LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 903 
formed honestly, that he should be held responsible for any loss that may 
ensue on the purchase of a horse when the assumed cause of unsound¬ 
ness is one of a doubtful or conjectural nature. 
The best way that occurs to me to protect ourselves is this: let us do 
our duty with the greatest possible care whether it be an examination or 
an operation, and in our written certificate of soundness or unsoundness, 
as the case may be, clearly set forth “ that we give this opinion in the 
full belief that it is true, but be it hereby distinctly understood we do 
not hold ourselves in any way pecuniarily responsible for any conse¬ 
quences or losses that may take place.” 
This subject has at various periods of my life caused me much study 
and earnest attention. I find in 1868 I read a paper before the Liver¬ 
pool Veterinary Medical Association, upon it. I took counsel’s opinion 
at the time, which will be found reported at page 256 and follow¬ 
ing pages in the Veterinarian for that year. I strongly advised every 
veterinary surgeon to have printed on his certificate the following words : 
—“ This opinion is given to the best of my knowledge and belief, but I 
do not hold myself pecuniarily responsible for such opinion or the conse¬ 
quences of such opinion.” I respectfully throw out this suggestion for 
the consideration or for the adoption of my professional brethren. 
Sir F. Fitzwygram said—I quite agree with all Mr. Fleming has said 
about the responsibility of the veterinary surgeon, but I am inclined 
to place the responsibility upon a different, and perhaps, upon somewhat 
higher, grounds than that on which Mr. Fleming has placed it. It rests 
chiefly on account of the uncertain nature of the matter in which he is 
called upon to judge. I will explain myself in this way: in the value 
of a house it is the same to-morrow as it is to-day. If an expert gives an 
opinion, other people give it as under exactly the same circumstances, and 
if he has given an erroneous judgment there are the means to rectify it. 
The veterinary surgeon gives his opinion upon moving matter; the 
value moves about from day to day ; it may be sound to-day and unsound 
to-morrow. I am inclined to place the responsibility chiefly upon the 
ground that the matter in which he is called upon to judge is one upon 
which there is very great doubt. The veterinary surgeon should be a 
man able and conscientious, who can command the confidence of his 
employer, and I believe that the body of veterinary surgeons do com¬ 
mand that confidence, and are a credit to the profession to which they 
belong. 
Mr. F. Taylor thanked the essayist for his admirable paper, and 
referred to the difficulty experienced by the veterinary surgeon in the 
examination of horses. Veterinary surgeons were considered by the 
public to be experts, and are therefore considered to bring to that posi¬ 
tion a certain amount of knowledge, but in doing so they have a living 
machine in different condition at different times. He did not think it 
was in the interest of himself or his professional brethren to give an 
opinion immediately. The animal should be left with them two days at 
least to give a fair opinion. 
After a few remarks from several other gentlemen respecting Mr. 
Fleming’s paper, the President suggested that the discussion should be 
adjourned until the next meeting. This was agreed to, and after a vote 
of thanks to the essayist and the President, the meeting terminated. 
Immediately after the Members and Friends sat down to an excellent 
dinner, and a very enjoyable and convivial evening was spent. After 
the usual patriotic toasts, Mr. A. Lawson proposed “ The Army, Navy, 
and Volunteers,” in which he said the recent exploits of our soldiers, 
