EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
539 
is any thing but reputable to our profession that it does so; at the 
same time, we have no need to feel surprised at it. Horses pay a 
great deal better as patients than oxen and sheep ; their cost makes 
them better worth doctoring, and their owners, in general, are men 
who do not grumble at remunerating veterinary surgeons. It is 
not so generally with cattle. Farmers are not fond of “doctors’ 
bills” in any shape; and in none do they dislike, or indeed, refuse 
to have them, more than in accounts for medicine for their cows 
or sheep. 
Little demand for such knowledge has naturally been productive 
of neglected cultivation of it. The late Professor of the Royal 
Veterinary College knew nothing about—did not profess to teach 
any thing about—cattle pathology; the consequence was, while 
every pains were taken, and every aid called in, that could cast 
light on horse medicine, cattle medicine either remained in the 
hands of the cowleech, or, if taken up by the educated veterinarian, 
could be practised by him but through analogical inference from 
his horse practice. There were very few exceptions to this ; but 
there existed some. In different parts of the country there lived 
veterinary practitioners who by dint of their own exertions, aided 
perhaps by some knowledge they had derived from their fore¬ 
fathers, had become clever cow and sheep doctors, as well as horse 
doctors. Still, these were rare exceptions. 
This was the abandoned condition of cattle pathology when 
agricultural societies made their appearance. They succeeded in 
raising in public estimation the value of agriculture and every 
thing connected with it to a higher standard than ever it had at¬ 
tained before ; and as they caused advances to be made in the 
culture of the land, they found there was much to be done to im¬ 
prove the breed and management of cattle and sheep. And not 
long had this subject engaged their attention before they discovered 
that veterinary medicine was by no means that help to them in the 
cow-house and sheep-pen which it was acknowledged to be in the 
stable. They lost no time in setting about to remedy this defalca¬ 
tion. They voted sums of money for prizes and lectureships; 
they invited veterinarians to join their body; and in conjunction 
with those veterinarians, they have now appointed, or are about to 
do so, an “inspector,” who is to hold himself ready to be de- 
