386 
THE VETERINARY PROFESSION. 
gratuitously—-merely charging for medicine I have tried by 
writing prescriptions, and making no charge at all, allowing 
the people to procure the medicines at the shop of the drug¬ 
gist, but all to no purpose. Then it will be asked. What is 
done in Ireland with the poor cattle when suffering from 
disease? I will reply by relating in simple, unmistakeable 
language the means had recourse to to alleviate their 
sufferings. 
In the first place, I would state that there exist peculiar 
fancies with reference to a certain kind of water, commonly 
designated holy water , and which is used to a very large extent 
by the country-people. In the next place, we have in 
this county the murrain-stone, in the possession of Lord 
Waterford, found at Jerusalem 500 years ago. This is a 
specific (after having received the priest’s blessing) for 
all kinds of diseases. I have seen this talisman or charm, and 
have handled it; its appearance is like a ball of glass, and a 
little larger than a racket-ball. In the third place, we have the 
“herd,” a man who advertises himself thus —“ Understands 
the treatment of diseases, both of cattle and sheep, and is a 
good butcher.” By referring to the f Irish Farmer’s Gazette/ 
it will be seen that these kind of advertisements often appear. 
Finally, I can assure my readers that those who farm largely 
prefer to hire a herd who undertakes the management of cattle 
both in health and disease, than to employ a veterinary sur¬ 
geon ; therefore, if what I have stated be true, it may well be 
asked what need is there of a supernumerary veterinary college 
in Dublin ? I am of opinion that the people must be educated 
before the plan will succeed. In this county there are but two 
veterinary surgeons, and they are both residing in this town 0 
In the adjoining county, Kilkenny, there are also two. In 
Wexford none. Tipperary has but one, and so on. This, 
I think, speaks volumes. In Clonmel, county Tipperary, 
there were two, one of whom died a few years since, and 
no other member of the profession has thought it worth his 
while to take his place. It seems that all through this 
country the same feeling exists. If the Royal Dublin Society, 
or any other, would invite the people to hear lectures upon the 
management, &c., of cattle, so as to make the thing popular, 
then, in all probability, there v/ould be some prospect of the 
success of such an undertaking as a new veterinary college. As¬ 
suming that they succeed in building a college, and fifty 
young men enrol their names as students, pass an examina¬ 
tion, obtain the diploma of the college, and start in the vrorld 
as practitioners of veterinary medicine, how are they to obtain 
a livelihood ? If they have friends to support them for at 
