VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
371 
Let us examine a little into these points ; for unless I can establish 
this part of my subject, I shall lay myself open for it to be said, that 
what is proper for a human surgeon and the laws that are laid down 
for his guidance, cannot, by any possibility, hold good for the veteri- 
nary surgeon, and that I am deluding myself and others by such un- 
called for reasonings from analogy. Let facts speak for themselves. 
It has been said, and with great force and truth, that a “ veterinary 
surgeon is by profession a gentleman.” Bear, I beseech you, this in 
mind through the whole of these papers; because as such the public, 
and our brethren especially, expect from us that we exhibit those 
marks which characterize a true gentleman ; and wherever you see 
this to be totally wanting, you perceive at once the result of a want 
of a due cultivation of veterinary medical ethics. In the regula- 
tions of the College of Physicians relating to consultations, you see 
on an analysis that it at once embraces the several duties of 
the practitioner, and inculcates brotherly feeling. Now, did you 
ever hear of the principle of such a regulation as this acted upon 
by the veterinary profession ! — or, rather, did you ever hear it said 
by a veterinary surgeon, speaking on the subject of consultations, 
“We were at the outset of our career friendly to these consulta- 
tions ; and, when the matter rested with us, there was one gentle- 
man whom, for a little while, we used generally to call in. We 
were, after the second or third time, somewhat dissatisfied with 
his manner; and, at length, there seemed to be such a frequent and 
almost inseparable connexion between the visits of Mr. and 
the loss of our employer, that we began seriously to take alarm. 
We believe that we were always scrupulously punctual in engage- 
ments of this nature ; but the consulting surgeon used often to be 
a quarter or half an hour before his time; therefore we missed him 
altogether, or only saw him when he was about to get into his gig 
and drive away. Pie never used to wait a moment for us, but 
proceeded to examine the patient, and question the groom or coach- 
man with many a consequential umph ! and, ah ! and then he had 
his regular interview with the proprietor. At first, he did us the 
favour, or the right, to say that he would not order any particular 
medicine until he had communicated with us, or, probably, ob- 
serving our dissatisfaction, he was a little more punctual; but 
there was not an action or a gesture which did not bespeak the 
great man lending his assistance to a mere understrapper. The 
questions put to us were demanded in as authoritative a tone, or even 
more so, than to the underlings of the stable; and, after he had 
obtained the information he required, his opinion was given without 
reservation in the stable, and before the grooms fault was found 
with this medicament, and another was ordered to be substituted : 
and then came the cold withering commendation — “ He dared to say 
