EDITORIAL. 
445 
What a vast amount of money could be saved if a “ Veteri¬ 
nary Bureau ” were established, whose duties would be to pre¬ 
vent the spread of contagious diseases among animals. 
That the public is becoming fully alive to the importance of 
veterinary medicine in our political economy, and that the medi¬ 
cal profession is recognizing the standing of the veterinarian as a 
scientist in this country, is shown by the following extracts from 
a paper recently read before the Medical Society of the County 
of Kings, by E. H. Bartley, M.D. In speaking of the discovery 
of the bacillus origin of zymotic diseases, he says: “From the 
science of veterinary medicine we are now receiving our most valu¬ 
able aid in the investigation of the nature of contagion * In this 
country , as well as abroad , great advances are being made by that 
profession in this direction. We must regret that an active 
board is supported by Congress for the purposes of research in the 
disease s of farm animals , while the National Board of Health is 
allowed to famish I 
It would seem that both the medical and veterinary profes¬ 
sions have something to complain of—the medical profession, that 
it is not allowed greater liberty and more ample means in investi¬ 
gating diseases, and the veterinary that it is not empowered to 
check (as it could) the annual ravages of diseases of our domestic 
animals. Had we a power similar to that delegated to the Na¬ 
tional Board of Health, the saving to the country from Texas 
fever alone, not to speak of other contagious diseases, would 
more than pay the expenses of such a bureau. What we desire 
is simply this, and it is due to us for what we have already accom¬ 
plished, that the veterinarian receives exactly the same govern¬ 
mental recognition and aid that is now granted the medical pro¬ 
fession. We venture the assertion that we could show, at the 
end of each year, as good a result as that given now by the Na¬ 
tional Board of Health. 
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE IN INDIA. 
To the English reader of veterinary works it must have seemed 
strange that veterinary science in India should not before this 
* The italics are ours.—[E d. 
