of hereditary proprietary, which none of his compeers — no, 
not even the best qualified veterinary surgeon — can have any 
pretension to. 
And do these few practitioners, who object to the publication of 
the cases that come before them, desire once more to banish us to 
the shades of superstition and ignorance ? Do they think that in 
this age of improvement they can limit the attainment of know- 
ledge to a privileged few ? Are they really blind to the fact, that 
the majority of agriculturists are now employing the qualified ve- 
terinary surgeon in decided preference to the pretending quack ? 
Do they ever read the periodicals of the day that have reference 
to human medicine ? Do they not find the symptoms, causes, and 
treatment of every disease plainly and distinctly pointed out, and 
by men whose names stand foremost in this and every preceding 
age ? Did we ever hear from one of them the expressed wish that 
these works should only fall into the hands of those of their own 
profession, ora fear that, by the perusal of them, every man would 
become his own physician or surgeon ? No! It never entered 
the mind of him who had the honour of his profession or the wel- 
fare of his fellow-creatures at heart. 
The time for exclusiveness is now for ever gone, nor is there 
the man who can build up the crumbling ruins. Let no private 
grudge stifle the better feelings of the practitioner or the student; 
but if The Veterinarian and “ The Association” are to be 
separate and distinct publications, let the managers of each never 
forget that they are bound to guard the interests and uphold the 
honour of their common profession. There may be room for 
both — at least there will be opportunity for both to prove that 
they are not unworthy of the cause in w T hich they labour. 
In my opinion, the whole of the affair has its origin, not in any 
anxiety for the good of the profession, but in the worst spirit 
that can actuate the human mind, — revenge. Mr. Copeman’s let- 
ter is fully to the purpose with regard to this : but, Sir, heed them 
not, nor their low machinations: their rivalry will be an advantage 
