EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 545 
medical profession to the vacant seat on the Examiners’ 
Board. The vacancy had been created by the retirement of 
Professor Ellis, of University College, from the Anatomical 
and Physiological Section of the Court, and according to 
precedent, and also in harmony with the bye-laws of the 
College, his successor had to be sought in the ranks of the 
medical profession. Notwithstanding this, advocates were 
found who laboured to get rid, both of precedent and law, 
by one bold stroke ; and the Council was asked by them to 
place a veterinary surgeon in the vacant chair. The old 
hackneyed argument, that the presence of members of the 
medical profession on the board conveyed the impression to 
the outside world of veterinary science being still in leading- 
strings, was never less effectively employed, for although 
perseveringly persisted in by one or two members, it fell 
listless on the ear of the majority. 
We can admire professional independence, and will yield 
to none in our resolve to uphold the dignity of our calling; 
but we cannot, nevertheless, join in the clamour of Scotland 
for the Scots, and Ireland for the Irish. Each member of 
the Council must learn to take a comprehensive and liberal 
view of a question of this kind; for should a narrow and 
selfish policy ultimately predominate, all the efforts which 
the schools are making to raise the status of the profession 
will only end in disappointment, and we shall be sent back 
to the days of ignorance and barbarism. 
We hear much of the necessity of veterinary science be¬ 
coming a more effectual helpmate to the sister science of 
medicine, and we know that its worth and value in this 
respect are highly appreciated and eagerly sought by those 
who hold a distinguished position in the scientific world. 
If, then, this be an object worthy of attainment, where, we 
may ask, can this be more effectually accomplished than by 
such a union as now T exists at the Examiners’ Board ? Here 
that hydra-headed monster-presumption—will be kept in 
subjection, nay, more, be encircled in fetters, and handed 
over to execution.. A man to be an examiner, must possess 
something beyond mere knackerman’s anatomy and black¬ 
smith’s physiology. We lack efficient examiners in our pro- 
