J. small Anim. Pract. Vol. 9, 1968, pp. 371 to 376. Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in Great Britain

B.S.A.V.A. Congress, I 968* Presidential Address

R. S. KAY

UNITED WE STAND -DIVIDED WE FALL THE stage was set in 1966 when Michael Young arranged that his presidential address should form a separate item in our Congress programme. His was an enlightened and intriguing address, and he spoke for most of us when he looked into the future. To those of us here who know him well, it was obvious that Michael’s thoughts were being opened up a little, and we all realised afresh what a far sighted person he is!

The following year we were privileged to be addressed by the late Noel Ormrod. Noel’s tragic death, in a car accident last December, came as a great shock to the B.S.A.V.A. and deprived us of a great man. Once more a far seeing personality was shown to us and no-one can have failed to be impressed, not least by his quiet but deep sincerity. Noel was a man who lived for his work, which truly embraced the health and welfare of all animals-whether domestic or wild.

These two predecessors of mine have taken some of the wind out of my sails, but following the fashion set by them, I think it appropriate that what I say today could be classed as a little baring of the soul. The sentiments I propose to express are, I sincerely believe, towards the good of our Association.

We are, in number, a very small profession tending to split into numerous sections. These vocational sections begin to develop their own voices and, at times, seem to have no patience with different viewpoints expressed by other sections of the same profession. This is our weakness.

The numerous specialist divisions that have sprung up since the inception of the B.S.A.V.A. should be regarded as the strength of the B.V.A., they must on no account be a source of its weakness.

I am not advocating “de-voicing”, but I do say Iet us co-operate, so that eventually our views can be expressed as a single whole. At the birth of the B.S.A.V.A there was considerable feeling that we should form a splinter group quite dissociated from the B.V.A.-fortunately, common sense prevailed; we are now a very lusty infant, and a fast-growing Division of our parent body.

In many things we may regard the B.V.A. as being very old fashioned-indeed,

*Presented at the Eleventh Annual B.S.A.V.A. Congress, 1968.

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I think the Association is well aware of this image. We can criticise the B.V.A., as the Officers of that Association well know, but the way to change old fashioned thinking is for example-by showing that we are a thoughtful, sincere and helpful Division. Let our criticism, therefore, be constructive not destructive.

If the B.V.A., backed by the whole of its membership, could take our problems to Parliament, to the Ministry of Agriculture or to the animal welfare societies surely our voice would have much more strength than if we go it alone? Similarly, if the Association of Veterinary Teachers and Research Workers have a problem at national level, is it not right that their case should have the support of the B.S.A.V.A. ?

In the British Isles today there is still only a very, very small number of veterinary surgeons engaged wholely in small animal practice. Very many more are in mixed practice, performing all sorts of tasks on different species, combined with some small animal work. I do not think any of us would welcome any form of Government control of veterinary practice yet I firmly believe that, in the not too distant future- possibly related to Britain joining the European Economic Community some form of nationalisation of large animal practice will come about. I think it has already happened if you remember tuberculin testing, and what a source of income this was for 20 years. In many practices up and down the country the government was, without doubt, the so-called “best client” and, as such, due homage had to be paid to it.

I do not think any nationalised scheme could embrace the treatment of domestic pets so let us consider the fact that, almost overnight, this noble profession of ours could be split into two quite distinct factions with two very different loyalties. I am sure you are well aware how difficult it is to serve two masters. Schism could very soon set up a general reaction, which would end with at least two permanently separated branches of the veterinary profession; each going its own way and having no respect for the other. What a tragedy this would be. The only body I can visualise as a unifying force would be our parent body-the B.V.A.

