EDITORIAL. 
3 
to contributors upon any subject of interest to veterinarians, and 
our friend Dr. Salmon knows very well that nothing would give 
us more pleasure than to receive more frequent communications 
from his brilliant staff, for the edification of the readers of the 
Review. But in the present case we regret that we cannot 
comply with his request for the only reason that having de¬ 
clined to print a portion of the articles offered to us by Dr. 
Billings, on the affirmative side of the controversy, it would 
hardly comport with the spirit of fair play to admit the argu¬ 
ment of the negative side of the contention, or aid one side to 
speak while condemning the other to silence. 
What reason can there be for any other course on our 
part? We are far from being influenced by any feeling of 
disrespect for either party ; both are hard-working veterinari¬ 
ans, and though they differ on the subject in question, as in 
others, we feel persuaded that neither has pursued the course 
that would be the best and wisest in the premises. In the 
publications of both we find statements based on reports of 
gentlemen who do not seem to us to be sufficiently qualified 
to conduct the necessary tests, for we believe that the only 
possible way for the settlement of the .questions in contention, 
and which will put them at rest upon positively professional 
grounds, is to have the necessary experiments made, watched, 
recorded and thoroughly authenticated and consummated by 
veterinarians alone. This, we believe, is the mode of proced¬ 
ure which was put in practice to decide professionally upon 
the means of prophylaxy suggested for other contagious dis¬ 
eases, and why should there be a deviation from this course in 
the present case ? 
The United States Veterinary Medical Association has 
funds lying unused in its treasury, and we respectfully sug¬ 
gest the appointment of a committee to institute and supervise 
the experiments which may be necessary on a certain number 
of hogs, and to report the result fully and finally. Can the 
Association make a better use of its unprofitable accumulating 
I capital ? Is not such an undertaking in the direct path of its 
work, and if not, what, in fact, is the purpose of its being ? 
