100 
LETTER. TO SIR ASTLEY COOPER. 
previous veterinary education, at least at the Royal Veterinary 
College, and whose profound skill in our art is only equal to that 
of the most ignorant practitioner who has offered himself to pub¬ 
lic notice in the same capacity. Innumerable are the instances of 
mismanagement and failure which the employers of these gentle¬ 
men have to regret; and who loudly exclaim against the frater* 
nity of veterinarians, and give a decided preference to the groom 
or village blacksmith. 
“ If we suffer this contagious sickness/farewell all physic.” 
These are some of the grievances of which the members of 
the veterinary profession, and the public, have to complain; the 
former in consequence of the degraded state of that most useful 
art which they profess, and the latter, on account of the injury 
which their property sustains. 
Are we to suffer such abuses to exist without making a single 
effort to raise our profession to that rank of public estimation 
which it so justly deserves? No ! Let a meeting of the profes¬ 
sion be called, and a committee appointed. Let the governors of 
the institution, and the professor and his assistant, be invited to 
join us, that means may be taken to accomplish this necessary 
work. I can have no reason to believe that there will be any 
objection on their part; as I was informed by Mr. Sewell, last 
December, that the governors have had the opinion of the Lord 
Chancellor upon the subject, which was, that nothing could be 
done without an act of parliament for our protection. 
Should, however, these gentlemen refuse to assist us, there will 
be no difficulty in raising ample funds, by subscription, to defray 
the expences of such an act; as every country veterinarian must 
feel the necessity of some decisive measures being taken, and will 
be inclined to make a corresponding pecuniary sacrifice. 
Melton Mowbray, 
Feb. 18,1829." 
“ NON-ELIGIBLE’S ” LETTER TO SIR ASTLEY 
COOPER, BART. 
On the Exclusion of Veterinary Surgeons from the Examining 
Committee. 
[Concluded from vol. i, p. 456.] 
I BROKE off my communication to you, Sir Astley, in the num¬ 
ber of this journal for December (and I must acknowledge I did 
so rather abruptly, for which I beg now 7 to apologize), in assem- 
