SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
187 
valuable paper, and also that a copy of the same be sent to each member at the 
expense of the Association. 
Moved and seconded that a vote of thanks be tendered Drs. Myers for their 
kindness in securing a suitable place for meeting. 
Moved and seconded that the meeting adjourn to meet again in Columbus 
during the week of the coming State Fair. 
J. M. Waddel, Secretary. 
MASSACHUSETTS VETERINARY ASSOCIATION. 
The regular monthly meeting of this Association was held at the Massasoit 
House, Springfield, Mass., Friday evening, May 1st. 
President Billings occupied the chair, and there were present: Drs. M. 
Bunker of Newton; J. E. Gardner of Greenfield; F. H. Osgood of Springfield ; 
J. S. Saunders and L. II. Howard of Boston; J. F. Winchester of Lawrence, 
and Chas. Winslow of Rockland; also, as invited guests, P. L. LeB. Stickney, 
M.D., and W. W. Gardner, M.D., of Springfield; Dr. A. R. Rice, Chairman 
Board of Health of Springfield; Dr. Forrest of Rockland; Dr. Thomas Bland, 
Secretary Connecticut Veterinary Medical Society; Mr. W. H. Wilkinson, of the 
“Briglitside Farm,” Holyoke; Messrs. Myrick of New England Homestead ; 
Lyman of Springfield Republican ; and Geddings of Springfield Union. 
The record of the previous meeting was read and accepted, and the general 
order of business was omitted to listen to a paper by Dr. Billings : 
Part I.— State Medicine. 
Designating the system of State Medicine as the “great life saving service” 
of the country, he divides it into three portions: 1—The Educational division, 
represented by our medical institutions. 2—The Hygienic division, represented 
by our Boards of Health. 3—The Practical division, represented by our practi¬ 
tioners. 
He first called attention to the educational part of the system as being the 
foundation of the other parts, the work of the schools being the education of the 
scientist as well as of the practitioner; regretting, however, that our schools do* 
not fulfill these requirements; that American schools give more attention to the 
practical part of the science, than to investigation; the latter being left to the 
Continental schools. 
This condition he thought to be due: First, to the fact that we have no 
schools supported and regulated by the State, but being endowed they cannot be 
entirely independent in the selection of teachers, and they are often not selected 
for ability alone. Second, by the chartering of so many schools, a spirit of com¬ 
petition between them arises, which interferes with their usefulness. 
The speculative schools he thought ought to be condemned, as being as a rule, 
unscrupulous and of no responsibility. The proper results in his opinion, are 
only to be obtained by a National school system. 
In regard to the hygenic portion of State medicine, the essayist drew atten¬ 
tion to the fact that we have no well organized public health and sanitary police 
system; no well qualified State officer for the inspection of meat, milk, or the 
