CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 437 
dent, so to speak, if they paid for accommodation. Now they went hap¬ 
hazard, as it were, and were privileged beings. If the men said they 
could not attend to them they had their journey for nothing. 
Mr. Woodger stated he had made numerous post viortems. One objec¬ 
tion to the slaughter-houses was that, if one asked for a particular 
part of an animal, one could not be certain of receiving it. Of late 
years he had not visited any of these establishments, always making 
post viortems at his own place ; gave the knackermen a few shillings to 
bring the animal over. lie found knackermen obliging. If one place 
was established they would not get one tenth of the veterinary surgeons 
to support it. 
Mr. F. IF. Wragg understood Mr. Banham desired them to have proper 
vost viortems made, i. e. a scientific post viortem. Did *not see how those 
made by knackermen could be called scientific. If they had a room at 
any knackerman’s premises he would not pay for the carcase if it was to 
be kept waiting for such post mortem, and he thought they had but few 
clients who would forego the sum paid in order to have a post viortem 
made in a scientific manner. 
The Secretary thought Mr. T. Moore’s idea a novel one, which, if 
acted upon, would necessitate the setting apart of one or two evenings 
every year for considering subjects obtained from post viortems, as the 
knackerman might think almost everything worth saving, and they 
would become overstocked with specimens. The idea certainly had its 
humorous side as well as a practical one. It was unpleasant to visit 
the slaughter-houses, get besmeared with blood and dirt, and have no 
accommodation for washing, and also feel that they for the time being 
were self-invited guests or interlopers. Had never met with any in¬ 
civility, and was always furnished with the specimens he asked for. 
There would always be a difficulty in approaching these places. Did 
not like to make a post viortem at home, as it caused a crowd of people 
to congregate as if it was a nine days’ wonder. 
Mr. Shaw thought, as far as ablution requirements were concerned, 
that might easily be remedied. The proprietors of these establishments 
complained strongly of the veterinary surgeons keeping carcases waiting 
so long for post mortems, thereby rendering them useless. 
Mr. Hancock thought that was the exception rather than the rule. 
Once he required a part from an animal that had died from hsemoglo- 
binuria, and the knackerman cut out a large abscess and showed it to 
him, and informed him that was the cause of death. He thanked him, 
but looked elsewhere. 
Mr. Banham said he was rather surprised at the turn the discussion 
had taken. Pie could not see how any report given by a knackerman of 
any disease could be instructive, whereas a veterinary surgeon’s report 
would be useful. Had no very great objection to Mr. Broad’s sugges¬ 
tion of renting part of one of the present establishments to start with, if 
the proprietor would fit up a room for them ; this he thought question¬ 
able. Mr. Gerrard he understood not to complain of the places, but of 
want of time for investigation; he presumed, therefore, that he con¬ 
sidered the conveniences afforded sufficient. The same gentlemen had 
also suggested that the Boyal Veterinary College and the Brown Institu¬ 
tion are the proper places for carrying out post-mortevi examinations. 
He did not agree with this view, and considered a hospital was not a 
proper place. With'reference to Mr. Gerrard’s accusation against the 
officers of the institutions just named—of either taking no interest in 
their profession and work, or of neglecting their duty—he felt bound to 
notice and reply thereto. He was unaware that the officers of either of 
liii. 30 
