ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS, 
97 
of the pupil ; but I am sure they are quite capable of ascer- 
taining whether or not a man knows how to examine a horse 
for soundness, and can give a clear, clinical description of a 
disease. If there are any members of the profession capable 
of doing that, we find them on the Examining Board ; there- 
fore I think that Professor Spooner’s animadversions against 
the Committee and against the examiners are extremely un- 
called for, and I am astonished to hear them come from a 
teacher. If I had been in Profes&or Spooner’s position I 
should have said, “ Examine my pupils as much as you like ; 
if they are not fit to be launched into public life, do not pass 
them for a diploma.” It has already been recommended by 
the Committee and decided by the Council that the nature of 
the examination must be left to the examiners, and therefore 
I do not know what information the Governors can require. 
Professor Spooner said the least the Committee ought to 
have done was to have invited the teachers to their meetings 
and ask for their opinions. 
The President : The Scotch authorities have not required 
further information, and they are quite as much a subject for 
our consideration as the English school. However, I think 
we are quite justified in assuming that the teachers were 
aware of what was going on in this Council. If it has been 
their misfortune or their pleasure not to attend, it is not the 
fault of the Council. The subject has been fully discussed 
both by the Committee and by the Council, and if the pro- 
fessors had wished to know anything more about it they would 
have attended the meetings of the Council. Some of them 
have done so, and I have no doubt it is well known what the 
examination is intended to be. 
Mr. Harpley expressed his regret that the Principal of the 
Royal Veterinary College should offer such opposition to the 
plan proposed by the Council for carrying out the practical 
examination. He was certainly under the impression that 
Professor Simonds and Professor Pritchard had, by the part 
they had taken in the discussions, sanctioned the proposed 
scheme. He still hoped that Professor Spooner would be in- 
duced to support the scheme, for at no time had the Council 
for one moment intended to put a slight on any of the pro- 
fessors. It was thought that the correspondence which had 
taken place would explain the nature of the proposed 
plan. 
Professor Pritchard said he had always stated that in his 
opinion there were difficulties insurmountable in the carrying 
out of a practical examination. He believed if such examina- 
tion could be thoroughly carried out, it would be very desirable. 
