VETERINARY EXAMINING COMMITTEE. 
369 
bleman, or the gentleman, unless it be the pleasure, or answer the 
purpose of the groom or the coachman, that he should be ad¬ 
mitted ? What town is there in which the uneducated farrier, or 
the practitioner without a diploma, does not rival, and frequently 
beat, the graduated veterinarian ? 
The practitioner of human medicine is admitted to friendly and 
almost equal intercourse with his noblest employer, while the 
horse-doctor is often left to shiver in the seiwants’ hall, or is treated 
with peculiar kindness if he finds a place at the second table. 
In some favoured situations, a few veterinarians, whose educa¬ 
tion, connexions, talents, and conduct, enforce respect, occupy 
that rank in life to which they are entitled; but, generally speaking, 
they are little distinguished from the farrier and the cow-leech: 
they are the outcasts of good society; and even the examiners them¬ 
selves, in the expressive language of One of the non-eligible,’’ 
disrelish the idea of having to take wine, or starch their man¬ 
ners or conversation, in their company,^’ 
We deeply feel all this in our diminished emoluments, our 
wounded pride, arid our love of our profession; and, if a few vete- 
terinary surgeons were admitted to the examiners’ board, some 
salutary reform w^ould be speedily effected. The five-months’ 
men would no more be heard of. Seductive, but useless, or mis¬ 
chievous theory, would no longer mislead and bewilder, but sound 
practical knowledge would be the only passport to veterinary 
distinction. 
‘^Who is to have the appointment of these new members?” 
We reply by another question. Who fill up the present vacan¬ 
cies ? The recommendation comes from the examiners, and that 
is subject to the confirmation of the general meeting. Are there 
any circumstances which forbid the same course of proceeding in 
the appointment of the new examiners? But ^Hhere are so 
many claimants, and the appointment of a few, however im- 
partial the selection, would give dissatisfaction to all the rest.” 
Is not this the case in the majority of instances with eveiy situa¬ 
tion of emolument or honour ? The claimants are usually numerous, 
and the unsuccessful are discontented. Was that ever considered 
to be a satisfactory reason why important and useful offices should 
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