TIIR SESSION OF 1840-41. 
7:37 
which he had pursued during the last session, in winch, with the 
exception of a few slight and unsatisfactory glances at the diseases 
of sheep and cattle, only three lectures were, during the whole of 
the session, devoted to this all-important subject. 
On the afternoon of the same day, the first meeting of the Vete¬ 
rinary Medical Association was held, a Report of which will be 
given in the January number of the next year. 
On the afternoon and evening of the 3d of November was held 
one of the most important meetings of veterinary surgeons that 
ever was convened : an account of it is given at the beginning of 
this number of The VETERINARIAN. We allude to it with regret, 
because it unfolds, in the powers that be, a system of disregard for 
the profession, and a degree of contumely, for which we are unable 
to account. 
The Memorial of the Veterinary Surgeons, as given at page 193 
of the present volume, has reference to four important subjects— 
the obtainment of a charter to protect the qualified members from 
service in certain parochial offices, and to enable them to check 
the pretensions of incompetent and uneducated men—the better 
remuneration of the lecturers, or, in other words, an increase of 
the admission fee—the shorter or lengthened residence of the pupil, 
according to his previous advantages—and the appointment of a 
competent lecturer on cattle pathology. 
On one of these points alone did the Governors condescend to 
bestow the slightest notice, and that notice was couched in terms 
of no little ambiguity. “ This Committee,”—the Committee of 
Governors—“ do not see the immediate necessity for applying to 
the Crown for a Royal Charter, to be granted to this institution; 
but every facility will be given to the veterinary surgeons for pro¬ 
curing an act of parliament to prevent certain grievances com¬ 
plained of by the Memorial, and which could not be relieved by a 
charter.” 
The Memorialists, in reply to this sweeping assertion, naturally 
and calmly request some explanation of the ambiguous expressions 
used by the Governors wdth reference to the charter; for the}^ say, 
that they have it from undoubted authority, “ that they could not 
(JO before parliament until they had obtained a charter of incor¬ 
poration 
