92 
RETllOSPECTS OF VETERINARY PRACTICE. 
arises, ancl we are tempted to press on with renewed 
vigour. 
He who feels otherwise than this—viz., satisfied with his 
stock of knowledge, having no need to cause himself trouble— 
should divest himself of all appertaining to a man of science. 
His is a hopeless case ; to him I apply no further remarks. 
Whilst recently engaged as above described, my attention 
was arrested by communications of various kinds; all of 
which are highly instructive and suggestive in their cha¬ 
racter. For some of these I would briefly refer in the suc¬ 
ceeding papers, not, however, with the motives of cynicism, 
but with the view of mutual good. 
The growing improvement, under your able direction, of 
the Veterinarian —a multum in joarvo of the profession—thanks 
to each contributor, warns me against inattentiveness, and 
prompts me to give a push, however feeble, to the wheel 
whicli so faithfully represents the motions of the collective 
machine. 
I am well convinced of the great talent and erudite attain¬ 
ments of many of your contributors, amongst whom I feel 
my own insignificance; but, nevertheless, I fearlessly throw 
myself upon their impartial judgment, under the full assur¬ 
ance that they value opinion, although it may differ with 
theirs. By it many have been assisted over stupendous diffi¬ 
culties, whilst it has afforded them the gratification of being 
able to perceive and rectify error. With these preliminary 
remarks I proceed to narrate some cases of— 
POISONING BY YEW. 
Several communications of this kind have appeared in the 
columns of the Veterinarian from various quarters. The fol¬ 
lowing occurred under my immediate observation. 
Near sixty black, Irish, cattle were purchased during 
November by a noble lord, now no more, and for a short time 
were turned into the park to graze. In consequence of the 
season having been unusually severe, the grass was exceedingly 
bare, and therefore all portions of rank grass, weeds, &c., 
■which could be obtained, were eagerly devoured by the 
animals, and, in addition, the cuttings likewise of some yew 
trees, which had been thrown by the gardener into the 
ha-ha, in ignorance of their poisonous effects. 
The land-steward, suspecting the cause of the sudden and 
serious indisposition among so many cattle to be due to 
the yew branches, at once despatched a note to me expressive 
of his forebodings. I attended, and found three of the 
number dead, and immensely swollen. Two others -were 
