HUMAN DISSECTION IN SCOTLAND-A.D. 1500 TO 1958 177 



due care thereafter. Candid men, would judge him according to 

 the situation in which he was placed at the time and not on the 

 basis of the wisdom which had unexpectedly been acquired since. 



Knox continued teaching anatomy, in his establishment, after 

 the trial. In 1829-1830, he commissioned Dr. William Fergusson 

 to give demonstrations in surgical anatomy, a new innovation in 

 anatomical teaching, and in January, 1833, Dr. John Reid joined 

 the pair; together the three taught until 1836 in "Old Surgeon's 

 Hall," with Knox presiding as high priest, oracle and philosopher. 



In the session of 1836-1837, changes were made in his ana- 

 tomical school. Fergusson's private practice and hospital duties in- 

 creased to the extent that he could spare less and less time in the 

 practical rooms and Reid assumed the lectureship in physiology 

 at the University of Edinburgh. Knox now engaged his brother 

 Frederick to assist him as well as some of his senior students. 

 With these alterations, aided by the growing animosities of his 

 contemporaries, his classes began to decrease in number. There 

 were other factors involved as follows: 



1. The want of anatomical material. 



2. The advancing character of the Dublin and London 

 schools. 



3. The founding of provincial medical institutions. 



4. An extended curriculum of study attended by greater ex- 

 pense and difficulties. 



5. The glut in the medical market. 



These developments also told, to some extent, on the pros- 

 perity of the other anatomical establishments in Edinburgh. War- 

 burton's Anatomy Act did not work well in the north, that is, in 

 Scotland, so that there was an inadequate supply of bodies avail- 

 able for general teaching purposes. The students began to pro- 

 test and many went to Glasgow and Dublin. In comparing Knox 

 and the University, the latter fared better in obtaining cadavers. 

 In July, 1837, Knox applied for the vacant chair of general pathol- 

 at the University but failed in the attempt. In 1839-1840, he 

 mcated Old Surgeon's Hall where he had enjoyed fame and popu- 

 ity for ten years. He now joined the Argyle Square Medical 

 :hool, as an anatomical teacher, which later united with the 

 Ltramural Lecturers; these then functioned under the name 



