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THE VETERINARIAN, AUGUST 1, 1863, 
m 
Ne quid falsi diccie audeat, ne quid veri non audeat.— Cicero. 
THE ADVANTAGES OF ASSOCIATION. 
It has been said by the AYise Alan tliat “ iron sharpens 
iion.-’^ We have ever been earnest, and we hope honest, 
advocates for the periodical meeting together of the members 
of our profession, and in the earlier period of our life we 
made not a few efforts to bring this about. To some 
extent we succeeded, although not so fully, nor so satisfac¬ 
torily, as we had anticipated. This non-success, in a great 
measure, we believe, arose from the want of co-operation, 
the result of that apathy which still unfortunately lurks 
among us, exerting its baneful influence. Others did not 
see as we did the advantages that must have followed had 
this been carried on and extended. 
To point out the benefits arising from the associating 
together of persons whose interests and pursuits are the 
same, would be altogether supererogatory. It must be 
patent to all, for even the shallowest mind cannot fail to 
perceive that a large amount of good must in the end result, 
and self-interest alone would induce him to become one of 
the body, even were he influenced by no higher motive. Of the 
truth of this position we l.ave abundant illustrative proofs in 
nature. The microscopic Foraminifera would be altogether 
useless units in the scale of creation if they were separate 
and alone; but by combination they effect seeming wonders, 
building up coral reefs and forming oceanic barriers that 
sometimes defy the ingenuity and the power of man to 
overcome. According to Mr. Rymer Jones, these minute 
organisms are more numerous than any other beings. He 
states that not even those minute crustaceans, whose 
mvriads crowd the seas until thev erivc their colour to the 
waters—not even the Infusoria themselves, wliose shells 
compose the polishing slates of commerce, or constitute the 
bergmehl and other rich deposit of animal or vegetable 
