88 
OPENING OF THE MELBOURNE VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
# deal with, but a variety of conditions which constantly tend to a 
deterioration in size, form, and quality, and to an increased liabili¬ 
ty to hereditary and other forms of disease. As a held for the 
study of comparative pathology few countries offer greater advan¬ 
tages than this. Prior to its being settled by Europeans it con¬ 
tained none of those animals that have been domesticated and 
have become the inseparable companions of civilized humanity; 
consequently, their comparatively recent introduction enables us 
to distinguish pathologically variations due to climatic or geo¬ 
graphical causes. Many of the diseases from which our animals 
suffer differ in no material respect from those of the same charac¬ 
ter produced by similar causes in other countries, whilst others 
appear to be considerably modified in character and intensity from 
climatic or other reasons. Others again may be termed indigenous 
to the country, and are not met with elsewhere. Many of the lat¬ 
ter are as yet but little understood, so that there is now an open 
field for a number of well-trained men, to say nothing of future 
requirements. As the country becomes more densely populated, 
and additional restrictions are placed upon animals by the further 
sub-division of pastoral lands, diseases are sure to increase in prev¬ 
alence and variety, and the need for veterinary surgeons wfill 
become still more urgent. In the field of therapeutics there is 
much room for investigation. Already many valuable medicinal 
plants have been discovered, and I doubt not there are dozens of 
others amongst our native flora that only require a series of well- 
conducted experiments to test their effects upon animals in order 
to prove them to possess great therapeutic value. This is essenti¬ 
ally the veterinarian’s province, and it is to be hoped that some of 
you gentlemen who enter upon your course of study to-day will 
acquire an aptitude and liking for this kind of work, and ultimate¬ 
ly become specialists in it. The chief aim of veterinary science 
is, or should he, the prevention of animal diseases, and, I might 
also add, many of the diseases incidental to human beings which 
are due, either directly or indirectly, to the animal food we eat. 
The sooner this is generally recognized the sooner will the teach¬ 
ing of veterinary science receive the appreciation its importance 
deserves. The prevention of animal diseases is a matter which 
