30 
J. E. RYDER. 
the strategy that Dewey possessed when he created that break¬ 
fast story while destroying the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay, and 
wanted to take time to make an inventory of his ammunition. 
Legitimate tact judiciously used to impress the thinking 
people of the best merits of the profession is to be commended. 
Men of sense never confuse issues or choose the wrong time for 
their purpose. It is no uncommon thing to see men of high 
intellectual attainments incapable of self-support, because they 
lack certain qualifications of imparting their knowledge ; wis¬ 
dom is useful so far as capable of being applied. 
There is to-day vast unhidden possibilities for the ambitious 
and resourceful veterinarian. Under the plan of American in¬ 
stitutions, men rapidly climb the ladder of fame, because it is 
one of the possibilities for all, and that applies to us, and it is 
our duty to grasp the spirit, develop our latent faculties ; and 
that which belongs to us we will have, because the executive 
officers and political assemblies cannot then help recognizing 
us as public benefactors, and our social position. 
As it now exists it is a political matter, and whatever we re¬ 
ceive we must fight for ; as, in the language of David Harum, 
“ There is many a hole in a ten-foot ladder.” 
“ DOCKING/' 
By J. E. Ryder, D. V. S., New York City. 
Read before the Veterinary Medical Association of New York County, March, 1900. 
It is not my intention to enter into the history of this well 
known and ancient operation, but merely to briefly describe the 
different methods of operating at the present time, to present to 
you the legal side of the operation, and finally to ask your opin¬ 
ion whether we are justified in performing this very common 
operation of fashion. 
The reason why I ask this question is that the “veterinary 
profession ” gets the credit of every docked horse that travels 
our streets, but on investigating the subject I find that only 
about 10 per cent, of the docked horses of New York are oper- 
