142 MR. youatt’s introductory lecture. 
all events, however, I shall have directed the attention of my 
pupils to these important topics. I shall have obtained some 
zealous, and, possibly, successful, fellow-labourers in this neglected 
branch of medical science, and of paramount national interest: 
and, at no great distance of time, the ravages of these diseases 
may be somewhat restrained. Diligent and scientific inquiry 
may effect a portion of that good, with respect to cattle, which 
the improvement of the veterinary art has effected in the health 
and value of the horse. Grease and glanders, formerly the fre¬ 
quent inhabitants of almost every stable, are comparatively un¬ 
known. Where twenty cases existed twenty years ago, not one 
is now observed. If the same improvement could be made (and 
why should it not?) in the treatment of cattle; or if only one in 
four could be saved from death, what an important advantage 
would be gained. If the attention of agricultural societies, or, 
perchance, that of government, should be directed to an object 
that should long ago have occupied their most serious considera¬ 
tion, these lectures will not have been delivered in vain. 
The horse will be the prominent object of our attention, not so 
much as, in the aggregate, the most valuable animal, but as 
oftenest coming under our notice. As we pass over the different 
systems into which our lectures will be best divided,—the senso¬ 
rial,—the circulatory,—the respiratory,—the digestive, &c. the 
anatomy and physiology, and diseases of the various parts and or¬ 
gans will be first considered with reference to him; and then the 
difference of structure and function and disease in other domes¬ 
tic animals. The character of the lectures will depend much on 
the kind of class I may have the good fortune to form: suffici¬ 
ently scientific, I trust, to satisfy the veterinary and medical 
student, yet not so abstruse or technical as to cease to interest 
the general enquirer. 
Part of my journey will be over hitherto untrodden ground. 
I shall have no resources but such as I may have derived from 
my own little practice and experience : my pupils will not forget 
this; nor will they be surprised or offended if I occasionally 
should betray a somewhat imperfect knowledge of my subject. I 
will guide them as far as I can ; but if I am honest to them and 
to myself, I must not attempt to teach that which I do not know. 
The experience of others will be gradually added to mine, and 
some mysterious portions of our subject will be gradually better 
understood. Until then they will deal leniently with this first at¬ 
tempt,—they will pardon occasional imperfections for the sake of 
the topics now first brought before them. Give me, gentlemen, 
your candid attention and kind support. I will find zeal and in¬ 
dustry; and then, possibly, neither you, nor the University, nor 
the lecturer, will have occasion to regret our periodical meetings. 
