PRACTICAL VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
651 
into our hands ; we could then stand ujion our dignity and 
independence, we could then charge our own charges, and 
this would at once place us in that higher status which we 
consider we ought to occupy. Now, which opinion is right ? 
It is certainly quite right that we should examine these 
questions with great care, and, if possible, arrive at a sound 
conclusion, if we lay claim to a more or less scientific cha¬ 
racter, if we aspire to the status of gentlemen, if we desire 
to he recognised by society in general as such, if we desire to 
so conduct ourselves, and to possess a knowledge which will 
enable us to render such services to society, that society will 
willingly appreciate us, and recompense us according to our 
deserts. I believe it is fair to assume that in the main society 
deals justly and honestly by its members, and that whenever 
a man, or a body of men who are really worthy and deserv¬ 
ing, are not duly recognised, it is the exception and not 
the rule. I shall, therefore, assume that the veterinary pro¬ 
fession is recognised and recompensed, if not to the full, still 
pretty nearly in accordance with its deserts. My motto is 
this, if we want our emoluments increased we must render 
ourselves more worthy, and society, true to itself, will not be 
slow to discern it, and will recompense us accordingly; 
depend upon it we act as an unfair, as a packed, jury if we 
place our own estimate upon ourselves. 
Much may be said in favour of our profession. It is 
a pleasant and agreeable occupation. It is respectable, 
interesting, useful, scientific, and tolerably lucrative. There 
is also something that may be said on the other side; it is 
not without its drawbacks; there are many dirty, disagreeable 
duties • to perform in the exercise of our calling, many 
vexatious disappointments and annoyances in the conducting 
of our business. This much I grant you, that none of us are 
entirely free from these things; still I think it may be laid 
down as a rule, they are to a great extent in proportion as 
the practitioner has or has not a thorough and correct prac¬ 
tical knowledge of his business, and that his method of con¬ 
ducting business is attended with success or non-success. 
I am constantly coming into contact with men who are 
complaining most bitterly how much they suffer from the 
loss of customers, and loss, in a pecuniary sense, in con¬ 
sequence of quacks who infest the neighbourhood in which 
they live. These men complain most loudly that the Council 
has been in existence nearly thirty years, and has not in 
a single instance put down empiricism. These men will 
reason and argue, and show what an utter disregard the 
Council has for the welfare of the profession in so long 
