VETERINARY OBITUARY. 
413 
Us, but lie was out-numbered, out-voted ; and he had not, on that 
occasion, the courage to maintain his opinion, although founded 
on truth and justice. 
After that, and a little before his decease, a conversation took 
place between him and a veterinary surgeon on the same subject. 
For the perfect accuracy with which that conversation is reported, 
we can vouch. It is contained in The Veterinarian, vol. ii, 
p. 101; and is so much to the purpose, and so characteristic, that 
we cannot refrain from quoting it:—“A few months before his 
decease, in an interview and conversation I had with him on the 
subject of the examining committee, he fairly put the question 
to me—what my sentiments were. I answered him, that I had 
at that moment a sick horse in my stable, which, if he would step 
out and examine, and tell me what the disorder was, and how I was 
to treat it, he would, by so doing, enable me to form my opinion 
on the subject. The Doctor smiled, and replied, that I must be 
aw are he was not competent to any such duty. ‘ Then pray, 
Doctor, how comes it that you, and you alone, are competent to 
examine and confer a diploma on a veterinary pupil, whilst I 
remain ineligible for any such office?’ The Doctor, unprepared 
for this home-thrust, again smiled, and, with his wonted humour, 
facetiously returned, ‘Ay, ay, you have me there !’ Expressing 
himself perfectly satisfied with my rejoinder, he quitted the sub¬ 
ject.” 
The circumstances of Dr. Pearson’s death were peculiarly me¬ 
lancholy : it took place at his house in George Street, on Sun¬ 
day, November 9, 1828, in consequence of a fall down stairs. 
Notwithstanding his great age, Dr. Pearson was indefatigable in 
the pursuit of study, and sat up every night later than any per¬ 
son of his family. On the night preceding his death, he remained, 
as usual, the last up. When the footboy got up and came down 
early on Sunday morning, he found his master’s candlestick and 
the extinguisher at the top of the first flight of stairs, and on 
going down lower, he heard a loud breathing, which alarmed him 
so much, that he ran back to the attics for a fellow-servant, with 
w hom he returned to ascertain the cause. On reaching the bottom, 
they discovered their unfortunate master on the ground at the 
entrance of the hall, breathing still heavily, but senseless, and 
with a large wound on his head, from which a quantity of blood 
had flowed. He was taken immediately to his bed, and medical 
aid procured. In the course of the day he recovered his con¬ 
sciousness, but expired towards the evening. It is supposed that 
lie was seized with giddiness, and fell backward on reaching the 
top of the first flight of stairs, and rolled down to the bottom 
without being able to call for help, or without the noise of his fall 
being heard. 
