MONSTROSITIES. 
means of relieving the pains and of curing the diseases of the 
animals entrusted to his care, yet it is not necessary, neither is 
it expedient, that his attention should be wholly engrossed by the 
effects of medicines upon his patients, while labouring under 
disease. It is of importance that he should look around him, 
and observe what is commonly occurring among his patients, 
and also to watch and examine those cases which are more rare; 
not only that he may be enabled to enlarge his own stock of 
knowledge, but also that he may add contributions to the general 
treasury of science. It has been said that little advantage is to 
be derived by the veterinary surgeon from the study of compa¬ 
rative anatomy; and it may by some be thought a matter of still 
less importance to examine those cases of lusus natuiee which 
the veterinarian meets with. We, however, are of a different 
opinion, and do not hesitate to say that there can be no couise 
of study which he can pursue as an auxiliary, that will yield 
greater advantages than comparative anatomy ; and we hope that 
every veterinary surgeon who has had the opportunity has attend¬ 
ed, and that every veterinary student also has diligently attended, 
the highly valuable and interesting course of lectures on that sub¬ 
ject, delivered by Professor Grant in the London University ; for 
we feel assured that whoever has done so, will always appreciate 
the advantages derived from them. Comparative anatomy is 
indeed, or at least ought to be, the basis of our profession. W e 
are compelled to enter upon it, before we can have a knowledge 
of the structure and functions of the subjects on which w 7 e prac¬ 
tise ; and we know from practical experience that it is a field, 
once entered upon, which cannot be left without deriving both 
pleasure and advantage from it. Several years have elapsed 
since w T e had the pleasure of hearing the lectures of Professor 
Grant, in Edinburgh, which, together with those of our friend 
the late Dr. J. Barclay, we wish we had been able sufficiently 
to store up in our memory: they have, however, left a deep 
and valuable enough impression to warrant our thus strongly 
recommending the subject to all those who have the opportunity 
of attending to the study. 
But although we have taken this opportunity of alluding in a 
