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The Carlisle Case
The Carltsle Case. If we k now that the position of an army veterinary surgeon is one derogatory to our profession, we will soon take up arms in its cause. ·
THE CARLISLE CASE. IT is generally understood that veterinary surgeons are among the most humane of men. They never inflict unnecessary pain. If pain has to be inflicted, th~y endea~our to do so. in the lea st painful manner. If there IS a chotce of two evtls, they choose the less. In many cases there are more than two things to choose from. Take the Carlisle case : the following were the reasons presented to Mr. Hewson's mind:I. If I perform embriotomy, the cow will suffer now and afterwards, and in all probability die a painful death. II. If I have her sent to the slaughter-house, that will soon t erminate any suffering she may have, and certainly will save her prolonged suffering. III. If I leave her here, in all probability her owner will keep her alive, and perhaps continue his efforts to save her life. I'll make certain about it, and as I, for many reasons, don't wish to kill her myself, or to have her killed on the premises, will, while she is suffering no immediate pain, send her to _the slaughter-house. Is there anything false in thus reasoning ? After Mr. Hewson had so reasoned, and all concerned were agreeable to the carrying out of his suggestion, why should anyone have interfered? Interference by the R.S.P.C.A. was an impertinence. What is it _that it should interfere with a professional man in the carrymg on the practice of his profession ? We have heard it stigmatised as many opprobrious things, but were in hopes that these were, in the majority of cases, false, and that the society was endeavouring to do a most laudabl~ du.ty to ~he best of its ability. Was It _wise of tt to attack an individual of a body of men ~o w~om ~t look~ for assistance in its good work? Our motto ~s Vzs umta forttor. It seems there are two ways of translating It. The ordmary one means that if we stand shoulder to should~r we shall be strong, but the heterodox translation, as beh~ved '?Y some members of the profession, is that, by g:et~mg r~d of as many members as possible, those remammg w11l be strengthened. This is a reversion to the age of cannibalism, when men thought that by eating
The Veterinary Journal. their foes they would be much strengthened-true, but, now-adays, bad form-and it is so nasty, too. Why, in the name of goodness, should members of this profession put themselves to considerable personal inconvenience, to go into court, and, on hearsay, to swear away the honour, reputation, and livelihood of a professional brother, is beyond us. In all reason, can men who have gained no practical knowledge in a subject for a quarter of a century give as sound an opinion as that of a man who has vast recent experience, and was on the spot ? Surely it is but seemly that, if one cannot say a good word on behalf of a professional brother or of anyone, one should at least remain silent. Of course, there are occasions when one has no alternative, but in this case the witnesses must either have been entrapped into giving their opinions, or else they had given them freely, presumably knowing that all professional opinions expressed by men may at any time require to be confirmed in a court oflaw.
TUBERCULOSIS IN MILK. ON Monday evening, 27th March, Professor Owen Williams delivered an address on the above subject, to the members of the Edinburgh and District Dairykeepers' Association. He said:The veterinary journals for a generation past had teemed with references to tuberculosis, and still teemed with them. They were never tired of watching the enemy of all kind. He was ever with them in their large towns. He lurked in the dust of the street, in the air of the tramcars, and the reek of the railway train. Its great danger had come home to many in power, and yet they seemed to have treated it as kismet. ~ well-known member of Parliament, not a great number of years ago, had the disease badly among his shorthorn herd of .cattle, and yet seemed to take little interest in the matter. Most of the wealthy breeders of stock had had bitter experience of it. They had known of the awful and disastrous results among cattle and among men, and it was only now, when they were faced with a frightened public, that they were stirring in the matter. It was needless for them ; the task was beyond the power of any government. They might as well ask Parliament to undertake the draining--of the cities, towns, and villages throughout the British Empire as ask them to get rid of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was constantly being obtained from man by man, and that might come about in many ways. Inhabiting the same room as a tubercular person was a constanf danger ; travelling in trains and other closed vehicles in which there was dried sputum of tubercular persons ; walking in towns where the dried sputum as dust was constantly blowing about, and which contained bacilli ready to attack any vulnerable part ; the wearing of clothes worn by people who had died of consumption ; the inhabiting of houses where consumptive people had Jived; the kissing of consumptive friends-these were by far ·the greatest dangers to which they were exposed, and .it was to their medical officers of
