4
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
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report unfavorably both on this and on the Junior Classes of this department.
Altogether there appears to have been a good deal of levity and unsteadiness, which
the. Principal ascribes to the increasing numbers, to the large proportion of Civil
students in the institution, and to the abolition of the punishment of solitary
confinement, save in the case of Military Apprentices. A private practitioner,
who was allowed to appear before the Board of Examiners with the third-year
students, was found totally incompetent. It will be observed that no female
students are now studying in the Second Department.
5. The Junior Department contained 54 pupils at the commencement of the
session against 63 last year. The 24 second-year
men appeared before the Board of Examiners and
19 passed for the grade of 3rd-class Hospital
Assistant. Five were rejected. Fifty-six students
from the Royapuram Auxiliary Medical School were
also examined on this occasion. The Principal
considers that the students of this department have
done as well as can be expected of youths of such
inferior attainments in English as the majority of
them are, but expects better results under the new curriculum, which will be one
extending over three years.
6. CHEMIST AND DRUGGIST.—A private student, who has been attending the
class of Chemistry, Materia Medica, Practical Chemistry and Practical Pharmacy,
has been declared fully qualified to undertake the duties of chemist and druggist.
7. MEDALS.—The Johnstone Medal has not been awarded this year. The
Blacklock Medal has been adjudged to Civil Hospital Apprentice A. N. Wray and
the Government Gold. Medal to Medical Pupil Robert Gray.
8. REPORTS OF BOARD OF EXAMINERS AND PROFESSORS.—The Board of Examiners
remark that several students in the Second Department had not attended the
class for Operative Surgery, and were very deficient in that subject, owing to their
attending the Lying-in Hospital. They suggest that some alteration should be
made in the present arrangements. The Professor of Ophthalmology observes
that there is a disposition to treat the lectures on this subject as of little or no
importance, the object of many of the students being merely to obtain certificates
of attendance prior to proceeding to Europe. The Professor of Hygiene suggests
that the lectures now devoted to such subjects as the analysis of air and water and
the examination of foods should be replaced by practical classes in the laboratory,
as in this way the students would easily obtain a good knowledge of subjects which
are difficult of demonstration in the lecture-room. The Professor of Physiology
complains of the want of an assistant or prosector, and considers that so large a
class as one consisting of 93 students cannot be conveniently taught in the class-
room now used. The larger theatre should, he thinks, be employed. The
Professor of Chemistry suggests that the students should be required to supply
themselves with test tubes and also with platinum foil and platinum wire. A
contractor might, he thinks, be found to keep a stock of these articles in store.
These suggestions will no doubt receive the attention of the Principal.
9. RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS.—It will be observed that the new system of
levying fees from students in the College Department has been perfectly successful,
Rupees 4,115 having been collected, against which is shown an expenditure of
Rupees 41,360 for the official year, which, however, is not the year to which the
report relates. This sum does not include any portion of the salaries of the major
Professors, which the Surgeon-General put down in his letter, No. 8, of the 9th
January 1878, at Rupees 300 each per mensem. On the other hand no credit is
taken for the contribution of Rupees 33,000 from Local Fund Boards and Munici-
palities, sanctioned in Government Order, No. 147, of the 25th January 1878.
10. INCONVENIENCES OF PRESENT ACADEMICAL YEAR.—In last year's report I
mentioned that the decrease in the Senior Department was attributable to the order
'restricting the admission of fresh students, but Government observed that an order
issued on the 4th May 1877 could not have had the effect of excluding candidates
:from entering the College on the 1st April 1877. The fact is that no new students
Junior Department.
Civil Medical Pupils
•
1st
2nd
Year. Year.
...
21
23
Private Students
...
1
1
Mysore Pupils
..
...
8
...
...
30
24
Total