404 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
ancient friend who asserts and recommends so freely things that 
from the very secrecy with which they are prepared he knows 
nothing of. This form of parasitism is not nearly so bad as the 
last, but still it is not dignified, professional or honorable towards 
one’s profession to recommend so highly some private nostrum, or 
to say that in this or any other country there is nothing so good ; 
is this poor old eats’-paws-mind the greatest veterinary mind of 
the age that he thus judges the knowledge of his brethren ? How 
much, Mr. Editor, do you suppose a coincidence something like 
the following would tend to advance veterinary science, especially 
in the minds of the farmers ? An unfortunate member of that 
honorable body has a sick cow ; he wonders what he will do ; he 
has heard there is such a thing as an educated man who practices 
rational medicine amongst animals; he having had much to do 
with the cow leech thinks he will see a veterinary surgeon. One 
is called in and agrees to see the cow for $5—he comes, he sees, 
he prescribes ? Ho, most assuredly not; he takes the farmer into 
a corner and says : “ My friend, how much is your cow worth ?” 
“ About $55,’ answers the man. “Well,” says the veterinary, 
“ if she dies you will lose that amount; without me she will, but I 
can save her ; give me $30 and pay me $5 for this visit and I will 
do it and you will be in $20.” Farmer thinks he’s in a bad box— 
consents to the arrangement—events ensue in about the following 
order: a dose of salts, a relieved cow, a money spinning “ vet ” 
happy with thirty stolen dollars in his pocket, a farmer who for¬ 
ever after shuns the aid of the profession and persuades his friends 
to do likewise Result: more harm done to the profession by this 
money suckling parasite in thirty-six hours than could be done to 
it by a good honest quack in a whole lifetime. Apropos , rather a 
queer business card has recently been published. One would cer¬ 
tainly think that a man who had received so many honors would 
be thoroughly versed in the rudiments of medical ethics. Probably 
the reason he is not is that his honors are mostly from the news¬ 
papers, solicited probably, judging by the card ; but here it is : 
