478 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE U. S. Y. M. A. 
Watertown, So. Dak., Oct. 14th, 1891. 
Editor A merican Vet . Review: 
SIR: Though not a member of the American Veterinary 
Medical Association, I wish to say a few words in regard to 
“ the desirable requirements for admission to membership. 
All progressive veterinarians should certainly take a deep 
interest in this question of higher education, referred to (edi¬ 
torially) in the October issue of the Review. It must be 
admitted, on all hands, that it would be a grand thing for the 
profession if all veterinary schools were to unite in this mat¬ 
ter, and have rules laid down for the matriculation course of 
study and final examination of all future members of the pro¬ 
fession. I have watched with deep interest the doings of 
the U. S. Veterinary Medical Association for some yeais, 
and many of us in the far west hail with pleasure the seem¬ 
ingly hearty discussion of this subject at the last meeting, 
after the action of the 1890 session which admitted membeis 
regardless of what course of study they went through, 01 
whether they were taught by one, four, or one dozen teach¬ 
ers. For instance, I have known many graduates from a cei- 
tain class of schools, who were well educated gentlemen in 
English and mathematics, but very deficient in the theory 
and practice of veterinary medicine and surgery, yet they set 
themselves up as veterinary surgeons. Just imagine a mem¬ 
ber of the United States Veterinary Medical Association 
quarantining a fine stallion for ninety days as being affected 
with syphilis, when the penis was chafed a little from some 
outward cause, or of being called to examine a valuable 
horse, pronouncing the animal as being just a little out of 
sorts, but that in the course of a week would be all right 
and in the stud again, but alas ! the horse was dead in a few 
hours after. 
On being called to examine a large flock of sheep where 
some of the flock were thin and sickly, through bad caie 
