ADDRESS. 
535 
should not be better than that preceding it. The harmony 
existing between the various officers and between the officers 
and members, has been unusually complete, no jar or discord 
of any kind worthy of mention having occurred. Probably 
the most noticeable defect in the internal workings of our 
Association is the disinclination of a large number of mem¬ 
bers to take an active part in our meetings by preparing and 
reading papers or essays. This tendency is to be deplored, 
and it is to be sincerely hoped will be successfully overcome, 
since in this way the Association is denied the benefit of such 
members’ experience and thought, while they deny themselves 
the advantage to be gained by classifying and putting into 
shape their thoughts, and having them tested and criticised 
by their professional brethren. Such neglect may also per¬ 
mit some dreamers to fancy that certain members monopo¬ 
lize to too great an extent the time of the meeting by appear¬ 
ing too often on programme, when, in fact, the remedy lies 
within themselves, and all they need do to correct it is to 
prepare papers for the meetings. A programme we must 
have, or our meeting fails, and if one will not, the other must 
do the work. 
For the first time in the history of our Association, it is 
my painful duty to announce that death has claimed one of 
our Association; one who, had circumstances permitted, 
would have proven himself a very useful and companionable 
member. James Brodie graduated from the Montreal Veteri¬ 
nary College in 1883 at the head of his class, and immediately 
after entered into active practice in the firm of Williams & 
Brodie, at Bloomington, and became a member of this Asso¬ 
ciation in the fall of 1883 , at its second meeting. Having re¬ 
ceived an inviting Government appointment in the Hawaiian 
Islands, he left Illinois, withdrawing from our Association, of 
which he was then Treasurer, in the fall of 1884 . He re_ 
mained in the Islands until failing health compelled him to 
resign his position in the fall of 1887 , when he came to Cali¬ 
fornia, and after a few fruitless months to Colorado Springs, 
and later to Canon City, Colorado, where he finally suc¬ 
cumbed to tuberculosis on the 17 th of September last, aged 
