NORTH OF ENGLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 671 
I will not detain you longer, gentlemen, but propose the “ Provincial 
Veterinary Medical Associations ,' 5 coupling with the toast the names of 
those gentlemen whose eminence in the professional community fully 
entitle them to the distinguished position which they now hold as Presi¬ 
dents of the respective societies in Yorkshire and Lancashire, Messrs. 
Dray and Greaves. (Loud applause.) 
Mr. B. C. Bray , Leeds, in the course of his well-timed remarks, said 
he valued the principles of veterinary medical associations, and felt 
more and more the necessity for a perfect unity in the bond of bro¬ 
therhood ; if the veterinary surgeon will but render that effective assist¬ 
ance in carrying out their design, their influence must inevitably be that 
of mutual good; the necessity of a spirit of co-operation always exists, 
and the more the practitioner applies to that necessity, the more effective 
a member of the profession will he become, and the greater will be the 
impetus with which he must urge on the machine of science. In his 
dealings with the public there exists a necessity for each practitioner, 
not only to be on “ good terms ’ 5 with his brother, but also that mutual 
good feeling and desire for each other’s welfare and benefit should exist, 
so that, -when a misunderstanding takes place between a client and him¬ 
self, he can call in the aid of his friend to smooth down the path 
of difficulties. Mr. Dray then gave the details of a case in which 
he was called in to endeavour to maintain the standing of a brother 
practitioner against a client who had resolved to enter an action for 
alleged want of skill in treating his horse which had died, and stated that 
after a post-mortem examination had been made, the owner, who before 
was all storm and passion, now became convinced of his mistake, and 
not only offered the most ample and sincere apologies, but, sensible of 
the respect and good understanding which existed between the profes¬ 
sional friends, insisted upon their accepting of the best his house could 
afford. (Cheers.) He (Mr. Dray) felt sorry there was not more of 
this co-operation amongst them ; it is a result of great apathy and 
sluggishness of action. Many there are in the profession who are en¬ 
tirely ignorant of what passes in the veterinary world; he knew a 
veterinary surgeon at the present time, in one of the largest towns in 
Yorkshire, who is neither a member of a veterinary medical associa¬ 
tion, nor does he take in a periodical in connection with his profession. 
He (Mr. Dray) had a great desire to see the advancement of the pro¬ 
fession and promotion of the veterinary surgeon,—that is, necessary pro¬ 
motion, for such might go too far; his ideas were not so extensive as to 
create nobility from the ranks of the profession. This reminded him of 
a saying reported of George IV, who never was remarkable for having 
said many witty things, but on this occasion, when asked to make Sir 
Astley Cooper a lord, replied, “ Why then we shall have all the ladies 
crying, good lord deliver us. 5 ’ (Cheers and laughter.) The veterinary 
surgeon in every respect fills a most responsible position, and his office 
and the nature of the calling he follows are quite incompatible with 
apathy and indifference. 
Mr. Thomas Greaves, Manchester , said, Mr. President and Gentlemen,— 
If there be one circumstance in connection with this my visit to your 
town and association that is not wholly destitute of a particle of regret, 
it is this simple incident, that the responding to this most interesting 
toast, viz., “The Provincial Veterinary Medical Associations, 5 ’ should 
not have fallen into the hands of a better and abler man, to have 
done full justice to so important and interesting a subject. (Cheers.) 
The veterinary profession, headed as it is by colleges which are the pride 
and glory of the land—colleges conducted by professors who are an 
