510 
SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
clauses were not of material interest, except Clause 3, which provided, when 
finally adopted, for the Board of Examiners. 
On motion, a committee of eight was appointed to meet a like number of 
members of the Association, as described in the letter received. The President, 
in naming the committee, called attention to the wish for harmony as expressed 
in the letter he had received. He considered it a very hard matter for harmony 
to exist when there were three societies in the State, and the difficulty would re¬ 
main until two of the three societies had passed away. All members of the profes¬ 
sion would have to be admitted on the same equal footing. It was not for him 
to say which of the two societies should be blotted out; perhaps age would be a 
guide, and the New York State Veterinary Society was certainly the oldest; some 
means, he hoped, could be presented by which this could be arranged. Providing 
the passage of a bill that called for an examination, who were to be the examining 
board. It would perhaps be unjust to ask any faculty to act. If we were only 
one body, it would be an easy matter, the bill could call for members of the State 
Society to act. The committees, as appointed, met on January 6th, when each 
were asked to lay before the meeting their respective drafts of bills, but it was 
found that the one that had been discussed by the members of the N. Y. State 
Veterinary Society was the only one present. It was on motion re-discussed, sec¬ 
tion by section. The first objection was made by members of the committee repre¬ 
senting the N. Y. County Medical Society asking to have the certificate of member¬ 
ship issued by them to its members placed on the same footing as a regular issued 
diploma, and so recognized, so that their members could register without under¬ 
going an examination. There was quite a strong opposition by those present, who 
considered a large fee had been charged for membership, and insinuating that 
they had been issued freely. Dr. R. W. Finlay said this idea was entirely wrong. 
Members, before being admitted to membership, had had to give proof that they 
had been ten years in practice, and they had to undergo an examination before a 
Board of Censors. No certificates had been issued for over a year, nor were any 
more going to be issued. 
After this there was a better feeling on the question, resulting in all certificates 
issued over one year by societies of five years’ standing being recognized. On 
reaching the clause which provided for the formation of the Board of Examiners, 
there was a dead stop. Dr. R. W. Finlay stating that that clause should so read 
that the Board should be appointed by the State Society, and only one. If the 
bill was sent to Albany with a provision that it be composed of members of 
several bodies, he thought that in itself would kill it, and he wished some arrange¬ 
ment could be made by which this could be done. A reply was made that this 
could easily be done if they would agree that there should be only one. Prof. 
Liautard said they had got to the point he had long been wishing to get at. He 
considered one society for the State was enough. Where there were two or three 
it was impossible to have an harmonious feeling. If there was one good State 
society, we would be quite a strong body, have large meetings, and there would 
be a much better feeling among the profession generally. The only question of 
any difficulty that presented itself, was which of the three organizations should 
absorb the other two. The New York State Veterinary Society was, by consid¬ 
erable, the oldest, it had done good work, and why not they take that into con¬ 
sideration, join that society, and let it be the only one in the State. 
