404 
WM. H. GRIBBLE. 
This is good so far as it goes, but it does not go far enough, 
for section 9, .Ohio Board of Health laws, practically compels 
all boards of health to contain two practicing physicians 
(M. D.’s), the veterinary surgeon not being recognized at all, 
and of the other appointed members of these boards, what a 
rarity to see a veterinarian ever appointed, while farmers, 
merchants and even day laborers, with little or no knowledge 
of sanitary measures, are seemingly well qualified for the posi¬ 
tions. For this we are largely to blame ourselves ; we have not 
been educators. While most people know that domestic 
animals are subject to pleurisy, pneumonia, lock-jaw, etc., etc., 
there are many, many persons who do not know that these 
animals are liable to dyspepsia, asthma, heart disease, apoplexy, 
fits, spotted, scarlet and typhoid fevers, consumption, diphtheria, 
tooth-ache, ear-ache, cancer and even boils ; in fact, almost 
every disease that human flesh is heir to (the name in some 
cases being changed a little). Apart from this lack of knowl¬ 
edge people fail to appreciate the educational ability of the 
veterinarian. Then, again, there are too many practicing medi¬ 
cine, who make it a specialty to doctor ” the paymaster 
instead of the patient; or, as it is often expressed, “ working him 
for a good bill.” 
This is nearly always disclosed ; and when it is, it reflects to 
the discredit, not only of the individual practitioner, but of the 
whole profession at large. 
In a large number of our towns and smaller cities, the 
appointing power of the boards of health still look upon the 
present veterinarian as “ the old horse doctor,” and this is not 
to be wondered at, when a large majority of our sister profes¬ 
sion (the medical fraternity) look upon us as considerably 
beneath them in learning, in scientific training and in the knowl¬ 
edge of practical sanitary science. Why they do this I cannot 
say, for they should be the last to so judge us. One profession 
is at least the peer of the other ; in fact, does it not require a 
longer course of study to correctly diagnose disease by eye and 
ear, as the veterinarian must do, than where questions can be 
