402 
THOMAS GIFFEN. 
their predecessor, and before taking the case in hand they should 
have a clear understanding that the client has entirely dispensed 
with the services of the first practitioner. In fact, veterinarians 
should be very reluctant to replace a brother practitioner when 
the change is due to mere caprice. The client should be shown 
that the principle involved is regarded as of greater importance 
than the securing of a fresh fee or a new case. 
When a change occurs the incoming practitioner should be 
particular to avoid criticism of his brother veterinarian who had 
first charge. He should not lend his approval to disparaging 
remarks, more than likely ill-founded, that maybe made regard¬ 
ing the preceding mode-of treating the case. To act in this 
way betrays very poor judgment. Veterinarians know how un¬ 
just these criticisms usually are, and that often they are directed 
against a well trained and highly qualified practitioner. A re¬ 
action is sure to follow any such encouragement of hostile com¬ 
ment on a fellow professional, and in the interest of the pro¬ 
fession such a course is to be deprecated. Whether such style 
of comment is made to simply chime in with the fault-finding 
of a client or his representative, or whether it is due to a more 
malicious purpose, it lowers in public esteem the value of veter¬ 
inary science. 
It must be said that there are some instances of professional 
rudeness that almost seem incredible. I have in mind a case 
in which a veterinary surgeon was called in where another one 
had preceded him. The new-comer without informing himself 
regarding the treatment adopted by his predecessor began work 
by smelling a bottle which he found convenient, afterwards 
breaking it, and exclaiming that he could have saved the life of 
the horse but for the way the other practitioner had treated the 
case. 
I have also known a case in which a veterinarian, brought in 
secondly, took the balls which his predecessor had ordered and 
threw them out of the window. An instance is also within my 
experience where two veterinarians were attending at the same 
stable to treat their respective horses, and one of them was in 
