PRACTICAL VETERINARY SCIENCE. 
847 
chemistry, and materia medica. If these subjects are honestly 
and thoroughly inculcated into the mind of the student who 
possesses good common sense and a fair English education, 
])resuming also that he has worked practically at his pro¬ 
fession, the country will have in him the most competent and 
efficient man it can get for a veterinary surgeon. Depend 
upon it that men of this kind, they and no others, will beat 
the empiric entirely out of the field. They give society 
money’s worth for money.” They know the worth of 
science, and how to apply it, and how also to adapt them¬ 
selves to the requirement not only of their patients, hut to 
the district in which they practise, as well as to the individuals 
who employ them. In short, they possess tact as well as 
knowledge. 
Admitting most unreservedly as I do that the scientific 
instruction imparted at the college is essentially necessary to 
complete the education of the veterinary surgeon; also that 
the soundness of the principle that no man should he allowed 
to practise, or undertake the grave and important duties of a 
veterinary surgeon, unless he has been thoroughly instructed 
in the branches of knowledge alluded to, and is in possession 
of a diploma testifying to the fact, still I deem it not out of 
place to inquire into the system of education for the purpose 
of determining, if possible, whether there is too much or too 
little of mere theoretical knowledge inculcated. I know as a 
fact that attendance for two sessions at college is all that is 
required. I know also that some sharp, well-educated, and 
intellectual young men—and there are many such—can 
acquire all the knowledge necessary to pass their examination 
in two sessions; and that if such youths have seen practice, 
or served an apprenticeship so as to become familiar with the 
business part of the profession, two sessions at college is ample 
time, and that to compel tliem to stay longer would be a 
great injustice. But if a pupil has not seen practice, perhaps 
never seen a sick or lame horse in his life before entering 
college, I would make it imperative, however intelligent or 
educated he may be, that he should stay a third session, and 
that this extra time should be entirely devoted to the obtain¬ 
ing of practical knowledge. I hold it to be an impossibility 
for any man to become a successful veterinary surgeon with¬ 
out practical knowledge. He must gain this either before, or 
else after he obtains his diploma. If he has to gain it after¬ 
wards I say it is placing him in a false position ; it is tanta¬ 
mount to a fraud upon society to represent him as a man 
competent to practice, when in reality he is only gaining 
experience at the expense of his employers. 
XLII. 
58 
