ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 231 
The treatise of Vegetius was the last sigh of early veterinary 
medicine. A thick veil was thrown over it, it became sur¬ 
rounded on all sides with prejudice and ignorance, the treat¬ 
ment of sick animals was left to the lowest of society. To 
show the contempt those who undertook the care of sick 
animals were held in, it suffices but to relate that St. Ben net 
was tempted by the devil, who had taken the shape of a 
mulomedicus . The legend says : El antiquus fiostis in mulo- 
medici speclce ohviam factus est , cornu (the horn to drench) et 
tripedlcam (the hobbles) ferens. What has been left to us by 
the Arabs and the riding masters of the middle age in vete¬ 
rinary medicine, is nothing but a vulgar empiricism without 
originality or merit. The analysis given by Ercolani of the 
manuscripts in the library of the Vatican at Rome, and that 
of Florence, have enabled us to appreciate them at their just 
value. 
pecoris utetiam nos qui helium non pertulimus, debellatis tamen fecerit pesti¬ 
lent ia. These verses in the eclogue of Severus Sanctus give au account, of 
the progress of the malady, as well as of its contagious character. 
Haec jam dira leus serpere dicitur 
Pridem pannonios, Illvricos quoque, 
Et Belgas graviter stravit et impio, 
Cursu nos quoque petit. 
In all the wars in which Russia has taken part, including that of the 
Crimea, the cattle pest has always accompanied it. This malady, exclusively 
confined to the race of the steppes, only occurs in the other races by 
transmission. 
ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS, 
QUARTERLY MEETING OE THE COUNCIL, held Jan. 25, 1860. 
The President, W. Burley, Esq., in the chair. 
Present: Professor Spooner; Messrs. Dickens, Field, Hel- 
more, Legrew, Mavor, Richardson, Robinson, Silvester, 
Wilkinson, Withers, and the Honorary Secretary. 
The Hon. Secretary stated that a meeting of the Board of 
Examiners had been held on Wednesday, December 21st, 
1859, and that the following candidates had passed their ex¬ 
amination, and received the diploma of the College : 
Mr. John Anderson, Glasgow. 
,, T. J. Richardson, Tring. 
„ Frederick Jarvis, London. 
