COMMUNICATION FROM A GRADUATE. 
393 
meeting; and as I have had a letter from a practitioner, 
and may have others, I shall feel obliged if } T ou will correct 
it in your next number. 
I am made to say (alluding to Mr. Ernes’ committee) 
“ that every practitioner had had a circular,” it should have 
been “every practitioner would have a circular.” 
I remain, yours faithfully. 
To the Editors of the '■Veterinarian? 
COMMUNICATION FROM A GRADUATE. 
M essrs. Editors, —I am one of those unlucky mortals 
alluded to by Mr. Helmore in the last report, in the Veteri - 
narian,o{ the meeting of the College of Veterinary Surgeons ; 
viz., I entered the Royal Veterinary College, and attended 
two years, and, perhaps, paid as much attention as most of 
my brother students. I also paid my ten guineas, and was 
examined in due course, and, of course, was plucked. Since 
then, such has been my situation in life that it would cost 
me far, far more than I could in any way spare to again 
attend even for a month in order to present myself for another 
examination ; for such is the peculiarity of my profession, 
and so much does its success depend on my personal sur¬ 
veillance, that 1 believe my employers would not tolerate any 
absence, whatever might be the excuse made by me ; and I 
am pretty certain that were I to attempt to visit the college 
again, that every two or three days I must be compelled to 
return. Now I have no desire to shelter empiricism, neither 
have I any wish to shield those who go to college and drink 
in porter instead of knowledge; but this I do hope, that in 
any steps which may be taken relative to the matter of “ re¬ 
cognition,” that no injustice will be done to those placed in 
an unfortunate position like my own. I am grateful for 
what the college has conferred upon me in its teachings, and 
I hope it will not now do aught to mar this feeling of gra¬ 
titude. But for me to pass an examination now would be 
impossible, although I am certain that I could convince any 
man of my ability to practise in an hour’s conversation. 
I write these hurried lines to induce my professional 
friends to think before they act, so that they may sympathise 
with a brother, and not add an injury to the misfortune of 
his having been plucked ! 
I am, yours truly, 
A Graduate forty years old. 
To the Editors of the ‘ Veterinarian .’ 
