490 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
Bast and in the West, in the North and in the South. Bast year, as you 
know, a further important change in the Constitution was made giving 
to this body a greater scope, enlarging its facilities for doing good work 
not only for its members but for the community in general. I have, 
therefore, the honor to preside over the first meeting of the American 
Veterinary Medical Association, embracing in its field the United States, 
Canada and Mexico, nay, even more, the whole Pan-American Continent, 
and as a result of the stirring events of the past year stretching forth its 
arms to the far Bast. But as the scope of the society has increased the 
responsibilities laid upon the members have also become greater, and not 
upon the members alone but upon the President. I only wish that my 
capabilities had multiplied to keep pace with my responsibilities. 
I suppose that to a certain portion of the public this might be still 
looked upon as a convention of “ horse doctors.” Perhaps the term may 
be used in a scoffing sense, although as a matter of fact when I look at 
some of the two-legged animals that the practitioner of human medi¬ 
cine has to deal with I must say that I prefer by far to treat that noble 
animal, the horse, or the trusty friend of man, the dog. But, seriously, all 
branches of medicine are closely united. For the thorough understand¬ 
ing of human anatomy, comparative anatomy is indispensible; for a 
thorough knowledge of diseases in man the study of morbid conditions 
in animals is necessary. Thus, the veterinarian may claim a close 
brotherhood with the practitioner in human medicine and both profes¬ 
sions by working harmoniously can do much to advance the public 
health. It will not be, therefore, out of place if I speak a few words 
about medicine in general, and here I would remark that among the 
names of those doing scientific work in this country for the advance¬ 
ment of medical science, we have not far to look for those members of 
our own branch. While we have to thank the practitioner of human 
medicine for certain new methods of treatment, which we can adapt to 
our use as circumstances may require, at the same time the field for 
original work is open for the student of veterinary medicine, and he 
has it in his power to do much to further our knowledge of disease, not 
only in the lower animals but also in man. Thus, the practitioner in 
human medicine can also learn from us. In the last few decades great 
progress has been made in every branch of medicine and even greater 
results may be hoped for in the future. When we look back upon the 
status of medicine ioo years ago and when we take into consideration 
the facilities at hand at present and our increased knowledge of the ori¬ 
gin of disease, the means of prevention and the methods of cure of to-day, 
one may be pardoned for looking with some complacence upon the extent 
of our achievements. We now have a definite knowledge of the cause ot 
not a few of the infectious diseases and means more or less perfected at 
hand to combat them. In the progress of surgery we have not been left 
behind. By the use of anaesthetics both general and local we can oper¬ 
ate upon animals without pain to the subject and with consequent infi¬ 
nitely better chances of success. 
Again, who thinks at present of deep firing and blistering when the 
benefits of brush firing by the thermo-cautery have once been found out. 
Too many of ns are still addicted to the use of liniments to cure some 
sprain when the crinoline bandage will give us a much better result in 
a much shorter time. To mention only one or two other improvements. 
