EDITORIAL 
247 
o bring upon that body and upon its presiding head a wide 
observation and a resulting repute of the utmost importance 
o its status and to his personal standing. The meeting in 
Chicago, if it can be made to partake of an international char- 
cter like those which have been held in Europe, will be 
ooked upon as the culmination of what may be considered 
he anniversary of the birth of an American veterinary pro- 
sssion, and on such an occasion it is incumbent on the United 
dates Veterinary Medical Association to have as its recog- 
ized head a man in the presidential chair who will not only 
*e, after the old manner, a re-elected officer, but one who can 
tly fill the position of the representative leader of progress 
nd elevation of veterinary science in America in 1893. 
Veterinary Societies and their Obligations. —These 
rganizations are of comparatively recent date, and, in fact, 
/e need only to look a few years back to discover a period 
Ten, with two or three exceptions, no such bodies existed 
1 the United States. Within a recent period, however, they 
ave greatly multiplied in number, in fact, quite in propor- 
on to the progress otherwise which has marked the profes- 
ion. And to-day there is scarcely a State without its gen- 
ral society, and in several instances these are supplemented 
y local organizations working independently of the higher 
ody. The creation of these bodies was welcomed by every 
ne, and we took pains to particularly congratulate their or- 
anizers and to welcome their calls for meetings as among 
le most important signs of a forward movement among vet- 
rinarians. 
We certainly had no reason to doubt the intentions of our 
Teagues, and when from the beginning we received their 
ivitations to attend their meetings, and were handed the 
finutes of their proceedings, we gave them the hospitality 
f our pages, together with all their transactions, papers and 
iscussions. All this time we felt that these societies were 
uly realizing one of their most important obligations toward 
ie profession, and we prepared ourselves, as one of the or- 
ans of veterinary medicine in America, to show them that 
e were fully in accord with their views, and quite willing to 
