658 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
of the subject being properly presented to the stock breeders throughout the 
State, there is every reason to believe that we shall receive their hearty co-opera¬ 
tion and especially so as we do not ask this in the light of protection to ourselves 
but for the poor dumb brutes that for years past have been compelled to submit 
to unnecessary pain and even cruelty inflicted upon them by ignorant, unschooled 
and officious empirics. 
Not only will a veterinary law protect our dumb animals, but it will also 
benefit the stock owner to a vast extent, both by decreasing his loss from various 
injuries sustained by stock, and also by being a guarantee from the State that the 
man whom he consults is in every way competent to give him good sound advice, 
and that he will not be paying out good money to a person who in reality perhaps 
knows less of the diseases of stock than the owner himself, and yet presumes to 
set forth his qualifications by an experience of twenty-five or thirty years prac¬ 
tice ; and we deem legislation the best and most expedient way of raising the 
standard of ethics of the profession in the State. 
L. R. Thomas, ) 
G. A. Johnson,} 
Committee. 
Moved by Dr. Stewart and duly seconded, that the present committee on 
legislation be continued, with an addition of two members, to be named by the 
chairman, and they be instructed to carry out the recommendations of the report 
just submitted. Carried. 
Dr. Morse: I was recently surprised to hear a member of a Farmers’ Alliance 
say that his local organization had been considering the qualifications of veterin¬ 
ary practitioners offering their services in his alliance district and had made a list 
of the properly educated veterinarians. 
Dr. Brown: I find the farmers in my district are giving this matter some 
attention. 
Dr. Howell: The President of the State Farmers’ Alliance recently invited 
me to give them an address at their next meeting on the subject of legislation. 
Dr. Thomas: I think it will only be necessary to thoroughly interest the 
stock breeders’ associations in this cause. When so interested they will see to it 
that proper legislation is obtained. 
Dr. Johnson: I will read to you the second paragraph of Dr. Atkinson’s let¬ 
ter in Dr. Peters’ report. This is surely a discouraging report from Wisconsin. 
I am in favor of an ironclad law. If the law is properly framed it will work 
much good to the State of Iowa. 
Dr. Stewart: I would also call your attention to the report of Dr. Peters, 
made to the United States Veterinary Medical Association in Chicago, and more 
especially to his conclusions after much patient study of this subject. (Dr. Peters 
conclusions were read). These conclusions are worthy of your thoughtful con¬ 
sideration before any legislation is attempted. The trouble with the laws in the 
various States governing the practice of medical science is the inadequacy of the 
enforcement and penalty clauses. 
The President, Tait Butler, finding it impossible to be present at this meet¬ 
ing, forwarded his address by mail and it was presented by the Secretary. 
To the Members of the Iowa State Veterinary Medical Association. 
Gentlemen :—It is customary in such Associations as ours for the President 
to present an annual address, making some pretensions to scientific value. 
