OF THE VETERINARY PROFESSION. 
485 
shoulders to the wheel, and endeavour to obtain an act of parlia¬ 
ment, to protect the practitioner, after all his expense, and labour, 
and study, in acquiring the Royal Diploma, otherwise it will be an 
act of injustice to ourselves and our posterity.” Mr. Taylor, of 
Bury St. Edmunds, strongly urges the same point, although in a 
different way. He says that “he hopes some means will be 
adopted to protect the pupil who is constant in his attendance at 
the College, and regularly obtains his diploma, against those who 
are establishing themselves in all parts of the country, calling them¬ 
selves veterinary surgeons, but who never were at the College, or 
staid but a few weeks or months only.” Mr. Dickens, of Kim- 
bolton, writes to the same purpose. “ If there is one portion that 
wants alteration more than another, it is that relating to the men 
who are imposing on the public under the name of veterinary sur¬ 
geons, but have no other pretension than that of having walked 
into the place—deposited the twenty guineas—wasted a few short 
months amidst the gaities and vices of the metropolis, and then 
returned, without having been seen in the College more than twice 
or thrice, and have never dared to apply for their diploma. I knew 
such an one who was a mere casual pupil—a day scholar at the 
College—who never attempted to pass, but has, since that time, 
started two brothers as veterinary surgeons, and now advertizes 
himself as a veterinary teacher. It is against men like these that 
the regular practitioner ought to be and must be protected.” 
With reference to the fee demanded at the College, Mr. Mayer 
stated, that there Avas but one opinion throughout the Avhole pro¬ 
fession as to the propriety and necessity of its being increased, 
and that to a very considerable extent. The decided majority of 
practitioners were for having it doubled. Mr. Taylor said that “ he 
should like to hear that the fee for each pupil was forty guineas 
instead of twenty, and on these terms he would rather send his 
son, who would, he hoped, become a pupil in a few years.” Mr. 
Hallen thus writes, and his argument is unanswerable: “ I am in¬ 
duced to believe that the additional sum proposed 'is too small. 
If the present lecturers are now ill-paid, how can the additional 
sum of ten guineas remedy the defect, especially wlien it is 
considered, that the appointment of a fourth lecturer is demanded. 
VOL. XIII. ‘3 T 
