I 
116 W. Y. WILLIAMS. 
greatness ; or, if the inquirer tries his remedies, prescribed by 
guess, the editor may sink low in the inquirer’s estimation, dragging 
down his brethren with him, leaving Inquirer to believe that all 
veterinarians are like the editor, too ignorant to cure an animal 
without seeing it, or having any good grounds upon which to 
form a safe diagnosis. 
But the worst harm comes to the young, struggling practition¬ 
er, who is perhaps treating a case, having made a proper diagno¬ 
sis, but the owner becoming dubious of the young man’s attain¬ 
ments, and annoyed at the slow progress of the case, writes a short 
description to the majestic veterinary editor, who replies through 
his column, giving a wholly different diagnosis, &c., which the 
owner accepts as necessarily correct, as the editor says so, and dis¬ 
charges the young practitioner unceremoniously, and in the most 
discouraging manner. 
We have seen these influences, and know just how one feels. 
Gratuitous prescriptions also mislead well meaning stock owners 
to attempt the treatment of serious cases, without the assistance 
of an available practitioner, until too late for success, when the 
practitioner gets the blame for bad results, and with him the pro¬ 
fession at large, the owner concluding both to be inefficient. 
Veterinary columns have been so conducted, however, that 
they were beneficial to subscribers, publishers and the profession : 
wherein the editors have taken up topics of universal interest to 
live stock owners, regarding contagious or epizootic diseases, their 
characters, history, causes, means of extirpation or prevention ; or 
the dangers to the public health through contact with the affected 
animals, or through the consumption of meat or milk from such 
animals; or regarding some other of the more common ailments, 
their causes and prevention; or any topic regarding the mainte¬ 
nance of the health of our domestic animals. 
Some of our States have so far advanced in sentiment as to 
enact laws for our protection which have drawn educated mem¬ 
bers of the profession down to the level of empirics, the effects, 
so far, apparently proving the opposite of what was desired, assist¬ 
ing the empiric and crippling the qualified practitioner. Such a 
law was attempted in our State, but we believe we are fortunate 
that it has not passed. 
