20 
EDITORIAL. 
The semi-annual meeting of the United States Veterinary 
Medical Association, which was held lately in Boston, proved one 
of the most satisfactory that this large body of veterinarians ever 
had. 
Besides the admission of a number of new members and the 
proposal of many candidates for admission, important business 
relating to the Association, to the profession, and to the journal 
published, all of which will be found in our paper in full, an ex¬ 
cellent short paper was read by Dr. Charles Peabody of Provi¬ 
dence, bringing before the meeting the results of the experience 
of this gentleman in the use of chloral hydrate as an anaesthetic. 
This, we believe new application of this remedy, in active 
practice, will no doubt be tried by other veterinarians, and we 
hope they will not hesitate to give us information as to the 
results obtained. If the advantages that Dr. Peabody reports can 
be realized also by others, the probabilities are that many means of 
restraint will be put aside to be replaced by this new but simple 
mode of controlling the struggles of animals during surgical 
operations. 
Amongst the contents of this number will be found a paper 
on diseases of the posterior abdominal aorta and its branches, 
which was read before the New York Pathological Society. 
Illustrating the symptomatology of the disease as it presented 
itself in the two horses thus affected, it also gives the lesions 
which were found at the post mortem, and illustrates well the 
powerful resistance of animals to diseased processes. 
Horse Variola —An outbreak of this disease has been re¬ 
ported as extensively prevailing in Canada, and principally in 
Montreal. A paper on this subject, as observed in the Montreal 
Veterinary College by Mr. F. Torrence, veterinary student, as 
well as one from Prof. McEachran, will be found in full in our 
pages. 
