EDITORIALS. 
163 
We have repeatedly stated that when once Americans would 
begin to lealize the importance of the veterinary profession, it 
would take but little for her to be ahead of old Europe. While 
these remarks may have brought smiles of ironic incredulity to 
the faces of some of our readers, it is certain that nevertheless 
the proofs of the correctness of our suggestions are gradually 
becoming more and more evident, especially in this subject of 
legislative legulation. Why, as we have said before, many of 
our States have passed laws to that effect, and how long is it 
that the veterinary profession has existed in America ? Look 
then at P ranee, tne birthplace of the profession, the nursery 
we might say of the veterinarians of the world, and notwith¬ 
standing the energetic efforts made by the whole body of her 
veterinarians it is only recently that a bill has been introduced 
in the Chamber of Deputies by the Secretary of Agriculture to 
reach the point where we have already arrived. Our French 
colleagues have for a long time urged the necessity of such pro¬ 
tective measures, but as yet have not succeeded as well as we 
have on this side of the Atlantic. They have our best wishes 
for the passage of their bill. 
* 
In connection with this same subject of “ regulation of veter¬ 
inary practice” there is another channel which of late seems to 
have been worked up, and that is the appointment of State 
Boai d of Examiners. Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and we 
believe other States have entered into the field and gladly we 
watch the movement and anxiously wait for the result. A State 
Board of Examiners, however, we lear might do as much mischief as 
if there was no law nor examination. To be of any advantage 
it must examine only graduates of veterinary medicine, and not 
persons desirous to practice without diplomas. The days of the 
self-made practitioner are gone, they must not be revived by 
legislative action, and we hope that veterinarians will strongly 
oppose the passage of any bill which would give a new start in 
life to quackery, so much more dangerous that it would be sup¬ 
ported by political influence, as this may after all find its way in 
