414 
EDITOKIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
off in the numbers examined had resulted from augmentation of 
the fee;—that its reduction would not obviate the evil of per¬ 
sons practising (as veterinary surgeons) without, diplomas, since 
many had done so with certificates from the Veterinary Me¬ 
dical Society (which they palmed on the public as diplomas); — 
that the ten-guinea fee had nothing to do with such practices, 
in proof of which might be adduced the “ downward progress” 
of the Edinburgh School;—and that the dignity of the profession 
demanded a high rather than a low fee, the latter of which could 
not fail to introduce a class of men into the profession whom we 
were much better without. 
From the foregoing statements and arguments, we gather, 
that the question at issue really and in truth narrows itself into 
the compass and consideration of the difference between ten 
guineas and six,— alias, into four guineas; a sum we would 
fain suppose as too low of itself to have, even on the aspirant 
in the veterinary world, such influence and effects as have been 
attributed to it. It was admitted at the Council Meeting, that 
the ten-guinea fee had not diminished the number of pupils 
entering at the Veterinary College; it was also shewn that, ' 
taking an average of years, no computable difference had been 
observed in the candidates for membership ; nevertheless, there 
seemed to be a feeling prevalent, that such numbers would 
undergo augmentation providing the “ heavy ” fee for exami¬ 
nation were diminished. That ten guineas, taken as a whole, 
may be a sum not at all times so easily raised among veterinary 
pupils at the time it is required, we can very well understand ; 
but that the reduction of that sum by four guineas only can 
make the material difference between a pupil going up for ex¬ 
amination and staying away, we cannot quite so clearly compre¬ 
hend. If the objects be cheap education, cheap examination, 
&c., more candidates may be, no doubt, allured by the reduc¬ 
tion plan; but does this additional influx constitute all that we 
are fighting or caring about ? Rather, would not such aug¬ 
mentation to the veterinary body in effect weaken instead of 
strengthen it, seeing we could not maintain the same standard 
of qualification and respectability we have even raised for our¬ 
selves up to the time being? 
