COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND EDUCATION. 
549 
vere to a great extent counterbalanced in many instances by 
he short course institutions having a greater nnmber of able 
veterinarians upon their faculties, with wider experience as 
eachers, and that about as much instruction as regards the 
lumber of lectures and clinics is crowded into the two winter 
erms as is spread out over three years in the longer-course 
nstitutions. The advantages possessed by the longer period 
>f study is that the student retains the knowledge he acquires 
lowly much better than that which is crammed into him in 
l short space of time, and that he assimilates the information 
hat he becomes possessed of gradually much more satisfac- 
orily than that which he receives in a marvelously short 
jvhile. 
Another advantage of the longer course of tuition is that 
here are certain branches of medical study that cannot be 
mrsued properly unless the pupil has the benefit of la'bora- 
ory facilities, where he can demonstrate facts for himself, or 
>repare specimens with his own hands. A chemistry course, 
or example, which consists of a number of lectures compiis- 
ng a dazzling and remarkable series of experiments from be¬ 
ginning to end, may be very entertaining and amusing, but is 
if little benefit as a means of practical instruction compared 
o laboratory work where the student can become familiar 
vith common chemicals, their behavior under ordinary coa¬ 
litions, and a few simple tests for their detection. The same 
s true of histology, pathological histology and bacteriology, 
^ectures are not satisfactory in comparison with work in the 
aboratory where the future veterinarian can learn to cut, 
tain and mount sections, stain and cultivate germs, and make 
nicroscopical examinations of his work for himself. The 
id vantages possessed by the agricultural colleges that give 
veterinary degrees are in their facilities for laboratory work : 
ind while they may be weak in the means for imparting 
ictual medical and veterinary knowledge, yet they are strong 
n the scientific branches of instruction; therefore if their 
graduates had to hustle for an existence in competition with 
graduates of regular veterinary schools, they might starve to 
death, yet we see them fitted to enter the field of original 
