THE ROYAL VETERINARY COLLEGE
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sen,—I was interested to read your article on the urgent needs of the Royal Veterinary College in the Spectator of August 16th.
The facts of the case, which cannot be too widely known, are these. The finances of the College are bankrupt, as a pre-War income cannot meet post-War expenses. The buildings are worn out and condemned by the L.C.C. as unsafe. The staff are very much underpaid, efficient and loyal, but inadequate in numbers. The demands on the College through increasing numbers of students and the rapid advance of scientific knowledge grow annually. The numbers of animals sent for treatment to the clinic and hospital increase rapidly and run into thousands each year. This hospital and clinic are of the greatest value as a very large number of suffering animals obtain the very best treatment very cheaply, or free, and the students have endless oppor- tunity for learning correct diagnosis and for becoming practical, without which the theory of their profession is useless. This large number of patients can only be obtained in a great centre of population, and that is why the governors have always refused the suggestion of moving the College, to Cambridge, but prefer to make every effort to bring it up to the required standard to enable it to become attached to the London University. At Cambridge there would not be forthcoming in a year the clinical material obtainable in London in a week.
According to the Report of the Departmental Committee which considered the whole question, £300,000 is required to rebuild the College, hospital, and clinic, and to buy the site from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners.
But before any money should be spent on Minding it is necessary to ensure a future increase of annual incoine of £21,000 a year. To carry out the recommendations of the Report nine " Professorial Chairs " are needed, and to pay each Professor and his one or two assistants on a scale which would be recognized as adequate by the University of London each " Chair " will require an endowment of £25,000 — £30,000.
The sum required seems large, but it is comparatively small compared to the preventable loss occurring annually in the live stock of the country. And what would it save if we could stop bovine tuberculosis amongst children ?
The neglect of veterinary education and research has been a disgrace to the country for the last 100 years. The Royal Veterinary College has done really wonderful work in the past both in turning out able veterinarians, and in successful research work, and has done it in spite of the most inadequate facilities.
But it can go on no longer, and it must close down if the nation, individually or collectively, or partially both, does not come to its rescue at once.
Donations should be sent to the Secretary, The Royal Veterinary College, Camden Town, and could be paid in instalments over a period of three years.—I am, Sir, &c.,
MERRIK B. BURRELL,
Chairman, Board of Governors,
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