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SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
767 
The Secretary then read a communication from Dr. Kinsman, Secretary 
of the Board of Live Stock Commissioners, in response to the resolution of 
censure offered by Dr. Butler and passed at our last semi-annual meeting. 
The communication showed that the Live Stock Commission do not or did 
not have so much authority in contagious diseases as had been presumed, 
stating that after they quarantine, if the laws are violated, it then becomes 
the duty of citizens living in the locality to tile information with the Prosecut¬ 
ing Attorney and not the duty of the Ohio Live Stock Commission. As 
to the cases of glanders which the resolution referred to especially called 
attention to ; he states that orders were sent to the Sheriff of the county and if 
these orders were not obeyed, the information was not in the hands of the 
Commission (if at all only by hearsay) and those whose well being in person or 
property was threatened should have entered complaint, and that the law 
nowhere makes it the duty of the Commission to prosecute those who violate 
such quarantine laws. 
The communication up to this point was well received and many began to 
think this Association too hasty at our last semi-annual meeting, but the final 
paragraphs of the letter were a slur upon the ability of Ohio veterinarians, in 
fact upon veterinarians at large. 
For instance he states “ The Ohio Live Stock Commission have to 
say that their experiences with the veterinarians of Ohio have not always 
been such as to inspire confidence, for until they could find two or more veter¬ 
inarians to agree touching the diagnosis of glanders they must go slowly. . . 
for they have not only escaped prosecution themselves, but have protected the 
veterinarians from this misfortune, and that a veterinarian in the employ of 
this Commission has been urged that the place is no sinecure and from what 
we know of the veterinarians’ capacity to keep within the bounds of the 
law, we are free to state that the experiment would be a hazardous one.” 
A heated discussion followed the reading, in which Drs. Fair,Cotton, Hillock, 
Gribble and Butler took part. 
Dr. Cotton thought the words beneath.the dignity of a gentleman, but from 
his experience with the Commission, we could expect nothing else. 
Dr. Gribble said the Commission had been very prompt in aiding him in an 
outbreak of glanders. 
Dr. Hillock thought we were too hasty. 
Dr. Fair urged hearty cooperation between the veterinary profession of 
Ohio and the State Live Stock Commission. Could not say that the Board 
had treated him with justice, but he desired unity of action. 
Dr. Butler described the method of procedure with the Yates horses in 
Pickaway County. 
On tbe whole it was thought that the remarks referring to disagreement and 
proficiency of veterinary surgeons was entirely uncalled for and out of place ; 
it was crock calling kettle sooty, for the profession of which Dr. Kinsman is an 
honored member can certainly not boast of being much better. Especially is this 
shown in suits at law for malpractice, where one physician sued for damages is 
convicted on the evidence and expert testimony of several other physicians. 
Y^ears after, when the subject dies, at post-mortem the convicted physician 
proves to be the only one who truly diagnosed aright. 
