596 
EDITORIAL. 
them from entering a profession which, with all its attraction, 
its extensive field for study and great interest, may on so many 
occasions by its calling oblige her to abandon or lay aside all 
the grand feelings which are characteristic of her sex. The 
extract of “ Fosco’s ” letter taken from the Veterinary Record 
reads as follows : 
‘ ‘ Viewing the subject entirely dispassionately it appears to me that vet¬ 
erinary surgery is of all the learned professions the one least adapted for 
women. If the practice of veterinary surgery consisted in making a round 
of visits among lap-dogs, or drawing-room pets of that description, and 
simply diagnosing their diseases and giving advice as to dieting and 
general hygienic conditions, and writing a prescription or even dispens¬ 
ing the necessary medicines, then, and only then, the profes.sion might 
be a suitable one for women possessed of any delicacy of feeling. But as 
we all know there is no such practice as the above to be found in the 
United Kingdom ; and even if the female practitioner were to confine 
herself entirely to canine and feline practice, yet she is bound to meet 
with certain operations in the pursuit of her calling which must (or per¬ 
haps in view of the new woman I had better say should) be utterly re¬ 
pugnant to any one possessing what is the greatest charm of any true 
woman, namely, modesty. No lady—using the word in its true sense— 
would like to perform those operations which are the almost daily work 
of the veterinary practitioner, especially when we take into consideration 
the fact that male assistance in securing the patient is practically indis¬ 
pensable. Of course if a women is prepared to unsex herself completely 
and to throw to the four winds all feelings of modesty and delicacy there 
is no reason why she should not become a successful practitioner of 
veterinary surgery even among the larger animals; but all who know 
what the nature of veterinary practice is will, I am sure, agree that un¬ 
less prepared to do this no woman can hope to practice with any degree 
of pleasure, to say nothing of success.If women, instead 
of seeking notoriety by any means in their power would be content to 
fulfil those duties for which they are fitted by nature they would not 
onl}" secure a greater measure of true happiness to themselves, but would 
also be of incalculable service to their fellow creatures and their native 
land.” 
ASININITY OF THE M. D. ON VETERINARY TOPICS. 
In the face of all the observations and experiments of the 
qualified agents of the governments of almost every civilized 
