REPORT OE ANNUAL MEETING. 
425 
case is but too often at that time beyond all chance of re¬ 
covery, it having been so long tampered with by the empiric. 
If, under these circumstances, the veterinary surgeon pre¬ 
scribes, he is sure to get blame.” I do not find that to be the 
case either. This statement does appear to me to be ridiculous, 
as well as contrary to fact. I speak with all respect for the 
committee who were appointed by the Council to investi¬ 
gate the matter, and to report upon it ; still, it is so contrary 
to fact, and I believe my remarks will be endorsed by every 
gentleman present who has had any experience, that I object 
altogether to the insertion of these reasons in the Report. 
Again, it says—“ If, on the contrary, the patient dies, which 
probably in nine cases out of ten he will.” Whether this is 
the fact I do not know, but there are a number of men who 
have not graduated at the Royal College of Veterinary 
Surgeons who are able to do a little better than that, and 
who are more successful in their treatment than is repre¬ 
sented here. Then it goes on to say—“ The empiric will then 
say the veterinary surgeon had killed him, and that had the 
animal remained under his care he would have recovered.” 
All this kind of reasoning appears to me to be too trivial and 
of too abstract a nature to be put into the statement of a 
legalised professional body, as a ground for seeking the privi¬ 
lege of an Act of Parliament. 
The President .—That is one of the reasons brought forward 
why the country should be provided with better veterinary 
surgeons. When you say it is not the case that empirics act 
in this manner, it may be that it is not the case in your neigh¬ 
bourhood. I know it is the case in the country generally. I 
was the author of that statement, and I did not insert it 
without a practical knowledge of the fact. I have been in¬ 
formed that in the far distant parts of the country, where 
animals are attacked, the empiric is always the first to attend; 
that he keeps the animal in his hands two or three days; 
and after that, if the animal does not recover, the veteri¬ 
nary surgeon is sent for, and then the veterinary quack 
runs from public-house to public-house, and from farm-yard 
to farm-yard, and says, “ TheyTe sure to kill him, he is in 
the hands of the vet.” I believe it is the case that if the 
animal dies the blame is imputed to the veterinary surgeon ; 
and if the animal recovers, the man says that it was through 
his previous treatment. 
Mr. Ilelmore. —If men are in that position they deserve our 
warmest sympathy. Yet for all that, I do not think it is a 
suitable reason, or that it is suitable language, with which to 
approach the Government for an Act. It is one reason, it 
xxxvii. 28 
