304 * Singular dislocation and fracture. 
the good of the country, the honour of the College, and in justice 
to veterinary surgeons, that some advantages should be possessed 
by those who have proved their competency by undergoing the 
necessary ordeal. Until this is done, the present evils, instead of 
diminishing, will accumulate. The increased term of study before 
a pupil can get a certificate will be of little use, for the groom, 
as heretofore, getting tired of sarvice, and having scraped a few 
pounds together (enough to pay his admission fee), will spend a 
few months at the College, and then return into the country a 
self-dubbed veterinarian. Here, with cheapness for his motto, 
and impudence supplying the lack of knowledge, a similarity of 
habits procure him the sympathy of his brother grooms, and 
their masters acting, perhaps, on the mistaken principle of 
penny wise and pound foolish,” afford him sufficient encou¬ 
ragement to injure materially the regular practitioner. 
The evils which the medical profession seek to remove are 
trifling compared to ours, for people no longer trust their lives or 
limbs to the care of barbers; but the noblest of domesticated 
animals are too frequently consigned to the dogs through being 
committed to the care of men much less intelligent than the 
barber-surgeons of former times. I trust, therefore, that in due 
time some exertion will be made towards relieving our profession 
from the incubus that now bears it down; and that the cause of 
science will not be abandoned by its friends, to be smothered in 
the mists of ignorance raised by its numerous foes. 
A SINGULAR DISLOCATION AND FRACTURE. 
By the same . 
On the 16th ult., ahorse shied in passing a coach, and, turn¬ 
ing round suddenly, the off hind leg became entangled between 
the wheel bar and fore wheel. I saw the animal shortly after 
the accident, and on examination found an extensive dislocation 
of the inferior articulation of the hock. I could feel distinctly 
(through the skin) the upper surface of the large metatarsal 
bone, and I suspected that some fracture accompanied it, though 
I could detect no crepitus. The owner not being present, some 
attempt was made to reduce the dislocation by the assistance of 
pulleys, but more by way of experiment than with the expecta¬ 
tion of success. The horse was destroyed, and I found the 
joint in the following state:—The lateral ligaments were ruptured, 
and the capsular penetrated by the upper edge of the cannon 
boiie. The upper part of the suspensory ligament was considerably 
