The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-21 00:00:00

MEDICAL EDUCATION.

The question of medical education was discussed at a
Conversaztone of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edin-
bsuyrrageh,at wasmat
iopenedtheby a
last p ape ro f
meeting
ofProfessorthe
ownh o ha Thursday.carried I
Medical Council, to the effect that the council would, at
their next meeting, consider the propriety of recommending
a reduction of the number of obligatory courses of lectures.
It was only necessary, he said, to compare any department,
of the curriculum as it was 30 or 40 years ago with what it
was now to perceive the enormously increased burden im-
posed upon the memory of a candidate for a medical degree
When he was a student less knowledge was required of
chemistry, botany, practical anatomy, and the other funda
mental studies. The practical studies had also become
more extensive. While the student had formerly found
difficulty with three, his colleague, the Professor of the
the regulations of licensainligowbeeddiefsar
Practice of Medicine, had this year placed in the hands of
his pupils a printed list of 800 fevers. It was now impos-
sible for any one mind to comprehend all the subjects
brought under the notice of the students, and no time being
left for observation Or reflection, their professional education
had become an effort of memory rather than a process of
mental training. There were only two sources from which,
relfef could be obtained,
and the conduct of courses by teachers. The brat:seise:,
which surpassed all others in. importance were practical
anatomy and hospital instruction, but at present, with th
afforded no
multiplicity of classes and the frequency of examinations,e
there was neither time nor freedom of mind
o.abreaanciLeoswealet
practical study. After 30 years' experience as an exas
He had
abandoned,— Ist, because
miner he felt satisfied that examinations
trustworthy criterion of real knowledge,
d ge; systemand
3d,of
no hesitation in saying that the pi.,
becasuse they
inefficient for their professed purposel; 2d,
examinations should be entirely
interfered with the acquisition s
because the system of class examinations
questions and answers would ass through written
professions.: attainments than th afford far better evidence of
remedy, he would first make it ' s present plan. As to the
exa-
mination for preliminary . Imperative to pass the
strictly professional courqua.lification before beginning the
commencement of thecourse ; second, he would prohibit the
would require iota course before a certain age; third, he
sessing a large years'practical study in a school p.os-
study ; fourth hehospital and ample means of anatomical
that seemed to' be would compel attendauce on ;111 classes
from every candidate fur necessary ; fifth, lie
would demand
proficiency from . tor a diploma or degrbee a
lI certificate.ot
the teacher t til his teachers; and, lastly,
euerwaeouas.nrdeqiutirie,
should thene:aproduce a syllabudseof
his
course,
pupils, memories
with undigested o
erairatdhiaetehtiewleoadetadar F
or allowed an
rulyun-
hobby to carry himg away from the field of practical
utility iutq regions of unprofitable speculation,
worse, taught doctrines not conducive to soun
m d practise, by
e
would endeavour to correct the evil by reonstrance, b
censure, or, if necessary, by deposition. Professor Christi-
son believed there was a distrust throughout the profession
generally of the present system. He thought too many ex-
aminations were opposed to calm study and reflection, and
were, alter all, a feeble test of a man's ability as a practi.
tioner.' In the practical departments he did not think a can-
didate could be too well examined, but it was a great hard-
ship to subject students throughout the practical course to
examinations which rendered it necessary for them to keep
up the mere details of their fundamental studies.
Professor
Lyonl'layfair, Prolbssor Balfour, Dr. Andrew Wood, Dr.
Sanders, Professor Bennett, Dr. Burt, President of the
College of Physicians, and Mr. Benjamin Bell, President
of the College of Surgeons, took part in the discussion, and
various remedies were proposed for the present unsatisfac-
tory mode of conducting the examination of candidates for
medical degrees, The proceedings terminated with a vote
if thanks to Professor Syme.
--

THE PALM
can
adr
au n.cu r,
to
under
talidee r
=---"
sTON, NAPOLEON, OR DISRA.ELI
-
OF MR. TENNIEL, says an aniubing critic in the
idealized representation of the Popular impression of
h ct,
spectator, is a curious compound of actual fidelity to nature,
special feature in his character supposed I o be
prouila
given circumstancLs. The Palmerston of
the volume, finr example, is always a good physical like-
nos, with little, it any, tendency to ordinary caricature, but
it is also a speciat " creation" of Mr.Tenniel's—what Lord
Palmerston would be like if his nature corresponded pre-
cisely to the popular impression of the astute, cool, coati-
dent, jaunty " Pam," and it his appearance corresponded
exactly with his character. To place this dual persona!,
under every variety of eircurustante, mid yet to pres:r: _
both likcnt)sses—the real and the ideal—mast be no ,a_ 2:
task, and yet, whether Mr. Tenniel's PaluierstonislY
ing at " Beggar my neighbour" with Napoleon, bringing
whist-
up a bottle of " fine old smoke" for a royal SlYctroting the
he is still the
ethough every
whist-
ling for a bret Z 3 On board a becalmed yacht, orsine, as' me.
r water from the Punch fountain,
taphysicians tell us we are still the searraeand
over again.
particle of our bodies may changeniNol: .
Tenniel's tableaux,
Napoleon, another frequent actor iin
this manner. Ha has
is of course not so easy
appeared in too manyt of clorctr.ter,
',Alt) past ten years for any such "u
_o_osnistr.eatistoi;g lights during
violentlyto h an. dl
_e