446 
W. J. COATES. 
and surgery in their State, which was a just cause and passed 
on its merits. The bill was not perfect by any means, for it 
was cut and pruned to meet the objections of the Legislature, 
the majority of the veterinarians claiming it was worse 
than no protection, but it was something, and has been made 
more stringent by amendments. It will be perfect in due time, 
for the population, wealth and enterprise of New York are 
admitted to be second to none. 
This vear Pennsylvania has followed the example of New 
York, and I believe New Jersey and other States are doing 
the same, which is encouraged by the medical profession, as 
some of their journals have published well written editorial 
.articles on the advancement of veterinary science and the 
relation of veterinary to human medicine. 
It is claimed by some that the men of a profession build up 
their own profession and not by others. If such were a fact 
where would any profession be to-day? The veterinary pro¬ 
fession is vastly modified by other professions, by chemists, 
by practitioners of human medicine and men of science gener¬ 
ally, and vice versa. Chemists as Pasteur and Koch have 
changed the idea as to the origin of disease. The veterinary 
vastly helps the medical profession, by their .study of the 
diseases which are communicable from animal to man. The 
progress of medicine would be slow were it not for men of 
science in their special departments. Take, for instance, Bou- 
ley, who was a veterinarian and who by his vast knowledge and 
scientific experiments was given the highest office in the 
Academy of Science in France—its Presidency. 
How often do some of the practitioners of human medicine 
scorn the veterinarian, because he treats the animal creation, 
lower than man. Do they give it a thought that a veterinarian 
not only studies a cure of diseases of animals for the animals’ 
benefit alone, but the human family as well, by protecting the 
live stock interest as food stuff, as well as contagious diseases 
which are transmitted from animal to man. 
The most difficult part of the study of medicine is the eti¬ 
ology of diseases, and by the recent investigations of Pasteur 
of Paris and of Koch of Berlin, the theory and practice of 
medicine will turn. 
