238 
ON VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
records of veterinary jurisprudence in this Journal alone since its 
commencement to the present time ; and you will at once see the 
correctness of the foregoing remarks, and the importance of the 
subject. These two things being, I think, self-evident, the quo- 
tation that has just been made suggests the following ideas : — 
first., a cause ; secondly, a remedy. 
What is the cause that such conflicting opinions exist on the 
several subjects connected with veterinary jurisprudence, and that 
it remains in such a lamentable state 1 Ask the lawyer — ask the 
sportsman, or the veterinary surgeon. Some will tell you one 
thing, and some another. It is not the want of law, it is not the 
want of justice ; it is, as Mr. Percivall pithily expresses it, “ it is 
the want of some mutual understanding and explanation among 
ourselves or, as I have elsewhere expressed it, the fault rests 
with the profession at large, and with them, and them alone, the 
cause originates. 
Passing events every day more and more convince us that 
something must speedily be done in order to bring about a “ mutual 
understanding” amongst the profession. Hence we are led to con- 
sider a remedy. No remedy that I can suggest to you is better 
than that given to more advanced students — “ Cultivate Veterinary 
Jurisprudence .” 
To impress this axiom upon your mind, and to endeavour to bring 
into one connected chain the different links already formed, and 
which may, in some measure, serve you in your investigations on 
this important subject — this is the intention of the following papers. 
Nevertheless, I am not presumptuous enough to expect that any 
ideas of mine, or any opinions I may heap together, will be of suf- 
ficient importance to rank as the opinion of the many ; nor do I 
flatter myself that they will effect so desirable an object as that of 
producing “ mutual understanding” and explanation amongst our- 
selves. Yet doubly gratified shall I be if any thing that I may state 
should be of service to you, or assist you in your onward career. 
For the cultivation of any system of veterinary jurisprudence, 
it is absolutely necessary that you should make yourselves ac- 
quainted with the different parts of the healthy animal. You will 
then be able to detect the variations of structure, and, by carefully 
noting the gradual or sudden changes in the organic system, you 
will insensibly attain an accurate knowledge of diseased parts and 
morbid growths and altered secretions. You must likewise ascer- 
tain the tendency of these deviations from natural form and 
structure either to destroy life or injure the functions of the part. 
Much of this you may learn from the means at your disposal, or 
from the experience of others. You become, by degrees, conver- 
sant with the various stages from health to disease, the symptoms by 
