122 LIVERPOOL VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
and intricate, that I was compelled to give up the attempt. And 
that the more especially as it had been quite recently brought 
under your notice by one of the greatest lights on veterinary 
matters in these regions. For although men have speculated 
for thousands of years on the mystery of the origin of life, 
and although modern discovery and speculations have multiplied 
our means of being able to form a judgment on this subject, we 
seem as far as ever from an agreement; and it would seem 
but the result of a proper modesty on our part to stand aside 
until these intellectual gladiators and scientific savans have defi¬ 
nitely discerned and described the movements of ultimate mole¬ 
cules, or the evolutions of living protoplasm from non-living 
matter. 
As that arrangement could not be carried out, I began to 
think I was clear, but he, with that persistent determination said 
to be characteristic of his countrymen, continued to importune 
me so that at last I was obliged to yield to his solicitations, and 
choose a more homely and practical theme. 
I find, however, gentlemen, that apart from his importunities, 
you had a claim upon me, I had read and heard your discus¬ 
sions, and partaken of your hospitality, so that I could not con¬ 
sistently refuse to try, at least, to repay you, by undertaking to 
introduce some subject if with no other object than to raise a 
discussion. For I presume that it is one of the main objects 
of such associations, not so much to instruct, as to exercise the 
mental powers, by placing a subject before the various minds 
who compose it, and thus enable them to focus the rays of light 
passing through the different media , so that truth may be at¬ 
tained by argumentative investigation. 
But 1 can assure you, gentlemen, it was only after a great 
deal of hesitation, and not a little inconvenience on my part, 
with a persistent determination on his, that I undertook the 
honorable duty of occupying this place. I am too conscious of 
my inability to fill the place usually filled by authors, editors, 
principals, and professors, or to offer anything fitted to occupy 
the time or command the interest of an audience, accustomed to 
be fed on the cream of experience, or the teachings of philo¬ 
sophy. 
I have no academia utterances to give forth, no minute micro¬ 
scopical observations to chronicle, but my remarks will be the 
simple cogitations of a hard-worked country practitioner on an 
important and by no means unusual pathological condition; a 
condition with which, I presume, a good many of you are familiar. 
And my reasons for selecting this subject for your considera¬ 
tion are, first, because I have lately had an unusual number of 
cases of this disease; and, secondly, having had my attention 
