NEWS AND ITEMS 
298 
recovered from our surprise and dismay at the outrages in Illi¬ 
nois, in the total disregard by the Governor of that State and 
the Mayor of the city of Chicago of the demands of the profes¬ 
sion and of the welfare of the people, as well as common de¬ 
cency, ill the appointment to offices of importance of men who 
are absolutely unqualified by education to fill them, when a 
similar state of affairs is brought to onr notice as occurring in 
Tennessee, a state which the United States Veterinary Medical 
Association has honored by selecting her chief city as the point 
at which the convention of 1897 is to be held, and thus make 
the innovation of holding her first meeting in a real sonthern 
state. In a competition for the position of meat inspector for 
Nashville there were three applicants—two graduated veterina¬ 
rians and one quack, who is described by a correspondent as 
being in every way unfitted for the position, but that, despite 
the protests of the united medical profession, his pull prevailed. 
The appointive power was the local board of health, consisting 
of the mayor, the city health officer, and one of the city fathers. 
This simply illustrates the .need of the august presence of the 
U.S.V.M.A. in that city this fall to show the people what -man¬ 
ner of man the educated veterinarian is in comparison to the 
charlatans whom they are encouraging because of their capacity 
to wield the franchise as against efficiency and honesty. 
Encouraging thk Spread of Rabies. —In the large 
cities of New York State, like New York and Brooklyn, the 
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has 
by act of the legislature secured additional powers, whereby it 
has been designated as the official collector of unlicensed, stray, 
or disabled and abandoned animals ; it is the power which grants 
licenses and collects fees therefor; it has established shelters, at* 
which points all those animals gathered in are placed until such 
time as the legal requirements are fulfilled. They are kept for 
forty-eight hours, at the expiration of which, if they have not 
been claimed by an owner, who can secure their release by the 
payment of three dollars ($2 being for a license and $1 for pound 
charges) they may be disposed of to any one wishing to buy them, 
the uniform charge being $3, or put to death by an approved 
method. This new system has proven a great improvement over 
the old method of dog-catching by outlaws of the lowest order; 
it insures honorable treatment of the public and humanity to 
the dumb beast. Every animal bearing the Society’s license is 
recorded, and if such an animal is found astray the owner is 
notified, and can secure his return without additional cost. It 
