400 
TWENTY-SEVENTH ANNUAL MEETING 
I look upon the fact that the citizen of the United States is intrusted with 
more important matters—electing the President, for example—than choosing a 
veterinary surgeon to treat his animals. 
We all want the best of everything—if we can afford it—and if we cannot we 
want the best we can afford; as it is in everything else, so I believe it is in veter¬ 
inary matters. The public are willing to receive us, and give us our proper 
sphere, but I am afraid we fall just a little below their ideal, and I doubt if legis¬ 
lation will bring us one bit nearer to it. 
Respectfully, 
John A. McLaughlin. 
On the other hand there are legislative measures to which we might 
much better give our attention, and compel the public and the government, both 
local and general, to appreciate the difference between the well educated veterin¬ 
arian and the ignorant empiric. Instead of endeavoring to pass laws to prevent 
some one hiring an ignoramus if he wants to, we should devote our untiring ener¬ 
gies to striving to secure a kind of legislation which, to my mind, would benefit 
us as individuals very much more, as well as the profession and the public. I 
refer to laws which would define, 1st, what an educated veterinarian is, and then 
forbid any veterinary testimony given in courts of law being considered as ex¬ 
pert, except it be given by a properly educated veterinary surgeon. I would also 
have it enacted that every State and city Board of Health have for one of its 
members a qualified veterinarian, and that such only should be employed for in¬ 
specting the animals at abattoirs, meats offered for sale in cities where a meat in¬ 
spector is employed, and that a system of dairy inspection to secure a healthy 
milk supply be inaugurated in all States, and that the dairy inspectors must be 
educated veterinarians. I would also have it enacted that when the officials of a 
State, city or town employ a veterinary surgeon he must be a legally qualified 
man. By thus compelling official recognition the public would be more rapidly 
educated up to distinguish between the educated man and the quack, than in any 
other way. 
In my own city of Boston for instance, the seat of culture and learning, 
where one might expect better things, you will find a veterinary college that you 
never even heard of ; it has but one graduate and only three professors. The 
triumvirate composing the faculty is the Boston Board of Fire Commissioners, 
and the graduate who drives around with “ V.S.” worked in gold letters on his 
coat collar, was formerly a hoseman. The records say that the Fire Commis¬ 
sioners used formerly to employ a veterinary surgeon when tliey required one; 
but the veterinary requirements of the department, as the city grew, became so 
great that the office of veterinary surgeon was established, and a member of a 
certain hose company promoted to fill the position. If any public office re¬ 
quiring a young M.D. were filled in such a way there would be a grand hue and 
cry, but as it is only a veterinary surgeon, it makes little difference who does the 
work. The emoluments of the position are probably not enough to cause a pang 
of envy to shoot through any one’s heart. I merely mention it as an instance. 
For a year past the Boston Board of Health has employed a qualified veterinarian 
as inspector at the Brighton abattoir, which is a step in the right direction ; but 
as yet we have no qualified inspector of meat in the city, and no dairy inspector 
exists^at all, except that milk sold in Massachusetts has to come up to a certain 
