YORKSHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 211 
t being I believe, financially sound, and though perhaps not numerically 
strong, yet wide in its influence and social in its character. 
The benefits derived individually and collectively by being connected 
with Veterinary Medical Associations are very many indeed. It is the 
aim of this and kindred societies to promote the interests and well-being 
of the profession generally, and harmony and unity amongst its members, 
also to endeavour to open out the as yet unexplored parts of the vast field 
of hidden knowledge in connection with veterinary science, and to be the 
arena in which its many champions may fight their controversial battles 
in friendly discussion. Men are never so likely to settle a question as 
when they discuss it freely, for free and fair discussion will ever be found 
the firmest friend of truth. 
Gentlemen, we come here for the purpose of helping others and 
receiving good ourselves. The older members of the profession to give 
us the benefit of their large and varied experience, and the younger 
ones to derive such advice and information as shall fit them to occupy a 
honorable and distinguished position in the calling they have elected to 
follow, and be worthy to tread in the footsteps of their talented pre¬ 
decessors. Who are so likely to impart useful information and good 
counsel as they who have grown old in the profession, they who have 
witnessed its follies and its failures, its honours and achievements ? And 
though we may never attain their standard, yet by keeping company 
with them, we shall rise above our own, as trees growing in the society 
of a forest are said to draw each other up into shapely and stately pro¬ 
portion. 
It may unfortunately happen that one member is at variance with 
another, through some real or fancied breach of professional etiquette, 
some misunderstanding or misrepresentation, yet under the genial 
influence created by the assembling together of those mutually interested 
in the same profession, and in the well-beiug of its individual members, 
the clouds are dispersed, the grievance forgotten, the bonds of friendship 
cemented, and a happier frame of mind instituted. Is there one amongst 
us who cannot attribute to such meetings as these the formation and 
consolidation of many friendships, or who have not felt the helping hand 
of a professional brother in many a difficult case ? I think we shall all 
agree that we have gained something ; we have acquired some new 
knowledge, and we recall the past day, not only without regret, but with 
consummate satisfaction. 
The profession to which you and I have the honour to belong is now, 
I am pleased to say, recognised as one of the institutions of the country, 
and justly so, for it has the charge and well-being of many millions of 
animals, which constitute a large portion of the wealth of the nation. It 
is from the bovine and ovine tribes that our chief food supply is drawn; 
and from the equine we derive the means whereby a large proportion of 
the commerce of the country is disseminated, and which also contributes 
largely to the pleasures and pastimes of the inhabitants. It is therefore 
our duty, both in the interests of science and the community at large, 
and, need I say, for the especial benefit of the animals themselves, to en¬ 
deavour by all possible and legitimate means, by scientific research, in¬ 
domitable energy, perseverance, and pluck, to make ourselves tkrorougly 
acquainted with the causes of disease ; and then, having acquired that 
knowledge, to put forth our energies for the better prevention, alleviation, 
and cure of those maladies to which the dumb creature is liable. 
Bacon says, “ Every man is a debtor to his profession,” from the which, 
as men do of course seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought 
they of duty to endeavour themselves, by way of amends, to be a help 
