874 ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
Mr. Hunt said if the schools could not do so, they were 
not justified in giving the pupils a diploma, stating that they 
were capable of practising the veterinary art. He was per¬ 
fectly willing to have the question postponed, but he did not 
wish to see it entirely dropped. By their Charter they 
already had the right to call themselves veterinary surgeons 
exclusively, but they had allowed the power to fall into 
disuse. There was no fine named, and therefore the only 
means of supporting their power would be by their ob¬ 
taining an injunction. 
The President said it was in the power of the Council to 
get an Act of Parliament first, and then they could press 
forward Mr. Ernes’ motion afterwards. They were very much 
pleased with what Professor Spooner had done with respect 
to preliminary examinations, and he trusted the Scotch Col¬ 
leges would be Avilling to go on in the same direction. 
Mr. Ernes said he Avas quite taken aback by the Avay in 
Avhich the question AA'as being dealt AAUth. In 1864, Avhenhe 
had the honour of occupying the presidential chair, he dreAV 
up an Act of Parliament, and the notice Avas given in the 
House. The consequence Avas he Avas called over the coals 
for doing so, and Avas deserted by the Council. Since that 
time nothing had been done. He believed, if it had not been 
for his suggestions, the question of a preliminary examination 
Avould not have been raised, but he had yet to learn that a 
classical scholar Avould make the best veterinary surgeon. By 
their efforts in the direction of preliminary education to the 
neglect of practical professional education, they Avere catching 
at a shadoAv Avhile letting the substance slip. 
Mr. Hunting quite alloAved that it Avas infinitely more 
important to veterinary surgeons to have a practical education 
than to have a classical one, if the two Avere to be separated; 
but a classical man Avith a practical knoAvledge AA^ould, no 
doubt, be a better man in his profession than another Avho 
had not receiA^ed a classical education ; but probably he AAmuld 
not be very much inclined to go about the pig-styes and sheep- 
folds. He reminded Professor Spooner that the College had 
ahvays refused to agree to the apprentice clause; and that 
every person had hitherto been alloAved to enter, eA'en though 
he came direct from the counter, from the laAvyer’s desk, or 
any similar occupation. The consequence Avas that the 
majority of those Avho received ther diploma Avere kid-gloved 
muffs. In the North of England, if a man Avas knoAvn to be 
AA’hat is called a College man, it Avas ten to one against him, 
rather than in favour of him. He could not understand the 
argument of those Avho said their first duty should be to get 
