752 EASTERN COUNTIES VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
W. Shipley, S. Smith, J. K. Gooch, D. G. Hunting, H. Newsom, 
T. E. Anger, R. ^Howard, E. Barker, T. S. Barker, and F. Gooch, 
veterinary student. 
Letters regretting their inability to attend were read from Professor 
Pritchard, G. Fleming, Esq., F.R.C.V.S., J. Hammond, J. S. Bower, 
W. Ellis, J. D. Overed, and others. 
In the unavoidable absence of the hon. sec., the minutes of the previous 
meeting were taken as read. 
The auditors’ report was next received, from which it appears that 
the Society is making satisfactory progress, and is in a flourishing 
condition, and a resolution was unanimously passed that a portion of 
the funds of the Association be expended in the purchase of valuable 
and costly veterinary instruments for the use of the members. 
The annual election of officers then took place, with the following 
result:—President, Mr. A. H. Santy, Norwich ; Vice-presidents, Mr. 
F. Low, Norwich, Mr. W. Shipley, Great Yarmouth, and Mr. E. Barker. 
St. Faith’s ; Treasurer and Hon. Secretary, Mr. J. D. Overed, Bedfield. 
The President next introduced the essayist, Mr. G. G. Whincop, who 
read an exceedingly interesting paper on “ Matters of an Hereditary 
Nature in relation to Disease.” 
Mr. President and Gentlemen, —In the consideration of the sub¬ 
ject which I shall have the honour of introducing to your notice 
I shall have the advantage of your better judgment in the discussion 
which will follow. Complete uniformity of opinion is hardly to be 
expected ; neither is it right that each of us should view a subject from 
one point alone, for should the theory which we make a standpoint of be 
a wrong one we are all in error, and it is by the dissemination of our 
different ideas that results follow of practical benefit to us all. Where I 
fail, for I do not presume to imagine that I have been able to avoid 
errors of many kinds, it will be my consolation to know that better 
men have not always succeeded, and I claim your consideration to the 
faults and shortcomings that this paper may contain; however if no 
“ seed be sown ” the corn will not grow, and as we daily advance in 
knowledge we remark many circumstances relating to various disorders 
which we had left unheeded before. Without doubt the best way of 
obtaining an extensive knowledge of disease is to pay strict attention to 
the causes in operation to produce results of a morbid character that 
go by the name of disease, perhaps through generations. How suscep¬ 
tible our profession is to improvement and investigation we all know, 
and how hearty co-operation amongst its members is to be desired is 
patent to us all; many and great advances have been made in veteri¬ 
nary education of late years, and various schools have sprung up for 
the teaching of the student, still many reforms are needed before ours 
can be called a united profession, a unity which would be to the advan¬ 
tage both to ourselves and the public. We have passed through the 
ages of darkness and superstition, yet we wage an unequal battle against 
ignorance; and extensive illegitimate practice of veterinary medicine 
is still carried on by empirics in nearly every district. 
The natural inquiry we make on subjects connected with the profes¬ 
sion should be of a useful character, entertaining to ourselves and 
profitable to us in the general*pursuit of our profession. We daily and 
hourly come in contact with something of an interesting character, and 
thoughts are momentarily passing through our minds capable of being 
matured and made of benefit to us, and yet often no trace is left behind, 
for the simple reason we do not accustom ourselves to dwell earnestly on 
