THE HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTUliAL SOCIETY. 155 



liad he seen the examiners more satisfied with the result of their 

 labours, and he should have much pleasure and satisfaction in 

 reportiijg the gratifying result of these two days' proceedings 

 to that body by whom he was deputed to superintend the 

 examinations. 



I)r Alexander Wood, President of the College of Physicians, 

 said that from the part he took in the examinations, he was 

 satisfied the College was never in a higher state of efficiency 

 than at present. Several hundreds of medical men had passed 

 examinations under his care, and he had seen no students better 

 (|ualified than those of the Veterinary College whom he had 

 that day examined. 



Mr Hallen, V.S., said he had now attended the Examination 

 Board for many years, and that he had never examined a bettdr 

 class of students than those he had done that day. 



Professor Simpson (afterwards Sir James Simpson, Bart.), in 

 alluding to Professor Dick, said that no man had a higher title 

 to be recognised as a benefactor of his race than Professor Dick 

 for his having instituted such a college. 



In a letter which was read to the general meeting in June, 

 Professor CTOodsir said — I conceive the mixed character of our 

 Board of Examiners, consisting, as it does, of veterinary practi- 

 tioners and of members of my own profession, is highly advan- 

 tageous, and that, so far as an examination of any kind whatever 

 can determine the practical efficiency of the successful candidates 

 for a professional certificate, the examinations I have the honour 

 of superintending for the Highland Society appear to me to 

 fulfil that object. 



Thirty -ciglith Session, 1860-61. 



At the examinations of the students on the 23d and 24tli 

 April 1861, thirty-eight gentlemen presented themselves for 

 examination and thirty-six passed. 



After the presentation of certificates. Professor Goodsir said 

 it would now be his duty to address a few words to the recipients 

 of those honours on the step which they were about to take in 

 their personal career. Hitherto they had only been engaged in 

 a preliminary and preparatory phase of professional life, but 

 they were now about to go forth to the world, and to apply 

 the knowledge wliich they had acquired to the active and 

 often arduous duties of their profession. They could not be 

 said to have acquired that form of experience which charac- 

 terises the efficient practitioner, but the more carefully they had 

 prosecuted their studies in the College, the more easy would they 

 find the task of keeping up their professional knowledge here- 

 after. In these times of inquiry and progress, unless they 



