EDITORIAL. 
228 
dinted in the United States, and we promised ourselves to wait 
and watch our opportunity to bring the subject in time before 
the proper authorities. 
The letter of Mr. Meyers of Cincinnati, which was published 
in our last issue, brought the subject, however, before the public 
just in good time, and to-day it receives an answer from the pen 
of Doctor E. P. Vollum of the United States Army, to whom we 
are thankful for his kind expressions towards veterinarians, and for 
the opportunity he gives us to present our readers with the new 
“ General Orders ” relating to veterinary surgeons in the Army. 
The reading of the latter and of the order wUl show what great 
improvement has been wrought in relation to the position of the 
veterinarian. The most essential, we think at present, is the 
Order No. 3. The fact that none but regularly educated veter¬ 
inarians are to be appointed, we consider a most important step, 
one which will have for effect to turn out from the army men at 
present entirely unqualified to practice, and which will oblige a 
few self-made good men who now hold positions, to complete their 
studies and obtain their degree, some of whom we know will be too 
happy to do so if they can only obtain from their commanding 
officers the leave of absence they would require. For after all, 
would it not be unjust to refuse to those men the opportunity of 
keeping their positions. 
We may, however, make objections to the mode of appoint¬ 
ments—* c the recommendation from the commanding officer of 
the regiment , supported by the requisite proofs of learning and 
skill , and by approval of intermediate commander s.” The cre¬ 
dentials of a candidate, his diploma, ought, it is true, be sufficient 
proofs of learning and skill, but we must not lose sight of the 
position of veterinary education in the United States ; we must 
not forget that veterinary schools are scarce in our good country; 
we must not forget that an infamous trade in the 
sale of worthless degrees has been, and is likely to 
be again carried out, whether in human or veterinary 
medicine; and as for those who may hold foreign degrees, 
should we be less careful than European powers would be with 
American graduates, and in such a case the order would be of 
