OPENING OF SESSION, ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE. 821 
and to point out in what way we can help and assist each other. I am happy 
to say we are doing that in the most satisfactory manner, and that we have 
some of our members who are acting inspectors to the Society. 
There is one other thing which I was going to mention about Alfort which 
rather struck me. I noticed that Dr. Cobbold, of course, looked out for the 
worms (laughter), he would naturally do so. I do not say that in any 
mockery to l)r. Cobbold; because one who has done more for humanity by 
opening the eyes of the medical profession does not exist than Dr. Cobbold 
(loud applause). I only mention that he looked out for the parasites and 
went also into the botanical garden. Now, I looked out for horses, but I 
could not find the sick horses; they were not there. I said, “ Where are the 
sick horses ? I want to see what you are doing with animals that have all 
kinds of diseases.” “ Oh!” they said, “ if you come to-morrow morning at 
eight o’clock you will see the horses that we have to doctor; they are 
brought in at that hour, but we have none in the establishment.” The 
result is that I do not think the pupils have a very good chance of learning 
practically the diseases of the horses. I was very much interested in 
their magnificent riding school, and I asked, “What do you ride ?” The 
reply was, “We ride the horses that we teach the pupils about.” But 
these were horses sound and strong. I said to the pupils, “ Are you taught 
anything else ?” “ Yes, we are taught to mow and to clip horses and sheep.” 
“ What else ?” “ Oh, we are taught to reap and to make butter,” so that 
we may know whether the milk is all right. You, however, are spared a 
great deal of that. Dr. Cobbold gave you a rub about being, I suppose, im¬ 
polite, because, he said, the French were naturally polite. Now, I do not 
at all agree with Dr. Cobbold that the French are a bit more polite than 
we English people (applause). I have had some very rough words with 
Frenchmen before now, and I do not believe in the extra politeness of the 
Frenchman. He takes off his hat certainly, but he will give you a poke in 
the ribs whenever he can (laughter). We are very good friends with them, 
and I hope we shall be; and we shall be very glad indeed to see French¬ 
men join this College, for I think we may help one another very much 
indeed. There is no difficulty about the language here. You know 
we have introduced French. I do not know how you like it, but you 
must try it; and I hope to hear that some of you are good French scholars. 
If we have introduced French, we can certainly teach English; because here 
is a gentleman, Mr. Thomas, who came here only able to speak Welsh ; but 
during the time he has been here he has been taught English, and has 
worked himself up to the magnificent position you have seen him hold 
to-day (applause) ; therefore, you do not know what you can do till you 
try. With regard to French, I may say I regret not having known this 
College some twenty years ago; because, I dare say, if I had I should 
have done better than I did once at a French fair. I went to a French 
fair with a friend of mine to buy some cart horses at Caen. My friend 
said, “ I expect we shall be very much ‘ done.’ ” I thought we should, 
too. But, luckily, going up the street we found a great placard showing 
the names of all the maladies, external and internal, of the horse given in 
French. I said to my friend, “We are right now; we will buy this sheet 
of paper; we have plenty of time to go in and study it, and to see what 
is the French for splint and spavin, and what is the name when he turns 
his toes out and in, and all that” (laughter). Well, they brought my 
friend a horse with a tremendous splint, and another one that was spa¬ 
vined ; but, however, we were quite up to the mark for the occasion. After¬ 
wards the dealer came round, and said, “ Monsieur, je connais, I think 
you are a veterinary ?” I said nothing, and he went on, “I tell you what it is, 
Mr. Veterinary, I have a very great wish to sell those horses to your 
