TRANSLATIONS FROM CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 363 
periodical are entirely taken up by a project of law for the 
protection of the qualified veterinary surgeon against the 
empiric. The necessity of a law for the protection of the 
veterinary profession analogous to that in existence for the 
medical profession, has long been felt in France. No less 
an authority than M. Renault, Inspector of the Veterinary 
Schools, has said that he remarked , with regret , the progressive 
decline of the veterinary profession. The cause of this, as every 
one in the profession knows, is the want of a law to regulate 
the exercise of it. In 1848 a commission was named by the 
Minister of Agriculture to prepare a project of law for the 
protection of veterinary medicine, which, however, was not 
followed up, and it is from that time principally that may be 
dated the decline of the profession. Many of those who obtain 
their diploma after four years 5 hard study finding that, on 
account of the numerous quacks existing, they are not suffi¬ 
ciently employed to get a living, turn their attention to some 
other source of gaining a livelihood; and many of those who 
continue to practise are compelled to add some other business 
to it, such as a chemist and druggist, grocer, or even coffee¬ 
house and innkeeper. According to M. Leblanc, the number 
of qualified veterinary surgeons in actual practice in France is 
only 2400, not more than double what they were in 1813, 
when the decree for the formation of marechal-expert was 
passed. No other proof is necessary to show that, if the 
profession is not gradually decreasing, at all events there is 
no proportional increase. This project of law consists of 
fourteen clauses. The first clause enacts that no one shall 
take the title of veterinary surgeon unless he has legally 
obtained a diploma. The second clause enacts, that no one 
shall medically treat domestic animals unless he has the title 
of veterinary surgeon, except those comprised in Clause 3, 
which reserves the right to practise the veterinary art—1st, to 
those who have obtained the certificate of marechal-expert in 
conformity with the imperial decree of 1813; 2d, to those 
who, at the promulgation of the present law, have been four 
years or more in the practice of the said art, and whose 
practical knowledge shall have been attested by a jury named 
by the prefet of the department for that purpose, the jury to 
be composed of three veterinary surgeons, one physician, and 
one agriculturist; but it is provided that the candidates shall 
present themselves within two years after the passing of the 
law; this certificate to be available only for the department 
in which it has been granted, and the marechal-expert to 
submit to another examination when a change of depart¬ 
ment is intended. 
