570 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
all the business veterinarian is willing to give to such a meet¬ 
ing. We have, therefore, reached the limit of the time at our 
disposal, but have we reached the limit of the requirements ? 
The history of the last three years makes it appear quite certain 
that we have not. 
This is the age of specialization, and veterinary science offers 
no exception to the rule. No man is any longer able to cover 
the whole field of veterinary work. It matters not whether we 
recognize and admit or not, the fact remains that the time has 
come when the veterinarian must begin to specialize if he is to 
attain prominence. What applies to the veterinarian, also 
applies to this association. We have accomplished the basis 
work which must always precede successful specialization, and 
the time is near at hand when we must be prepared to so change 
the machinery of the organization to meet the requirements of 
modern ideas and methods. In fact, in my opinion, the time 
has already arrived when there is a real necessity for a reorgan¬ 
ization of our plans of work to meet the needs of the diversity 
of interests involved. The field being too broad for the grasp 
of any one mind, and too long for the time at our disposal, we 
are forced into the organization of special sections for special 
lines of work. We have for some time been trying to shut our 
eyes against the fact, but even the blind must see that “ section 
work ” has been going on for some time. Last year we had 
clinics absorbing greater interest from the general practitioner 
than the scientific literary program. We also have our com¬ 
panion organization of experiment station veterinarians. The 
natural divisions which have spontaneously shown themselves 
give us a clue to the sort of reorganization demanded. Accord¬ 
ingly it appears to me that three sections working concurrently, 
one considering questions of interest to the general practitioner 
and including the clinics, one dealing with sanitary questions, 
including meat and milk inspection, and general State medicine, 
and one comprising investigators, experiment station workers, 
etc. I suggest, therefore, and recommend that a committee be 
appointed for the purpose of considering the advisability of 
u section work,” and formulating a plan for putting the same 
into operation, if deemed advisable, and report the same to the 
next annual meeting of the association. For several years 1 
have thought the necessity for several of our standing commit¬ 
tees, as their duties are now defined, was not very apparent. 
I refer specially to the Committee on Intelligence and Educa¬ 
tion, and the one on Diseases. The utility of the former is not 