THE CARLISLE CASE. IT is generally understood that veterinary surgeons are among the most humane of men. They never inflict unnecessary pain. If pain has to be inflicted, th~y endea~our to do so. in the lea st painful manner. If there IS a chotce of two evtls, they choose the less. In many cases there are more than two things to choose from. Take the Carlisle case : the following were the reasons presented to Mr. Hewson's mind:I. If I perform embriotomy, the cow will suffer now and afterwards, and in all probability die a painful death. II. If I have her sent to the slaughter-house, that will soon t erminate any suffering she may have, and certainly will save her prolonged suffering. III. If I leave her here, in all probability her owner will keep her alive, and perhaps continue his efforts to save her life. I'll make certain about it, and as I, for many reasons, don't wish to kill her myself, or to have her killed on the premises, will, while she is suffering no immediate pain, send her to _the slaughter-house. Is there anything false in thus reasoning ? After Mr. Hewson had so reasoned, and all concerned were agreeable to the carrying out of his suggestion, why should anyone have interfered? Interference by the R.S.P.C.A. was an impertinence. What is it _that it should interfere with a professional man in the carrymg on the practice of his profession ? We have heard it stigmatised as many opprobrious things, but were in hopes that these were, in the majority of cases, false, and that the society was endeavouring to do a most laudabl~ du.ty to ~he best of its ability. Was It _wise of tt to attack an individual of a body of men ~o w~om ~t look~ for assistance in its good work? Our motto ~s Vzs umta forttor. It seems there are two ways of translating It. The ordmary one means that if we stand shoulder to should~r we shall be strong, but the heterodox translation, as beh~ved '?Y some members of the profession, is that, by g:et~mg r~d of as many members as possible, those remammg w11l be strengthened. This is a reversion to the age of cannibalism, when men thought that by eating
The Veterinary Journal. their foes they would be much strengthened-true, but, now-adays, bad form-and it is so nasty, too. Why, in the name of goodness, should members of this profession put themselves to considerable personal inconvenience, to go into court, and, on hearsay, to swear away the honour, reputation, and livelihood of a professional brother, is beyond us. In all reason, can men who have gained no practical knowledge in a subject for a quarter of a century give as sound an opinion as that of a man who has vast recent experience, and was on the spot ? Surely it is but seemly that, if one cannot say a good word on behalf of a professional brother or of anyone, one should at least remain silent. Of course, there are occasions when one has no alternative, but in this case the witnesses must either have been entrapped into giving their opinions, or else they had given them freely, presumably knowing that all professional opinions expressed by men may at any time require to be confirmed in a court oflaw.
TUBERCULOSIS IN MILK. ON Monday evening, 27th March, Professor Owen Williams delivered an address on the above subject, to the members of the Edinburgh and District Dairykeepers' Association. He said:The veterinary journals for a generation past had teemed with references to tuberculosis, and still teemed with them. They were never tired of watching the enemy of all kind. He was ever with them in their large towns. He lurked in the dust of the street, in the air of the tramcars, and the reek of the railway train. Its great danger had come home to many in power, and yet they seemed to have treated it as kismet. ~ well-known member of Parliament, not a great number of years ago, had the disease badly among his shorthorn herd of .cattle, and yet seemed to take little interest in the matter. Most of the wealthy breeders of stock had had bitter experience of it. They had known of the awful and disastrous results among cattle and among men, and it was only now, when they were faced with a frightened public, that they were stirring in the matter. It was needless for them ; the task was beyond the power of any government. They might as well ask Parliament to undertake the draining--of the cities, towns, and villages throughout the British Empire as ask them to get rid of tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was constantly being obtained from man by man, and that might come about in many ways. Inhabiting the same room as a tubercular person was a constanf danger ; travelling in trains and other closed vehicles in which there was dried sputum of tubercular persons ; walking in towns where the dried sputum as dust was constantly blowing about, and which contained bacilli ready to attack any vulnerable part ; the wearing of clothes worn by people who had died of consumption ; the inhabiting of houses where consumptive people had Jived; the kissing of consumptive friends-these were by far ·the greatest dangers to which they were exposed, and .it was to their medical officers of