MIDLAND COUNTIES VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 767 
several members. The minutes of last meeting were read and 
confirmed. The next meeting was arranged to take place at 
Birmingham in November. 
The President, in delivering the inaugural address, said,—Gen¬ 
tlemen, when I first occupied this chair and had the privilege of 
addressing you as President at Birmingham in August last, I 
little thought I should be called upon to perform the same duty here 
to-day. I feel deeply the responsibility of the situation as well as 
honour you have conferred upon me, and I promise to endeavour 
to discharge the duties which devolve upon the President 
to the best of my ability and the benefit of the Society. Last 
year I reviewed our present and past condition, glancing slightly 
at the objects of our Society and its future prospects, and 
although I feel we have achieved something during the past year, 
the progress has not been sufficient to warrant my adopting the 
same course to-day. I shall therefore briefly allude to some of 
the leading topics of our profession, and those that to my mind 
most deeply interest us as a body. First comes the startling 
obituary of the past twelve months. Here we see the old and 
the young taken from among us; he who had just com¬ 
menced the career of life, as well as he who wore on his brow the 
hard-earned laurels of victory. The list is far too numerous for 
me to even glance at each individual's worth ; but I cannot refrain 
from making a few general remarks, and drawing attention to 
one or two names. Foremost of all I would place the late 
Professor Spooner. By his death the profession lost one of its 
ablest supporters and brightest ornaments, one who in quick 
perception and practical knowledge none could surpass; and one 
who, as a lecturer, few could equal; but while we lament his loss 
we must all regret that a man of such sound judgment, and 
wonderful powers of expression, should have left nothing to vete¬ 
rinary literature. However, the name of Spooner will long be 
remembered, and we must admit that he has left in the pro¬ 
fession many living witnesses to his worth as a professor and a 
teacher. I shall mention two other members only, whose deaths 
are recorded in the Veterinarian of April last, viz. J. Rose, late of 
Worcester, and W. Robinson, late of Tamworth. The latter 
graduated in 1806, the former in 1815, and both lived beyond 
the allotted span of human life. Both were intimately known to 
me, and none were more deservedly respected in the counties in 
which they practised. In reading the record of their death I felt 
that some respect was due to the memory of Mr. Rose, for while 
we must all be pleased that any member of the profession should 
have such tribute paid to his memory as the late Mr. Robinson 
has had, surely the man who has worked hard in the profession 
upwards of sixty years is worthy of some little passing remark; and 