Now let us turn to another aspect of the veterinary profession which could divide us and weaken our effort-the education of the veterinary surgeon of the future. Here, I speak particularly to our colleagues on the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Is it not time that the R.C.V.S. recognised that small animal practice has now advanced so far that the present curriculum of the Colleges is not sufficient? Do they not see that it is impossible to teach a student in 4 years (excluding the first year’s ‘A’ level subjects) to be so proficient in the art and science of veterinary surgery that he can be turned loose on a very critical public?-a public which is now schooled to expect the best and will demand and pay for nothing less. Does the Royal College not see that after 4 years a student is only qualified in the basic essentials and that, if he wishes to specialise in a species, he will need postgraduate training before he is truly qualified to practise? Medical practitioners have to do houseman duties before they are regarded as being fully qualified and I am sure that many of our teaching colleagues would agree with the practical advantages of this arrangement. I, personally, am convinced that in the future the training of veterinary surgeons will need to be drastically altered.

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More intensive training should produce benefits to our patients, to our clients and to small animal practice. There is, however, an inherent danger in any such proposal-once more we should be splitting our profession, and encouraging differing sectional interests to develop.

Our Royal College, and the B.V.A., must keep this in the forefront of their thinking, so that eventually we become a strong, united body with two aims in mind-the welfare of animals and the good of our profession. In these two contexts I would like to remind you that, during the recent foot-and-mouth outbreak, it was not only those engaged in large animal but also those engaged in small animal practice who rallied round and volunteered to help.

Whatever may be the future developments-and there will be many since our profession is so dependent on the economic pattern in Great Britain-may I plead that our noble profession does not so lose itself in small, selfish interests, that our sense of vocation is lost. This vocation is, with all humility to serve man and his animals and to promote their welfare in all its aspects. Will you forgive a quotation from the Bible which puts this much better than I am able to do-Ephesians Chapter 4 verse 1. “Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness”. To do that we must be united. The profession must speak with one voice. May we of the B.S.A.V.A. recognise this, and be determined to resist any attempt to fragment and divide us.

Finally, may I close this address by reminding you that all I have said is sum- marised by the second Commandment, in Matthew 22, verse 39-“Love thy neighbow”.-If, throughout our daily work this is never forgotten, then our great profession must be strong and united.

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Address given by the President, B.S.A.V.A., Mr. R. S. Kay, on the occasion of the press conference held on Sunday, 31st March 1968, at the B.S.A.V.A. 1 l th Annual Congress.

THIS Association was formed and exists to satisfjr the needs and requirements of those veterinary surgeons, specialising in small animal practice. In the simplest of terms, this means our members exist primarily to maintain the good health and well-being of the pet population owned by the general public throughout the country. The purpose of our Annual Congress is to listen to and examine a number of scientific subjects, and by this means practising small animal veterinary surgeons can continually bring themselves up to date with the latest techniques and methods used in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. You will see from the programme and summaries of the papers contained in the press kit the type of work that has been covered and I do not propose to take your time further on these papers.

Recently, the world has witnessed with amazement the successful transplanting of a heart from one human to another as a result of which Dr. Philip Blaiberg, a dental surgeon in South Africa, can look forward to a greatly extended life. Within the last 3 days, we have all heard of the successful replacement of three diseased valves in a human heart with three taken from pigs and this is the culmination of years of experimental heart surgery. All pioneering work of this nature must of necessity be prefaced by similar work on animals. I want to emphasise that the life of the veterinary surgeon is dedicated to the alleviation of pain and suffering, primarily in animals, but also of course in humans, and it is therefore particularly infuriating when ill-informed or maliciously-inclined organisations or bodies of people make unfounded attacks upon workers in this field. The laws covering experiments with animals which sometimes involve surgery are rigorous in their requirements and are stringently applied. Before an experiment is performed upon any animal, appropriate certificates must be obtained from the Home Office. I deliberately want to emphasise the word certificates in the plural, for there are a number of different certificates covering the different types of work.

