MADRAS MEDICAL COLLEGE.
11
possesses a small ship's boat to carry four, an Oxford scull boat and a double-oar Oxford scull.
With these, they make excursions to Ennore and other summer resorts. The receipts have
been Rs. 389, the expenditure Rs. 374, leaving a small balance to be carried on to the next
Session, when it is the intention of the students to enlarge their operations. When we get a
gymnasium with suitable apparatus and an Instructor, more attention will be paid to the
physical development of the pupils.
Throughout the Session efforts have also been made to maintain discipline among the
students and to inculcate a sense of duty. These efforts have, with ones apparent exception,
been successful.
Every encouragement has been given to efforts which have in view the formation of esprit
de corps among our students. One of these has succeeded well, namely, the "Students' Reading
Club." Fifty students subscribed 96 rupees during the Session and took in several professional
journals and newspapers. They manage their own affairs, the only interference being that no
journal is taken in without the Principal's previous sanction.
Students' Reading Room.—A room has, this year, been assigned to students in which they can
study during leisure hours, an advantage which has been much appreciated by the whole body
of students.
Grade of Assistant Surgeons.— The recent order of Government establishing the grade of
Assistant Surgeons will provide an outlet for some of our students of the Senior Department.
There are twenty such appointments, and the graduates selected to fill them will not only be Assist-
ants to the various District Surgeons, but will take up the entire duties of those officers, when-
ever they leave head-quarters on a sanitary tour or when inspecting dispensaries. The duties
that will be entrusted to Assistant Surgeons in the absence of their superiors will be of a respon-
sible nature. These duties, it is to be hoped, will be so performed by the Assistant Surgeons as
to bring credit to the institution which has educated them. I am hopeful that, when the Local
Self-Government scheme is in full operation, there will be a great demand for Medical Practi-
tioners who have qualified at this College and taken a University degree.
The Government of the Straits Settlements have agreed to pay, in future, Rs. 400 for
every student it sends, for a professional training, at this College (vide G.O., No. 269, dated 7th
May 1883).
College Building.—The College, which was originally built in 1836, and considerably
enlarged in 1867, is not now spacious enough for our wants. We need a new Dissecting room,
a Physiological Laboratory, a Museum of Hygiene, another of Botany, and more room for the
Anatomical Museum. There is an early probability of our demands being granted, for Govern-
ment directed Mr. Chisholm, the Consulting Architect, to confer with the College Council on
this subject and to submit a complete scheme for their approval. A meeting took place in April
last and it was decided that more space could be made available for the Museums of Pathology,
Hygiene and Botany, by the erection of galleries and a different arrangement of the almirahs
in the Pathological Museum. A separate building for Anatomy will give us room for the
extension of the department of Practical Physiology, a subject in which we are behind the
times.
Library .—Last year the library contained 5,744 volumes. Since then 73 volumes have
been added, making a total of 5,817. The works of the celebrated John Hunter, in four volumes,
are the gift of Deputy Surgeon-General M. C. Furnell, ands a rare old book, in Latin, by the
distinguished Harvey, the discoverer of the circulation, was found in a book-seller's shop, by
Dr. Macrae, and its purchase for the library was sanctioned by the Director of Public Instruc-
tion. Two thousand and three volumes constitute the Students' Library, the works in which are
intended exclusively for pupils. The others are reserved for the use of the Professors and
Assistants. Under certain conditions some of these also are lent to students.
Museumn .—Forty-eight Pathological specimens were contributed during the past year, the
total number now in the museum amounts to 1,319. The space allotted for specimens has been
fully utilized and, in the contemplated alterations and additions to the College buildings,
additional room will be available for the gradually increasing number of collections. An appen-
dix has been added to the printed catalogue, this year, containing a description of the specimens
which were received since the publication of the last edition.
Medals, Johnstone.— The Johnstone Gold Medal has been awarded, by the College Council,
to Mr. S. Eades, a student of the Senior Department. The conditions attached to the grant of
this medal are that the recipient must be well-behaved, and, at the same time, the most deserv-
ing of the out-going students. Mr. Eades has fulfilled both these conditions. He is intelligent,
persevering and has given satisfaction to all his teachers. We trust that, in his future career,
he will bring credit to his alma mater.
Chipperfield.—The Chipperfield Gold Medal has also been adjudged to Mr. Eades for the
excellent manner in which he performed his Clinical duties in the Medical wards of the Gene-
ral Hospital.
Blacklock.—The
Blacklock Gold Medal has been awarded to Colonial Apprentice A. V.
comes. The medal, this year, is given to the Hospital Apprentice who has taken the first place
in Clinical Surgery. Mr. Gomes is a stipendiary student of the Government of the Straits