436 
EDITORIAL. 
to the veterinary scientist. It indicates the great fact that 
the intelligence of the community has at last become in¬ 
structed and convinced, and is already demanding from our 
professors and practitioners the services which they have so 
well prepared themselves to render, until it has come to be a 
settled thing that veterinary science is a science. And now 
it has come to pass that in looking for competent judges at 
horse shows ; for inspectors of abattoirs and meat markets and 
stock yards ; for examiners of milch cow stables—any func¬ 
tion, in short, connected most intimately with the public 
health as affected by the consumption of animal food, the vet¬ 
erinarian is the accepted protector of the health of the peo¬ 
ple, and guardian of so much of the wealth of the nation as 
exists in quadruped form. Where, now, is the “ horse doc¬ 
tor ” upon whom the “ light of other days ” was wont to 
shine ? 
Another aspect of this subject may be profitably consid¬ 
ered. These qualifications for professional duty mean so 
many official positions, and what is official with us means 
politics and office holding. That of course means, also, ex-, 
posure to the political guillotine. How often, indeed, has 
some veterinary head been recently dropped into the basket! 
Dr. J. F. Winchester has recently been victimized in this 
way, and after a connection with the cattle commission of 
Massachusetts for a single term has suffered decapitation, to 
be succeeded by a good old gentleman, an excellent and 
honest man perhaps, but who is not a veterinarian. (To see 
Massachusetts traveling backwards is a queer spectacle). So 
long as politics is permitted to play such a part in connection 
with a professional position, it is a question with us whether 
such employments are worth looking after. Perhaps in the 
days to come a strictly enforced civil service law may con¬ 
vert these appointments into the life situations which they 
ought to be, terminable only for disability or misconduct. 
Finally, the wonderful progress this profession of ours has 
been making of late may justly excite and excuse the enthu¬ 
siasm of those who have identified themselves with its history 
and achievements, by becoming co-laborers with Pasteur and 
