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THE VETERINARY PROFESSION. 
the cure or the diminution of animal suffering. The principles 
on which it is founded, the course which it pursues, shall be plain 
and open as the day. He finds not the name of an Abernethy, a 
Bell, a Brodie, a Brookes, a Cooper, a Copland, a Clutterbuck? 
an Elliotson, a Ferguson, a Forbes, a Liston, a Prout, a Quain, 
a Roget, a Thompson attached to an exclusive society, — he finds 
not one of them so far degrading himself and the profession to 
which he belongs. He turns to his own profession, and he asks 
a Blaine, a Clark, a Dick, a Goodwin, a Lawrence, a Percivall, 
a Spooner, a Stewart, and many others, whether their honourable 
feeling, and the credit of the art which they profess, would 
permit them to belong to an exclusive society. 
The foreign veterinary periodicals — are they printed for, and 
confined to, an exclusive society ? Is there an instance of it in 
any part of Europe? The disgraceful initiative shall not com- 
mence with The Veterinarian. The Editor defends not 
the circular of Professor Sewell. There are, perhaps, other com- 
munications thinly scattered through the pages of this periodical, 
in which the minutiae of treatment have been unnecessarily, and, 
perhaps, injuriously spun out. It it true with our profession as 
with that of human medicine, that there are many uneducated 
persons lying in wait to avail themselves of, and to profit by, the 
discoveries of others. The charters which are now sought by the 
human and the veterinary professions will, ere long, to a very 
considerable degree, remedy this evil ; but in the mean time, in 
proportion to the advancement of knowledge will the practice of 
the surgeon become more successful, and his aid be more anxiously 
sought. From the union of the veterinary surgeon with the agri- 
culturist, and the confidence which will grow out of their mutual 
esteem, will result the successful progress and triumph of our art, 
and that to an extent which no exclusive system could possibly 
produce. . 
This subject, however, demands deeper consideration. Will 
some of our friends kindly take it up ? In the mean time, the 
Editor will continue to cherish friendly feelings towards those who 
are at present opposed to him ; and he challenges one or all 
to meet him on any particular point which they may select, con- 
nected with the present topic. Y. 
