12 
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. 
Charter of Incorporation, as to advise, or even to suggest, any 
course that should not be in consonance with those provisions. 
There are always two sides to a question ; and why look onlv at 
one 1 For many years I knew the profession as one unrecognised, 
save by popular courtesy. I have been myself treated as only a 
labourer, and in the eyes of the law I was in my professional capa¬ 
city no better : by courtesy indeed it was otherwise ; but how dif¬ 
ferent it is to be recognised only by courtesy, and to claim a 
position as a right! Yet such was our position but a few short 
years since ; and during the time that our profession was a nullity, 
how* many men made it their study and their practice, called them¬ 
selves veterinary surgeons, and with as much right as those who 
possessed a document yclept a “ diploma.” If long possession 
gives a right by prescription, by what rule of justice ought we to 
be guided in such a case ? Ought we attempt to deprive those who 
were or are worthy of consideration of what they might fairly 
claim as a prescriptive right? If the legislature thought it meet 
not to extend the provisions of the Charter to those, it at the same 
time did not deprive of any existing right; but it did provide for 
the future, and clearly defined who were, and by inference who 
were not, to be henceforward “ veterinary surgeons.” All who may 
lay claim or who assume to be veterinary surgeons after the act 
of recognition by the Crown are impostors, and ought to be ex¬ 
posed as such ; but it was never contemplated interference with 
those who were already in existence, and whose position, right or 
wrong, must end with the generation. 
To those who were worthy I directed attention, and at the same 
time I also wished to draw their attention to the subject. Many 
are qualified to apply for an examination for a diploma, as Mr. 
Atcherly, of Bridgenorth, a practitioner of nearly thirty years’ 
standing, did very recently; and at this very time a gentleman of 
large practice and of some standing is about to do the same. To 
these I did address myself, and on these I commented; but I never 
did nor ever will do aught to uphold, advocate, or countenance the 
admission of badly qualified or improper persons into the body 
corporate, and to such a class the instance furnished by Mr. Cumin 
indubitably belongs. My own experience in many different locali¬ 
ties has brought me acquainted with many, very many, such cha¬ 
racters; but I never yet knew an instance in which they could be 
said to more than barely exist where there was a veterinary prac¬ 
titioner of skill, probity, and business habits. Where, as it too often 
happens, such is the case, there they do indeed abound ; but when 
the reverse exists, then their existence is but ephemeral. I will 
mention but one instance which occurred in a cathedral city which 
I well knew. A ci-devant groom thought proper to assume to be 
