CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 67 
disciples will have no occasion to fear the competition of quacks, 
or to lament their neglected condition. 
But I gladly leave this unpleasant portion of my address, to 
return to our own more immediate business. As you are aware, 
a Diploma of Fellowship has been prepared, and will be issued to 
each Fellow and Honorary Fellow of the Society, and I trust the 
day is not far distant when this token will be as highly prized as 
any that is given by the best societies in our country; if we are 
only true to ourselves, and actuated by a proper spirit, this hope 
will be realized before long. We must labour to stimulate a 
desire for progress, and to foster a talent for observation. Our 
science is one which so relies for its improvement upon the powers 
of observation of those who follow it, that it might be said to be 
entirely a science of observation. We must encourage those 
whose efforts in this direction are worthy of encouragement. 
Hitherto, in our profession, we have been more successful in dis¬ 
couraging than encouraging. That jealousy of success in others, 
and that spirit of intolerance which cannot suffer any one to ven¬ 
ture beyond the boundaries which a low standard of education 
and an uncultured intellect engenders have had their pernicious 
influence in retarding improvement and disheartening earnest 
workers; while the baneful effects of evil example have not been 
less fruitful in preventing such a development of veterinary science 
in Britain, as would long ago have placed it beyond the reach of 
cavil of other professions. This, gentlemen, through your influ¬ 
ence and well directed efforts, should be changed. Your Society 
should be ever ready to acknowledge the services of these, let 
them be members of the profession in our own or in other coun¬ 
tries, who benefit the profession and the public by their labours. 
This generous recognition of merit has ever been found to be 
productive of the greatest good, and has stimulated industry and 
research, while it has given a new impulse to talent and zeal. 
I do hope, gentlemen, that this Society will, before long, take 
into consideration the propriety—I had almost said the necessity 
—of instituting rewards or other suitable recognition for those 
who labour or who have laboured successfully to improve veteri¬ 
nary science; a society's medal would form a most appropriate 
mode of reward, and in no way could we more signally testify to 
the spirit which has led us to form this society, than by adopting 
some such course. 
I must now conclude this brief address, in which I have endea¬ 
voured to lay before you the thoughts that were uppermost in 
my mind in finding myself again among you. 
I have spoken plainly with regard to some points which require 
plain speaking, and I have done my best to encourage and stimu¬ 
late. I have been, throughout my professional career, impressed 
