NEWS AND ITEMS. 
299 
course, felt the high prices to a certain extent, they have re¬ 
solved not to make their customers suffer for it as long as they 
can hold out. 
A Progressive Veterinarian. —Dr. S. R. Howard can 
now boast of almost as many titles as the Prince of Wales. It 
is now proper, when addressing a letter to him, to put on the 
following: “ S. R. Howard, V. S., M. B. H., M. C., H. O.” 
That his friends may know what all this means, we will furnish 
the following key to his titles: V. S., Veterinary Surgeon ; 
M. B. H., Member of the Board of Health ; M. C., Member of 
Council; H. O., Health Officer. He was appointed a member 
of the Board of Health by Mayor Wilkins, and the Board at a 
recent meeting elected him to be Health Officer in the place of 
Dr. Hoyt, M. D.— [Hillsboro Gazette^ Hillsboro^ O.^ June 3.) 
Saltpetre Poisoning. — To the Breeders Gazette. —The 
subjoined news note, taken from the first issue of the North 
British Agric2ilturist of Edinburgh, Scotland, is of interest in 
connection with the article headed “ Deadly Cornstalks ” in last 
week’s issue : “ Mr. George Lethardy, farmer, Millbank, Eock- 
erbie, has lost a couple of Ayrshire cows by an overdose of salt¬ 
peter. Mr. Eethardy had ordered a quantity of salts from a 
grocer in Eockerbie, and under the belief that he had received 
what was ordered administered a dose of one pound to each oi 
the cows. Shortly afterward they showed symptoms of suffer¬ 
ing and died. Mr. Eethardy being uncertain as to the cause of 
death had a quantity of the physic submitted to a veterinary 
surgeon and a chemist, who had no difficulty in pronouncing it 
to be saltpeter.” As it has been found that eight ounces of 
saltpeter (one half pound) are sufficient to produce fatal results 
it can be readily understood that where saltpeter forms 25 per 
cent, in weight of fodder badly affected by the salt, cattle eating 
such fodder must consume a much larger amount than the one 
noted above. A. S. Alexander, V. S., Cook Co., Ill. 
Competent Veterinarians for the Army. —There is a 
movement afoot to have the laws governing the enlistment of 
veterinary surgeons in the army amended so as to bring into the 
service highly-educated men. At present it is impossible for a 
veterinary surgeon to obtain a rank higher than color sergeant. 
The law was made years ago when a scientific education was 
not considered essential to qualify a man as “ horse doctor.” 
The veterinary associations have sent memorials here directing 
attention to the necessity for getting thoroughly competent 
