SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
603 
in the cities is constantly developing, many veterinarians find¬ 
ing it the most profitable part of their business. People who 
keep dogs and other animal pets avail themselves of intelligent 
veterinary advice now as readily as though the patient were a 
member of their families. Eczemas and other common ills are 
now treated in their incipiency with good results, where form¬ 
erly the veterinarian was sought only when the case was beyond 
the possibility of recovery, and the indifferent success achieved 
was charged to the account of ignorance. Now, the early cor¬ 
rection of deranged functions permits of better results and 
greater confidence in the veterinarian. Equine practice will 
permit of similar remarks. Horses are commanding exception¬ 
ally high prices, and their owners are willing to pay fair fees in 
an effort to save the life of a sick one, or to bring a disabled one 
back to a condition of usefulness. The cessation of breeding 
during the 9o’s renders good horses scarce at this time, and con¬ 
sequently the supply is inadequate to the demand, with values 
relatively high. It is but natural to look forward to a reaction 
and a rearrangement of conditions, now that active breeding 
has been resumed. So that about the year 1906 there will be a 
full supply, with prices correspondingly lower. 
One of the special functions of this society is to secure and 
maintain legislation safeguarding the live-stock interests and 
the profession which we represent. An outline of the working 
of our legislative battery was given you last year, and I can 
here but add that our methods have worked satisfactorily during 
the past year. To strengthen our lines you were pleased to in¬ 
struct your President by resolution to appoint County Secre¬ 
taries to work in conjunction with the Judiciary Committee, 
when necessity required ; and I beg to report that in obedience 
to that resolution, Secretaries have been appointed in every 
county of the State where we have a representative, and it is 
confidently believed that they can be relied upon at all times to 
do their full duty when needed to further important legislation, 
or to combat pernicious attacks upon the laws which have 
already been secured. I refer you to the report of the Judiciary 
Committee for details of legislation affecting the profession of 
the State during the past session, at the same time congratulat¬ 
ing you that the figure-head Tuberculosis Committee has been 
abolished, and the diseases which it was created to look after 
placed where they rightfully belong, the Department of Agri¬ 
culture. In this connection, I beg to call your attention to the 
fact that the Empire State remains without a State veterinarian, 
