221 LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
may many more follow tlieir illustrious example. Whilst dwell¬ 
ing upon this topic I cannot refrain from expressing regret at the 
decease of a gentlemen who was a member of this society until 
attacked by an illness from which he never recovered, and which 
was the cause of his withdrawal from our ranks. I refer, as most 
of you will surmise, to the late Mr. William Haycock. He was 
a man who had at heart the interests and wellbeing of his profes¬ 
sion, and who laboured incessantly in the prosecution of veterinary 
science. As an author he was of no mean order, and in one of 
his works is to be found much valuable information relative to 
veterinary homoeopathy. Alas! his name is numbered with 
those of the past. 
This society is now ten years old, and we are met here to 
inaugurate the eleventh year of its existence, it being one of the 
oldest, if not the oldest provincial society, thus showing that the 
formation of veterinary medical societies is comparatively of recent 
date. The objects and uses of these associations have been so 
thoroughly paraded and explained, and are generally so well 
known, that it is unnecessary for me to describe them here. 
With respect to our position as scientific men, I would ask, 
have we profited by these associations to any great extent ? I 
fear not as much as we ought to have done. That they have been 
the means of bringing together many gentlemen who, perhaps, 
would not have known of each other's existence, and that they 
have improved the minds, given subject matter for thought, and 
amended the practice of individual members, I do not deny; in 
fact I maintain that any association which by discussion at its 
meetings shall enlighten the minds of its members is deserving of 
the highest praise. Yet I feel that our societies are now in statu 
quo, and that we do not advance as we should. What have we 
done during the last ten years ? Have we improved our position 
publicly ? If we have, how is it that our advancement does not 
meet with a greater appreciation of our increased talents in the 
way of remuneration for our services ? 
At our quarterly meetings we assemble for the purpose of hear¬ 
ing, in the majority of instances, an essay read on some subject 
of interest to us as scientific men, and most of those present take 
part in a discussion from which some benefit must be reaped. 
Would not these gatherings be much more instructive and 
interesting if, instead of troubling some one to write an essay, a 
member or members would bring pathological specimens, giving 
a concise history of each case, to be followed by a general dis¬ 
cussion. Gentlemen in active practice, having little time to spare 
for writing long essays, would willingly and easily jot down a few 
remarks to enable them to give a short description of any case of 
disease they might wish to bring before the notice of the meeting. 
