464 PROFESSOR Coleman’s introductory lecture. 
• • * 
your very education may possibly have indisposed you. You 
have to study, and live with, the horse. You are to learn, that 
most difficult of all things, to be horsemen. You are to make 
yourselves perfectly masters of every process, every manipula- 
tion and operation. White fingers and well-rounded nails become 
not a veterinary surgeon. And, worst of all, you must to a 
certain degree become the companions and the confidants of 
those who are about the horse. In the present degraded state 
of our profession, you will almost daily meet with something t6 
annoy you. If you cannot reconcile yourselves to this, you had 
better retire ere it be too late. You may, however, be assured> 
that the union of science and adroitness, and gentlemanly con- 
y duct; will in due time command the respect of the groom, the 
confidence of the master, and the esteem of the public.^’ 
Then, if he had turned to the farriers’ sons,” and said, You, 
gentlemen, who have assisted in the practice of your fathers’ 
forge, bring with you very important knowledge of the symp- 
toms of many diseases: you have now to learn the principles 
on which all good practice must be founded. * You will have to 
discard many an erroneous and pernicious opinion, founded on 
ignorance, and handed down from father to son. Diligently 
study the anatomy of your patients, the real functions of the 
different organs, the causes of disease, and the true indications 
of cure. Remember, that while science is rapidly spreading 
through every rank of society, more will be expected from the 
veterinary surgeon than from the mere farrier’s son; and see to 
it, that you bring no disgi'ace on the honourable title which, in 
due time, you will be permitted to assume.” 
Had our lecturer adopted a course of admonition, resembling, 
and, coming.from him, far, far superior to that which we have 
feebly traced, we should have applauded him to the veiy echo; 
but no sooner does he give a little excellent advice to the medical 
pupil, than, seduced by the power of habit, he unnecessarily and 
cruelly tells him that the chances are very much against him :—he 
sneers at his dislike or inability to take up or properly examine 
the horse’s foot;—and completes the whole by declaring how nu¬ 
merous are the instances in which veterinarians, medically edu¬ 
cated, have retired from the profession in disgust. 
