491 
WEST OF SCOTLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL 
ASSOCIATION. 
This association held their Quarterly Meeting in the Athol Hotel, 
Glasgow, on the 3rd instant. 
President Robertson in the chair. 
Mr. Richard Rutherford, Calcutta, was proposed and admitted a 
member. 
The President related two very marked cases of mollities ossium 
occurring in the horse, and laid specimens of the softened bones on 
the table for the inspection of members; in both cases all the bones 
were affected, and those laid on the table w'ere very soft. Both of 
the animals attacked died. The President could not suggest a 
remedy, and wished to hear the opinions of the members. It was 
agreed to bring the subject before the next meeting, when members 
would be prepared to discuss it. The President promised to obtain 
the best information possible from an eminent authority. 
The Secretary stated that he had corresponded with Mr. Ruther¬ 
ford, on learning that he had returned to this country for a short 
time, after having been for some years practising in Calcutta, and 
suggested that he might give the members at this meeting the 
benefit of his experience amongst horses in India, especially in 
reference to those diseases incident to the country. Mr. Rutherford 
had kindly consented, and would now read his paper. 
Mr. Rutherford said— 
It was only on Monday morning last that I received through my 
friend, Mr. Robinson, of Greenock, your association circular, in¬ 
viting me to be present at this meeting. My feelings upon re¬ 
ceiving it were those of much pleasure, for the opportunity it 
afforded me of becoming acquainted with the gentlemen forming 
this association, and of chatting over bygones with those of it who 
are old friends. Your invitation, in addition, informed me, very 
much to my surprise, that I would address the meeting on special 
diseases incident to horses in Calcutta, an item in the programme, 
gentlemen, for wdiich you are entirely indebted to your Secretary, 
Mr. Pottie, and for which I am afraid I am but poorly prepared, 
the subject being much too wide a one to be well handled after so 
short a preparation. 
In India we meet with all the diseases incident to the horse in 
this country; there are, however, others in addition which are 
peculiar to certain parts of India, and are met with nowhere else. 
My own observations have been confined entirely to the Bengal 
Presidency, particularly to Calcutta and its immediate vicinity, a 
district which, owing to geographical position and climatic influences, 
enjoys, perhaps not undeservedly, an unenviable notoriety for un¬ 
healthiness. I know' of no other place which affords better oppor¬ 
tunities of studying the relations between temperament and 
