460 
CALCULI IN TIIE KIDNEY. 
have met with such a one. A veterinary surgeon is called 
to a case of lameness, the cause of which is occult. The 
animal has been under the treatment of some well-known 
quack, and the owner probably is a good judge of a horse, 
and thinks he is well versed in horse matters. Besides, he lias 
a knowing friend or two, who have also given their opinion 
upon the case in question, but, strange to say, there are as 
many opinions as there are persons. The veterinary surgeon 
is therefore summoned, and is introduced to A. B. and C. 
I need not endeavour to decipher the knowing looks of these 
gentlemen as the veterinary surgeon is quietly and cautiously 
examining the horse in question, as every practitioner of ten 
years* standing must have had some experience of the kind, 
or if he has not he may consider himself a lucky man. At 
length the examination is concluded, and an opinion given, 
contrary, perhaps, to all those which had been so freely ex¬ 
pressed by A. B. and C. Now, we will presume, for argu¬ 
ment sake, that the explanation given of the case is such 
that all the parties are agreed with the veterinary surgeon, 
and we may ask what value is placed upon the opinions of 
those who have been called to the consultation. Simply 
none at all. Each says to his friend, “ Ah, my dear fellow, 
you were mistaken ! The f vet/ is right/* 
Now, let us take an opposite view of the question. The 
veterinary surgeon gives a hasty opinion, and one which 
proves to be incorrect. What is now the result? Why, 
every horseman, both in town and country, is told what has 
occurred, and even a great deal more, for a story never loses 
anything by travelling, so that the mistake is not forgotten 
for a long time, and by some persons it is never effaced 
from their memory. The professional man is thus made to 
suffer, while those who possess no knowledge of the art 
escape censure. 
I have penned these few remarks by way of caution to 
those who are apt to give hasty opinions of their cases. It 
has been rightly said, “ there is no royal road to learning/* 
CALCULI IN THE KIDNEY OF A COW. 
By John Vick, M.B.C.V.S., Gloucester. 
Herewith I send you some calculi taken from the kidneys 
of a cow that died on Friday, May 30th. I had previously 
