VETERINARY ETHICS. 
139 
ETHICS AS A MEANS OF ELEVATING THE VETERINARY 
PROFESSION. 
By A. Liautakd, M D., V.M. 
(A paper read before the Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association.) 
Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Massachusetts Veterinary 
Medical Association. 
It is in accordance with the common proverb so fully ac- 
:epted in this country, u Be sure you re right, then go ahead /' 
ind after carefully weighing the matter, that 1 have conclud¬ 
ed to prepare the remarks to which you are about to listen. 
A.nd now that I am before you, without any doubt as to your 
readiness to give me your attention, the question “Am 1 
fight?” again presents itself for my decision, and it is not 
iltogether with a feeling of comfortable certainty that I 
mswer “Yes,” and “go ahead” accordingly. 
From whence does this doubt arise? Not because 1 fear 
that the subject of this paper does not deserve our attention, 
tor because of its possible failure to receive from you a favor- 
tble consideration. No,—but because while seeing so many 
’riends around me, and remembering their warm and cordial 
land-shakes, and other proofs of their kind feelings, I almost 
tear to go on lest I should forfeit the friendship and lose the 
esteem they have so liberally manifested towards me, by giv¬ 
ing utterance in my remarks to something which may wound 
the sensitiveness and disturb the feelings of pride and of per¬ 
sonal opinion which I would studiously shrink from offending 
—because, in saying what I am about to say, I have some 
apprehension lest the cruel truth may not be complacently 
received by all, and my motives may not be fully appreciated, 
nor my remarks in all cases accurately construed or received 
m their intended sense and true application. 
Shall I proceed? Yes, —but before doing so, let me assure 
you that nothing that I may say shall be influenced by the 
slightest desire to become a personal critic of any one’s 
actions or conduct. Let me assure you, in beginning, that, 
far from being desirous to find fault or to attach blame in any 
direction, my sole wish is for the elevation and honor of our 
