463 
COMMUNICATION FROM A. J. MURRAY, 
Student at the New Veterinary College, Edinburgh. 
York Place, Edinburgh ; July 18, 1860. 
Gentlemen, —A letter having appeared in the last num¬ 
ber of your journal from Mr. C. Moir, of Glasgow, in which 
some observations are made on a report of the proceedings 
of the West of Scotland Veterinary Medical Association, 
which appeared in the Veterinarian for June, I hope you will 
allow me to offer a few words in explanation of the matter. 
The evening before Professor Gamgee left for Glasgow, he 
told me, in common with other students, that he w r ould read 
a paper on “ Veterinary Obstetrics” the next day, before the 
West of Scotland Veterinary Medical Association; and 
several of us resolved on going with him; but some were 
prevented by other duties, and I attended alone, being intro¬ 
duced by Professor Gamgee to Mr. Moir and other gen¬ 
tlemen connected with the society. 
I was much interested in the debate, and took copious 
notes, from which, without any interference on the part of 
any one, much less Mr. Gamgee, I drew up the report which 
appeared in the North British Agriculturist , and subsequently 
in the Veterinary journals. 
Mr. Moir, in his letter says, that “Mr. Gamgee does not 
hesitate to cook a report, if it is to make himself appear 
clever in the eyes of the Professionby which I presume 
he means that the report does not contain a fair account of 
the proceedings of the meeting; but I certainly do not think 
that Mr. Moir has succeeded in showing that this is the 
case. Mr. Moir points out an inaccuracy in the report, 
where it is stated that Mr. Anderson and Mr. Cockburn re¬ 
commended a mare to be destroyed, while the fact w T as, that 
it was destroyed by the late Mr. M‘Robie. This mistake 
was quite unintentional, and I certainly cannot see how so 
trifling an error can be brought forward as evidence that the 
report was written to make Mr. Gamgee appear clever in the 
eyes of the Profession. 
With regard to the statement that “he makes it appear as 
if Mr. Aitken had said he always amputated at the knees,” I 
have only to say that as it appears it is perfectly correct, as Mr. 
Aitken said so in answer to Professor Gamgee* s question. 
With regard to the quotation from Professor Gamgee’s 
observations, “ Mr. Anderson’s remarks about the teaching 
of obstetrics in our schools being deficient,” &c.; these 
words were, of course, used by Professor Gamgee in refer- 
