ANNUAL DINNER. 
379 
our board has been accepted, how ready they were to support 
us in anything we might attempt. I think we have before 
us a pretty good assurance that this day we have laid a foun¬ 
dation upon which a superstructure may be raised. I trust 
that next year the President will be altogether unfettered, 
and be able to follow^ the noble example that has been set 
by our friend, Mr. Field. (Cheers.) 
Mr, Wilhinson briefly proposed “The Schools and Teachers,^* 
coupling with it the name of Professor Gamgee. 
' Professor Gamgee said he was but a young veterinary pro¬ 
fessor, but he hoped long to continue in that position, for 
he loved the w^ork assigned to him. It was a great gratifi¬ 
cation to the teacher to see young men rising in intelligence 
and understanding in the subjects in which they were 
instructed; and the arduous labours that devolved upon 
him were very much relieved by the knowledge that they 
were in every way appreciated. Even in his brief experience 
he had seen ample evidence of how much could be accom¬ 
plished by a little work, if carried on with energy and per¬ 
severance. He hoped the day was not far distant when the 
veterinary colleges would have a better opportunity of doing 
justice to themselves and to the students they educated. 
The raw material supplied to them was of a good description, 
but more time was required to prepare it. He hoped that 
summer sessions would be established, and that the course 
of instruction would extend over three years instead of two. 
Pr, Sharjoeg. —Mr. President and gentlemen, this evening 
repeated allusion has been made to the connection of the 
medical profession with the members of your special pro¬ 
fession on the Board of Examiners. But I confess I scarcely 
expected when I entered this room that it w’ould have fallen 
to me to bring before you what may be called the toast of 
the evening. It is a toast which I should feel very great 
diffidence in proposing, were it not one that speaks for 
itself. It is often said that “good wine needs no bush 
and I am sure, when I tell you that the toast I have to pro¬ 
pose is “ The Veterinary Profession,^^ you will at once see that 
my task may be a very easy one. I think it is a matter of 
very great congratulation to us that the veterinary profession 
is now fairly established on a scientific basis; and I cannot 
but feel that this is in a very great measure owing to the 
successful labours of the Royal Veterinary College, and, in 
later years, to the establishment of the College of Veteri¬ 
nary Surgeons. In looking at the paper before me I see 
there is something like a complaint, and the expression of 
a feeling of reproach that, of all the persons engaged in the 
