620 
INAUGUltAL ADDRESS. 
of disease—and which in due course must also have their 
proper share of attention. 
Botany, although not yet taught in this Institution, is no 
less an essential part of the education of the veterinary sur¬ 
geon. The views of my colleagues and myself have been so 
frequently expressed with regard to this subject, and enforced 
by such a multiplicity of arguments, that it has become almost 
a work of supererogation to again refer to it. Professor 
Headland has truly observed that “ the importance of this 
science, as an addition to the curriculum of general education, 
is at present very universally admitted. Even for a man who 
is altogether uninterested in the pursuit of medicine, it is cer¬ 
tainly not a thing to be proud of, that, while well informed 
in other points, he should be totally unacquainted with the 
names, and as totally ignorant of the properties of the com¬ 
mon herbs that flourish in our fields and hedgerows. For 
the tourist, the emigrant, the agriculturist, the country gen¬ 
tleman, some knowledge of botany may be said to be almost 
indispensable ; whereas, to the student of medicine an ac¬ 
quaintance with this science is of still more immediate im¬ 
portance. It teaches him to distinguish by their outward 
characters the vegetable products that constitute so large a 
portion of our materia medica; it enables him to select with 
certainty from among our native plants those which are 
poisonous, those which are medicinal, and those which are 
useful as food.” The want of instruction on this science 
within these walls ought not, however, to deter you from its 
pursuit; for, placed, as most of you are, in the rural districts, 
during several of the summer months, you can do much to 
supply this defect. With a book or two on the elements of 
botany, and a careful selection of plants as they successively 
put forth their flowers, you will soon master the rudiments 
of the science. Remember that in every science there is an 
alphabet to be learned, and to. be learned thoroughly before 
any advance can be made. This once acquired, further read¬ 
ing and research will soon perfect that which was so well 
begun. There is no kind of study which you could pursue 
in the intervals between the courses of lectures delivered 
here, which is more exhilarating and healthful; while, as has 
been truly said, Ci the objects themselves are among the most 
beautiful in creation.” Do not fall into the too common 
error of supposing that your teachers are alone responsible 
for your professional acquirements. You must be fellow- 
workers w r ith them in depositing the seed, or you cannot 
expect to reap the fruits of the harvest. A knowledge of 
the necessity of a thing on our parts is a totally different 
