467 
THE NATIONAL VETERINARY BENEVOLENT 
AND MUTUAL DEFENCE SOCIETY. 
A SPECIAL general meeting of the members of the above Society 
was held at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Red Lion 
Square, London, on Monday, 3rd May, the President, Peter Taylor, 
Esq., Manchester, in the chair. 
The following gentlemen were also present, viz.:— 
Wm. Field, jun., London, President of the Royal College of 
Veterinary Surgeons; Prof. Williams, Edinburgh; John Lawson, 
Manchester; Thos. Greaves, Manchester; Chas. Hunting, South 
Hetton ; S. H. Withers, Bristol; Geo. Fleming, Royal Engineers , 
H. J. Cartwright, Wolverhampton ; Benjamin Cartledge, Sheffield; 
W. H. Coates, London; A. C. Cope, London; James Moore, 
London; J. Moore, jun., London; Thos. R. Scruby, Royston; 
Ed. Price, Birmingham; Alf. Rushall, Bishop’s Stortford ; John 
' Cuthbert, Leeds ; Wm. Broughton, Leeds; Jas. Taylor, Oldham ; 
Wm. Whittle, Worsley; Wm. Dobie, Birkenhead; Wm. Wilson, 
Birkhamstead; and Geo. Morgan, Liverpool. 
The minutes of the former meeting having been read and con¬ 
firmed, the President delivered the following very able address, 
lucidly explaining the formation and objects of the Society. 
Gentlemen, —It is a frequent boast that we live in an age of 
progress. In the industrial arts, in science, in literature, in politics, 
and not less in medicine, changes and reforms are continually being 
made. The spirit of national progress is abroad; nevertheless, faulty 
management or defective arrangement must eventually bring dis¬ 
credit and even ruin on any institution or profession, whether 
ancient or modern. To ensure wise and useful societies, we must 
encourage intellectual inquiry, and forward by judicious effort the ad¬ 
vance to that high and lofty position which we are desirous to occupy. 
It is also necessary from time to time to infuse some fresh life and 
energy into our institutions, and hence, gentlemen, we have con¬ 
sidered it our duty to come to our great metropolitan city, so as to 
lay before you in a concise and simple manner the history, objects, 
and future mission of this new-formed Societv, “ The National 
Veterinary Benevolent and Mutual Defence Society,” and in doing 
so I ask for your kind indulgence if I should occasionally diverge 
from my subject. I assure you that I feel very sensible of the 
high honour the Society has done me and my able office-bearers in 
selecting us to be the humble means of unfolding this our noble 
undertaking to you, who occupy so high a position in the vete¬ 
rinary profession. Gentlemen, many of you are members of this 
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