A PRACTICAL TALK TO PRACTICAL MEN. 
185 
methods come to us, which when put into execution prove to 
be valuable aids in our work. 
Let me impress upon your minds the importance of making 
special notes of all such things, for the express purpose of 
bringing them before just such meetings as this. 
Give the profession the benefit of your findings. 
Simple as some of these things may seem to you, too simple 
you may think to occupy the time of the meeting with, yet 
just remember that if the thought was new and good to you, it 
will be new and good to some one else. 
I sometimes think that in these meetings an effort is made 
to be what some might term scientific that many of the more 
practical and therefore helpful things are entirely overlooked. 
Do not be afraid to write papers or make up reports of cer¬ 
tain interesting cases ; either are always acceptable. 
Do not always wait to be asked to do these things. 
You can hardly imagine what a relief it is to have these 
come as volunteers. 
There are many more questions pertaining to association 
rights and privileges and duties that might advantageously be 
discussed, but I have in mind another subject which I consider 
of still greater importance to the future prosperity of the pro¬ 
fession : so, after having started your minds along that channel 
of thought, it will be left for further consideration to your own 
good judgment. 
Too well do we all know how in the past every honest and 
conscientious effort that the veterinarians have made toward 
progression (I mean of a public nature) has been antagonized 
by that same old spirit born of prejudice toward veterinarians 
that has been so. thoroughly grounded into the hearts of the 
people by that uneducated, unintelligent and usually morally 
degraded class of men who have been known in the years gone 
by as u horse doctors.” 
It has been found no easy task to overcome those prejudices, 
nor to educate the public mind to distinguish the difference be¬ 
tween the two classes. 
