320 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
And besides all that, a great pressure was brought to bear on 
myself and others to establish a veterinary college at this point in 
connection with the medical school of the State University. Here 
I was placed in a rather embarrassing position, as very influential 
friends of this institution and of myself, including the president, 
were the instigators of the plan. 
The first reply to the matter was that no such college should 
exist unless it had a full faculty and hospital accommodations. 
To this they (the instigators) agreed, but they thought it would 
cost comparatively little. I then wrote an estimation of the cost, 
and of course it was thousands of dollars above the supposed cost 
of the contemplated institution. But even this, it was urged, 
might be provided for by the Legislature. I feared, however, 
that it would jeopardize other demands. At last the State Vet¬ 
erinary Association had a meeting at Columbia and the subject 
was laid before this body by the most forward supporters of the 
plan. 
The matter was discussed in a friendly spirit by the medical 
faculty, the President of the University and the members of the 
society. Finally, on motion, the chair appointed a committee to 
investigate the question and report to the University authorities. 
The report was adverse to the plan and this ended the matter. 
I may say here, in justice to myself, that I emphatically refused 
my consent to establishing a college with five or six physicians as 
teachers and only one veterinarian , although in my position I 
could not present any serious objection to the Slate establishing 
such a college if she did it on a solid basis. But I see no need for 
such an institution here under the circumstances. 
Now this attempt on the part of the University was thought 
by some of my friends to be my work. If it was, I must say the 
work was accomplished without any personal motives and without 
any effort upon my part towards that end. It shows one thing, 
however, no matter what the good veterinarians of Missouri and 
other places may think; it shows that the high educational cen¬ 
tres, supported by an agricultural State, have understood that vet¬ 
erinary science is useful and honorable, and that it should be fos¬ 
tered by all means. We have in this State a few graduates only. 
