414 
THE INADEQUATE PERIOD ALLOWED 
We are fully aware that careless and idle practitioners will re¬ 
cognize little beside inflammation of the brain, or the lungs, or the 
bowels, or the kidneys; but post mortem examinations have con¬ 
vinced us that, as in the human being, so in the quadruped, eveiy 
viscus and every part is occasionally the seat of disease, although 
we have not yet the skill, or have not used sufficient close and 
accurate obseiwation, to enable us at all times to distino'uish the 
part affected. Our French neighbours, who, at least, beat us in 
the diagnosis of disease, have drawn up a long and fearful cata¬ 
logue of the maladies to which our domestic animals are subject. 
The assertion that the horse is subject to but few diseases is 
false in fact, and dangerous in practice*. It encourages that care¬ 
lessness and want of discrimination and classification with which 
many veterinary surgeons may be justly reproached. If, how¬ 
ever, the horse had been subject to only a few disorders, there are 
cattle, sheep, swine, dogs, and a variety of inferior animals, who 
are likewise the victims of diseases, and all their maladies fonn 
an aggregate which the most talented and indefatigable student 
could not, in six months, perfectly understand. 
The treatment of the diseases of cattle, sheep, swine, and 
dogs, is not taught at the Veterinary College.^’ This is a lament¬ 
able deviation from the intention of the founders of the institution, 
which should be speedily remedied, and not made the pretext for 
greater deviations. One act of negligence will not excuse another. 
Now comes the main argument,—If the pupils are compelled 
to remain at the Veterinary College two or three years, their edu¬ 
cation will become so expensive, that comparatively few will be 
able to sustain the expence.Be it so. 
If the expence of the education of the human surgeon were 
much diminished, double or treble the number of students would 
flock to the medical schools. Would this be an advantage? It 
would put money into the pockets of the lecturers, but would the 
profession or the public be benefitted ? 
If at a little expence every village empiric or countiy bonesetter 
could be dubbed a surgeon, the profession would be inundated 
with uneducated and incompetent practitioners, and the health 
and lives of his majesty ^s subjects would materially suffer. It is 
the expence attending a surgeon’s education which keeps the pro- 
