OBITUARY. 
251 
supported, and that of his opponents weaker. In 1870 he was called 
to the Directorship of the Royal School at Berlin, and here began his 
master work, or rather, he had a better opportunity to seek to develop 
the ideal of his life, viz. : the introduction of a scientific methodic into 
Veterinary education. In this work he had too much to overcome to be 
but partially successful, and consequently, the late Director of our 
school is not alone to be judged by his works, but also by the works 
which he would have done, viz. : by his ideality. Neither the Berlin 
school alone, nor the profession in Germany, are alone the losers by the 
death of this exclusive scientist. The Veterinary profession of the world 
has, in the writer’s opinion, lost its Standard Bearer ; the leader of its 
Forlorn Hope. Bourgelat was indeed the one to lay the foundation of 
Veterinary education ; and Gerlach was no less the first to make a 
scientific study of the needs of Veterinary education—narrowing his en¬ 
tire energies to this one point—and the introduction of a scientific 
methodic into our teaching and practice. Our late Director was indeed 
the Luther in the school of Veterinary thought. In some respects he 
had the appearance of a very one-sided man; but to those who knew 
him better, he was a man bending everything, sacrificing everything, for 
the success of an ideal object. That object was the elevation of Veter¬ 
inary medicine to a science, fitted to take its place in the bright halo of 
the sister sciences of the world. For this he gave life ; for this he 
mortgaged himself for years; bearing with quiet dignity ill appreciation, 
and bitter opposition from the persons he was giving his life to serve. 
To others, there may have been but one Gerlach, and that the autocratic 
Director of the School; the man who would neither hear nor bear a word 
of contradiction. To others, and amongp.hem the writer, there was an¬ 
other Gerlach ; the sincere friend, who greeted me with all the kindness 
of a father on my arrival in a foreign land, and whose watchfulness, deep 
interest, and encouraging words of advice, as well as caution, for the 
past two years, are only to be compared to the tender care of a mother. 
The autocrat has been, at the same time, the dearest friend of my life. 
The entire character of the man might be written in one sentence : 
“ Be sure you are right, then go ahead, regardless of cost.” That he did 
this, every one will testify. He was a hard and exact student of his 
position and responsibilities ; knew exactly the worth and ability of 
each of his assistants ; and knew much better than any other leader in 
our profession—judging by their writings—the course which can alone 
succeed in the elevation of our profession. He was frequently accused 
of want of generosity towards the opinions of others. Persons who in 
