522 PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. 
though he may seem to have done what the best human prac¬ 
titioner, with more numerous and better guides, often does—al¬ 
though he may have mistaken the nature of the disease, and pur¬ 
sued a course of treatment which the result did not bear out,—does 
injustice to himself and his brethren. He has thrown himself 
into the case; he has exerted not merely ordinary care, but all 
the anxious attention of which he was capable, and although he 
has failed here, he has many another case of successful treatment to 
adduce, and some years, perchance, of well-deserved reputation. 
He is neither legally nor morally responsible. He has exhibited 
that general knowledge of his profession which offered a reason¬ 
able guarantee for the health of a valuable animal being confided 
to his care ; and one error, and even many more than one error 
in opinion as to the disease or the mode of treatment adopted, 
will make no difference in the business. He may, he will feel 
keenly enough the loss of the animal and the disappointment of 
the proprietor; but if he did give due, and constant, and anxious 
attention to the case, he will have a straightforward and an honest 
story to tell, which will not be quite unsatisfactory to his employer 
or the public; and if he yields to intimidation, and suffers him¬ 
self to be imposed upon, we say again, he does injustice to him¬ 
self and his brethren. 
We will venture even farther than this: we will suppose that, 
with a general knowledge of his profession, he has somehow or 
other betrayed a total want of professional skill and knowledge 
in the treatment of some particular case, or the performance of 
some particular operation. We tell him unhesitatingly that he is 
not here legally responsible; that the law does not require ex¬ 
treme skill in every minute division of practice. It does not re¬ 
quire that which was never found. All have their points of excel¬ 
lence, and all are sometimes sad blunderers. The law is satis¬ 
fied with that general knowledge which shall he a reasonable 
guarantee for confidence . He is not here legally responsible, and 
he may set his angry accuser or employer at defiance. How far 
he is morally responsible, is a question for his own conscience to 
decide : many a circumstance must be weighed to come to a deter¬ 
mination here, and the honourable practitioner will not be found 
wanting. 
