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McEachran, Professor Duncan McNab, F.R.C.V.S., Principal of Montreal Veterinary College, chief inspector of stock, &c., was born at Campbeltown, Argyleshire, Scotland, on the 27th of October, 1841. He is the oldest son of the late David McEachran, who for many years was a member of the town council, and for five years preceding his death was senior bailie of Campbeltown. The family is one of the oldest in Kintyre, descended from McEachran of Killellan and Penygowan. The Ionic cross of Campbeltown, one of the oldest in Scotland, bears the names of Edward and Malcolm McEachran, and the family tombstones, which are found within the ruins of the old church of St. Kiarian, date back as far as the fourteenth century. David McEachran is also buried here. Duncan received his earlier education in the schools of his native place, and at the age of seventeen entered in his professional studies at Edinburgh, under the late Professor Dick. In the autumn of 1862, he came to Canada, and took up his abode in Woodstock, Ontario, where he practised his profession for nearly three years with marked success, at the same time being engaged during part of the winter in giving lectures at Toronto, and by this means rendered valuable service in the establishment of the Veterinary College in that city. During his residence in Woodstock, he contributed in various ways to the advancement of his profession, by lectures at farmers’ meetings, by contributions to the agricultural press, and by the publication of a manual of veterinary science. The work on the “Canadian Horse and his Diseases,” under the joint editorship of himself and his friend, Professor Andrew Smith, of the Toronto Veterinary College, soon ran through two editions, and although a third edition is now called for, Professor McEachran will not consent to its issue, as he fondly hopes to find time in the near future, to publish a larger work on the same subject. In 1866, he left Ontario and settled in Montreal, but before he left for that city, the Board of Agriculture for Upper Canada passed a very complimentary resolution, expressing regret at his departure, and he was entertained by a large number of his friends at a public dinner at Woodstock. On his arrival in Montreal, thanks to his good reputation which had preceded him, and the influence of his numerous friends, his success was speedily assured. Through the influence of the late Major Campbell, president of the Board of Agriculture, aided by principal (now Sir) J. W. Dawson, and the late G. W. Campbell, dean of the medical faculty of McGill University, an arrangement was made for Professor McEachran to deliver a course of lectures on veterinary science, in connection with the medical school, which was the commencement of the now widely-known Montreal Veterinary College. In 1875, the present commodious college buildings were erected on Union Avenue, at the expense of the founder and principal, the government guaranteeing $1,800 per annum toward its expenses for ten years, with the privilege of sending to it thirteen French and seven English students annually free. This college is now considered the first of its kind in America, and justly ranks high, even when compared with many of the schools in Europe, owing to the appreciation of its head for thorough education. While the veterinary schools at Toronto and New York admitted students without matriculation, and graduated them in two sessions, here a matriculation is required, and the course extends over three sessions of six months each. This plan was adopted by the Montreal College before the English schools; even the Royal Veterinary College of England was led by the Montreal school in this very important matter. Professor McEachran has associated with him in teaching the learned Principal and Professors of McGill University, whose classes his students attend for collateral studies. Year by year since the establishment of this college, its progress has been most marked in the number and educational standing of the pupils, and students have been attracted to it from all parts of the United States and Canada. A veterinary medical association has been established in connection with the college, for the reading of papers and the discussion of professional and kindred subjects, and a well-furnished library, containing most of the old works, and all the new ones, embraced in veterinary literature, has been added to the college, mainly through the efforts of its energetic principal. Professor McEachran, during the past few years, has contributed many valuable articles to professional journals and the agricultural press as well as by public lectures, on his favourite theme. In 1875, he earnestly pressed upon the attention of the Dominion government, the necessity for the establishment of a quarantine system, to prevent the importation of certain cattle diseases from Europe, where they were then prevailing to a deplorable extent. Acting on his advice, the government created, in April, 1876, a quarantine station at Point Levis, Quebec, and made the professor chief inspector for the Dominion, and this position he still continues to occupy. In January, 1879, he was sent by the Dominion government to the United States, to investigate the lung-plague—pleuro-pneumonia—and visited New York, Long Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and the district of Columbia; and on his return he reported the prevalence of this serious disease in all the states he had visited. The result was that shortly afterwards an embargo was placed on the importation of cattle from the United States to Canada and Great Britain, requiring that they should be slaughtered at the port of debarkation, within fourteen days after landing. This action of the British government entailed a heavy loss on cattle exported from the United States, but Canada, owing to her freedom from the diseases, and the perfect condition of her quarantine system, became a gainer in proportion to a large amount. Professor McEachran’s name will ever be associated with the early history of the export cattle trade of Canada, as one, who at the proper moment gave sound advice to the government, which, being promptly acted upon, helped in these early days to assist a trade that has since grown to vast proportions. The efficiency of the quarantine for cattle under his management has been thoroughly tested on two occasions, viz., 1885, when the contagious disease, “foot and mouth,” or vessicular epizootic, was twice brought into the quarantine from Great Britain, so thorough was the quarantine that not only did it not extend beyond, but it did not even affect any other cattle, of which there were several hundreds within the enclosure. The prompt and effective manner in which pleuro-pneumonia was dealt with in 1886, when that fell destroyer was imported in a herd of Galloways, proved beyond doubt the efficiency of the quarantine, and the ability of the inspectors to deal with contagious diseases. If Canada to-day is free from contagious disease, it is due in a great measure to his energy and knowledge of disease. In acknowledgment of his professional attainments he was elected one of the original Fellows of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, on that body being raised to the rank of a university in 1875, being the only one in Canada on whom that honour was conferred. He has been intimately connected with the cattle ranching business in the district of Alberta, Senator Cochrane and he being the pioneers in that business on a large scale in Canada. Together they visited Alberta in 1881, going via the Missouri river to Fort Benton, thence driving across the plains to where Calgary is now built. On his return he published a series of interesting letters, being a narrative of his trip, and description of the country. He was vice-president of the Cochrane Ranche Co. till 1883, when he became general manager of the Walrond Cattle Ranche Co., of which Sir John Walrond, Bart., is president, and which is now the largest and one of the most successful ranches in Canada. Professor McEachran was married on the 9th of June, 1868, to Esther, youngest daughter of the late Timothy Plaskett, Esq., St. Croix, West Indian Islands, to whom two children were born, viz., Evelyn Victoria, born 24th May, 1869, who died May, 1874, and Jeanie Blackney, born 19th September, 1871. In politics, Professor McEachran is a Conservative, but in consequence of his devotion to professional work he has never taken a very active part in politics. He served in the militia force for ten years as Veterinary Surgeon to the Montreal Field Battery of Artillery. He became a justice of the peace in 1886, with jurisdiction over the entire Province of Quebec.