882 
EDITORIAL. 
breaking tip sitting in his room delving deeply into the work 
of his committee, correcting poor English, expunging irrelevant 
twaddle, and arranging, inserting, and otherwise preparing the 
story of the closing convention in a manner that would make it 
a creditable interpretation of the scientific and practical work 
accomplished. 
But we, for once, must disagree with the conclusions of both 
our esteemed correspondents, for we fail to appreciate the force 
of their contention that the speeches delivered on these occa¬ 
sions are unworthy of the most advanced representatives of the 
veterinary profession. At the Atlantic City meeting we were 
particularly impressed with their value, both as entertaining 
addresses and as patriotic and scientific contributions. To our 
point of view, it is not intended that these occasions should be 
the opportunity to communicate the results of scientific research, 
nor for the unloading of abstract medical theories. The con¬ 
vention hall furnished the opportunity for such deliberations, 
and the banquet has been, so far as we know, regarded as an oc¬ 
casion for pleasant social conviviality, the commingling of old 
friends and of new acquaintances, while the repast of all that 
is most delighting to the palate and nerves is intended to place 
the guest in the best spirit to enjoy the pleasantries of the occa¬ 
sion. When the plates are removed and the master of ceremo¬ 
nies begins his duty of introducing the speakers, every one is 
presumed to be in humor to listen to short after-dinner ad¬ 
dresses upon subjects as various as the speakers are numerous, 
the topics assigned having some reference to the character or 
association of the gentlemen designated. Thus there is fur¬ 
nished a variety of subjects, and the serious or scholarly speaker 
will take occasion to indulge in a polished presentation of his 
theme, while he of the jocular mind will delight his hearers 
with a witty handling of his subject that both tickles the fancy 
and cheers the mind, burdened for the previous few days by the 
weightier problems of medical science. 
The last occasion was rich in variety and lofty in sentiment, 
reaching out from national legislation down to the work of the 
