THE HIGHLAND AKD AGEICULTURAL SOCIETY. 127 



examination of the pupils by a committee of medical gentlemen, 

 was not this session carried into effect. On Dr Barclay's death, 

 Mr Fergnsson of Woodhill was named chairman. There was at this 

 time one gentleman to whom the Society was under obligations 

 for his zealous assistance in promoting their views, namely, Dr 

 Knox (the successor of their late much-respected Director, Dr. 

 Barclay), who had liberally allowed the practical students who 

 attended Mr Dick free tickets to his valuable lectures on human 

 and comparative anatomy, an advantage which could not fail to 

 be of the greatest use to them in the prosecution of their 

 Veterinary studies. The thanks of the Society were voted to Dr 

 Knox at the General Meeting in July 1827 for his liberal 

 accommodation. 



Fifth Session, 1827-28. 



The fifth session, was commenced on the evening of the 

 16th November 1827. The school continued to flourish, and 

 Mr Dick to display unabated energy and zeal. Much real good 

 it was anticipated would result from the estalilishment, and 

 much well-deserved credit accrue to the Society for its fostering 

 aid. To prevent the risk of half-educated farriers assuming 

 credit from a partial attendance on the lectures, and thus impos- 

 ing on their employers, several medical gentlemen of high 

 professional eminence, and feeling a warm interest in the 

 objects of the Society, agreed, at the close of this session, to 

 examine and certify such of the students as might offer and 

 prove deserving. To the young men it was considered that 

 this would be at once an incitement to diligence and a check 

 upon idleness, while the public would be in some degree secured 

 against ignorant pretenders. The first public examination of the 

 students accordingly took place on the 23d of April 1828, was 

 conducted by six eminent medical practitioners of Edinburgh 

 (whose names will be found appended to this Report), and 

 resulted in a certificate in the following terms being conferred 

 on seven students : — 



"Veterinary School under the Patronage of the Highland 



Society of Scotland. 



" Edinburgh, 2Zd April 1828. 



"Having been requested by the Directors of the Highhind Society of Scot- 

 land to assist in the examination of the students of Mr Dick, Lecturer upon 

 Veterinary Science under the Society's patronage, we attended accordingly, 

 and do hereby certify that (name of student), who has studied at the 

 Veterinary School for (length of time), having been this day examined by 

 us, we consider him qualified to practise the Veterinary art." 



The examiners expressed the utmost surprise at the acquire- 



