34 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
institute careful post-mortem examinations, and in all cases 
of interest to obtain, as far as possible, the history of them. 
Such being placed on record they will hereafter be referred 
to with profit, for Locke has well observed that the 
pictures of the mind are painted in fading colours, and 
unless frequently refreshed they vanish and disappear.^^ 
If we diligently observe and carefully record our observa¬ 
tions, although for a time there may seem to be darkness 
and ambiguity, in ’the end light will break in and truth be 
discovered. 
Believing that it would, in no slight measure, increase the 
worth of our journal, early in the year we expressed a wish 
to obtain a series of papers on some subject, of course 
leaving the selection thereof to the author. We soon ob¬ 
tained from Professor Brown, to wdiom we had been pre¬ 
viously indebted, a prompt and kind acquiescence. Although 
it may be asked. What, has only one responded from among 
your many friends? We reply to this, all things must have 
a beginning. An acorn may be considered but an insig¬ 
nificant thing; its development, however, is the majestic 
oak, and this may produce a forest. A single raindrop may 
not be noticed as it falls, yet perchance it may cause the. 
rosebud to open, and multiples of it form the rippling rill, 
which soon expands into a river, that irrigates and fertilizes 
the soil through which it passes, causing it to become 
fruitful, and thus to minister to the wants of man. 
There was a novelty in our last volume that we cannot 
refuse ourselves the gratification of commenting on. It 
was a paper on the all-important subject of Ventilation, by 
Mr. Walton Mayer, V.S. Royal Artillery Train, read by 
him at a meeting of the Army Veterinary Medical Asso¬ 
ciation, Aldershot. Although the paper itself is replete 
with interest, and contains statistics of great value, it is not, 
however, so much in reference to its worth, since it is in the 
possession of our readers, and they can judge of its merits, 
that we advert to it, but because of the source whence it 
emanated. These local associations have our warmest 
commendation, and we hope soon to know that they are 
multiplied. There is no reason Avhy every county at least 
should not possess one. This w'e have said before, and we 
