I NT RODUCTOR Y L ECTUR ES 
72:3 
fully explained ; the difficulties of obtaining a correct history, 
arising from the ignorance, prejudices, or weakness of the owner 
pointed out, as well as the precautions requisite in adopting any 
conclusion respecting the causes of the disease and the effects of 
the treatment. Lastly, at longer intervals, a considerable num- 
ber of these cases are viewed in connection ; the phenomena 
common to most of them are placed in relief ; the bearing of these 
on doctrines either past or prevailing is indicated ; and some- 
thing, perhaps, is added to the common stock of our knowledge, 
or, at least, the mode of doing this is exhibited. This comparison 
will, I trust, have made it apparent that the two methods of in- 
struction — by systematic lectures and by clinical demonstration — 
are mutually dependant, and either would be incomplete without 
the other. The one teacher prepares you for the observation of 
disease, the other points out its actual phenomena. Without 
this preparation much would be unintelligible, and without the 
actual observation of disease the mere description of it would be 
useless. The two subjects stand nearly in the same relation to 
each other as a lecture on anatomy and the practice of dissection. 
The student would be a very indifferent anatomist who had ob- 
tained all his knowledge of the subject from lectures; nor would 
his attainments be at all superior if he contented himself with 
being a simple spectator whilst another dissected, and neglected 
to obtain any previous knowledge of the general composition and 
arrangement of the elements out of which the body is framed. 
From the preceding statement of the work you are about to be 
engaged in, its importance will at once be obvious. It is the ap- 
plication of every previous attainment to the prevention, discri- 
mination, and treatment of disease ; the daily business of your 
future lives ; the necessary complement of a useful education; 
the great end to which all other branches of medicine, although 
indispensable, are subservient, and without the addition of which 
they are wholly useless to us. 
“ It is highly important that we should have a clear perception 
of the right method of becoming what we all desire to be, skilful 
practitioners of veterinary medicine. It is a rule which admits 
of no exception, that to be able with certainty to do any thing 
well we must do it repeatedly. If our reasoning faculties are to 
be improved, we must apply them to the studies that will exer- 
cise them — if our external senses are to be sharpened, we must 
use them constantly on their proper objects — if we are to acquire 
dexterity in any manual operation, we must repeat it a certain 
number of times. To see much, and to see it well, is the sole 
means of obtaining perfection. In all mechanical employments, 
other things being alike, the skill of the artizan is proportioned 
