PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 815 
is amply sufficient to engage the undivided attention of one 
mind. 
Thus it is that even this subject of pathology, in its un¬ 
restricted sense and meaning, has a significance too extensive 
and recondite, and we will confine ourselves to what is more 
properly designated special or particular pathology, or at 
least so much of it as requires our consideration in dis¬ 
coursing to you upon that thoroughly practical and tangible 
section or branch of your special medical study, the practice 
of medicine and surgery, and that, too, as specially pertaining 
to the horse. 
In this study and teaching of the practice of equine medi¬ 
cine and surgery the history, phenomenal exhibition, and 
treatment of special diseases and disturbed states of the 
system, will form the chief points of consideration and 
investigation. 
Although in systemic teaching of medicine it is generally 
considered necessary to begin with, or certainly at least to 
carry on contemporaneously with, the study of the practice 
of medicine and surgery, i. e. the study of special diseases, 
that of general pathology, i. e. a consideration of those 
general truths arrived at from comparison of many diseases 
or of particular diseases with each other—truths which have 
been established by observation and experiment. 
Yet it ought never to be forgotten that the first of these 
divisions—the one specially pertaining to our present walk— 
comes first in the order of nature. It is from this the study 
of special diseases, the phenomena they exhibit, their modes 
of development, &c., as also their relations to each other in 
all pertaining to them individually, that we approach the 
study of the more extensive and general ^truths relative to 
disease in general, kuown by the term of general pathology. 
Fortunately for all of us, and particularly for him who has 
to prelect those upon whom has devolved the duty of 
arranging for the instruction of the pupils of this institu¬ 
tion, have, with a proper consideration of the fulness and 
efficiency of the teaching here supplied, and with a just esti¬ 
mate of the importance of the subject of general pathology, 
determined that it shall receive consideration and treatment 
specially by itself, apart from other special pathological 
teaching. 
By this arrangement it will not be needful, nor yet expe¬ 
dient, that either as introductory to or mingled with our 
special pathological teaching will the necessity arise for dis¬ 
coursing at length on matters pertaining to the peculiar 
province of general pathology—those great truths, leading 
