ON MEDICAL CHEMISTRY. 
13 
Veterinary Medical Society, I, as Secretary, offered some imper- 
fect remarks on the medicinal substances used in the College. The 
following year, some of the students solicited me to repeat them. 
I readily complied ; but found that, in order to render them satis- 
factory and useful to my class, they required to be prefaced by a 
brief consideration of the elementary bodies, and the laws which 
govern their union, involving, in fact, an outline of chemistry as 
applied to medicine. I had boldly placed my foot on almost un- 
trodden ground — to me it was then quite so — and yet I dared not 
turn back ; shame indeed prevented me, for I dreaded the epithet 
“ coward !” I took another, and still another step ; and, receiving 
fresh courage as I went on, I trust I may, without the imputation of 
being an egotist, assert, that I have continued to augment my 
lectures up to the present day. 
Now, what has been the cause of this 1 The increasing wants of 
the student of veterinary medicine, arising from the advances 
which the profession is making in estimation and in value. It, in 
common with every other art and science in this our day, is rapidly 
progressing towards perfection; and, doubtless, these divisions of 
the studies of the pupil will hereafter receive more marked atten- 
tion, for they have been long, too long neglected. The fact, how- 
ever, must not be withholden, that, of late years, the system of 
instruction has materially improved. Its sources are more numer- 
ous, its waters more pure; they, therefore, who drink not of the 
streams, may be said to deserve to suffer all the horrors of mental 
thirst. 
I confessed to you, at the commencement of my lecture, that 
I felt the responsibility of the situation in which I now stand ; 
but if there is a responsibility resting on the teacher, there is one 
equall}' as serious appertaining to the pupil. If he labours not, the 
labours of the instructor will be in vain. If he does not treasure in 
his memory the information communicated to him, if he does not 
honestly employ the utmost powers of his mind in appreciating the 
truth and the importance of the lessons which are taught, his hours 
will be, indeed, misspent; and, hereafter, when the spring- tide of 
youth has passed away, the gay days of summer are o’er, and the 
winter of life is approaching, he will have keenly to deplore the 
time which has been lost. “ If the spring puts forth no blossoms, 
in summer theTe will be no beauty, and in autumn no fruit : so, if 
youth is trifled away without improvement, manhood will be con- 
temptible, and old age miserable.” 
Let me entreat you, if you value the esteem of the wise, and 
wish to become respected members of the profession that you 
have chosen, to occupy the time of your residence here honestly 
and solely in the acquirement of sound and correct principles con- 