I t is a feature of the more malicious attacks by the anti-vivisectionists that they quote a very high number of experiments without anaesthesia. What they do not quote is the type of experiment involved. In nearly every case, the experiment will only involve the feeding of the animal on a particular diet, with the object of improving animal and human feeding stuffs. No experiment on any animal more drastic than an injection with a hypodermic syringe or the pricking of a surface vein may be carried out without anaesthesia. Generally, the law insists that an anaesthetised animal must be destroyed before recovery, and in no case may be allowed to recover if greater discomfort than would be expected from a normal surgical operation is entailed. In a letter in The Veterinary Record dated 30th March, 1968, Mr. J. Bywater, a veterinary surgeon and director of the Canterbury Biological Laboratories, quotes the fact that the vast majority of the experimental procedures to which animals under experiment have been subjected are so slight as to cause less distress than would the administration of an anaesthetic. I t may be thought that in the large number of experiments involved, there exists an area for non-observance of these regulations, but I can assure you that the penalties for non-observation are not only those of the law, but would cost anyone found guilty

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his or her livelihood by withdrawal of the Home Office licence to undertake such experimentation.

In the welter of emotion, invariably ill- or misinformed, that is roused whenever the subject of experiments on animals is raised, the benefits to both the animal and human kingdoms are very often overlooked. Many of the scourges and diseases of previous centuries have now been largely overcome as a result of immunisation and vaccination. Tetanus, which so troubled British forces in the First World War was largely eliminated in the Second World War due to the use of tetanus anti-toxin produced in horses, and similarly protection against diphtheria in children was pioneered by the production of anti-toxin in horses.

The dreadful consequences of the use of thalidomide might have been established had adequate experimentation been undertaken on laboratory animals before releasing the drug for use in humans, and here I want to emphasise that if mankind is to progress in the prevention and treatment of disease, there is no alternative to animal experimentation.

Cancer is one of the biggest challenges still facing both the veterinary and medical professions and, although steady progress is being made in the fight against this disease of world-wide concern, much further work and experimentation must be carried out before the major problems are solved. The forms of cancer which occur in both animals and man are often similar and there are certain strains of laboratory animals, particularly the mouse, which are more prone to this disease. Also, as the life span of the mouse is only 2 years and it is a prolific breeder, many generations can be studied in a very short time and tremendously valuable know- ledge obtained. A striking example of such work are the recent studies of leukemia which occurs in a particular strain of mouse and which is undoubtedly significant in relation to this form of cancer in man, affecting children as well as adults.

In the field of hormones (an example of which is the Birth Control Pill), small doses can have considerable effects on vital organs and high doses may have dia- metrically opposed effects to the small doses. I t is therefore absolutely essential to identify and grade all effects on an experimental basis before progressing to clinical use in man and domestic animals. Toxicity and poisoning, both acute and chronic, is established by work on various animals, particularly mice. Specific organ and tissue effects are identified and assayed in many species, including cats, birds, rabbits and various kinds of monkeys. Without these tests, hormonal therapeutics could not have been established in many important diseases, including particularly breast cancer, cancer of the prostate in man, diabetes and many others.

I have said a great deal about experiments and their uses. Perhaps a word now about experimental animals. Animals for experimentation more often than not are involved in procedures costing a great deal of time and money and for this reason the quality of the animal used is most important. No reputable research establish- ment would accept an old or diseased animal in its laboratory let alone use it for a test where, because of its condition, the results will be inconclusive or actually misleading. For this reason, most animals used by reputable research establish- ments are bred especially for the purpose, and their physical and psychological well- being is greatly encouraged by their being kept in the best possible conditions and circumstances. The cost of breeding these animals is enormously high and con-

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sequently the scientists think very seriously before embarking on an experiment involving their use.

Frequently, veterinary surgeons, when they have to destroy pet animals, are asked to assure the owner that the pet will not be used for experimentation. I want to emphasise that this profession would not conduct its affairs in such a manner, nor would a research establishment accept such animals for their work. I t is a fact, however, that in certain areas of the country, pet animals are stolen by unscrupulous people and are then sold to research establishments who, it must be stressed, accept them in good faith. This profession, more than any other, deplores such activities and our members, as well as those associated with all other branches of biological research, are continually attempting to bring such thieves to justice. If the activities of the anti-vivisectionists were directed against these persons and their activities rather than against the scientists and their vita1 research, they would then gain a great deal more support, not only from the general public, but from the research workers and our profession as well.