503 
ON VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 
By J. Aked, M.R.C.V.S., Blackburn. 
66 Vis Unita Fortior ” 
Is it that many of us do not understand the above motto, 
which is written on all our diplomas, or is it, as I am informed, 
that young men, especially those considering themselves 
competent to lecture and write for the guidance of others, 
are apt to be presumptuous, and being so, often become very 
inconsiderate ? 
It is much to be regretted that such differences of opinion 
and ill-will should exist amongst the members of our pro¬ 
fession ; and how Mr. Gamgee reconciles the scorning of the 
attempt of some to raise themselves by the detraction of 
others, I cannot understand; since, in my opinion, he sets 
the members of the profession down, up to the present time, 
as being all perfectly ignorant but himself. I for one should 
like his writings much better if he would make his statements 
without calling others to account, and give them credit for 
having done the best they could under the existing circum¬ 
stances. Perhaps he will hereafter find it difficult to do more. 
One man cannot possibly be clever at all things. The same 
study and training which w r ould make one clever at writing 
books, might entirely unfit him for rough country practice. 
The weak hand and ringed finger would be of little use in 
some cases of veterinary obstetrics. Knowledge is said to 
be power; but, however wise a man may be, if he cannot 
take up half a hundred-weight in one hand, and quietly raise 
it above his head, he will be of little use in relieving unna¬ 
tural presentations in the mare or cow. And this strength of 
hand and arm, I know from experience, can only be attained 
by being accustomed to much hard work. 
In my opinion, protracted cases of labour in the mare or 
cow are not necessarily so fatal as the public are led to believe 
from the lectures and cases published by the different gentle¬ 
men in the Veterinarian, Neither does my experience in such 
cases prove that the chances of success are infinitesimally 
small. 
With respect to obstetric instruments for the mare or cow, 
few are required, or can be used to any advantage. And in 
cases of unnatural presentations, with only the head turned 
on one side, a common scalpel, or a small knife of almost any 
kind, 1 have always found quite sufficient to do all that is 
