ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 141 
f ‘ That ; after mature deliberation; the Committee report to 
the Council that it is considered absolutely necessary that a 
practical examination be instituted forthwith.” 
Thomas Greaves, President, 
Chairman of Committee . 
Professor Gamgee moved, “ That the report be received.” 
Mr. Ernes said he had purposely absented himself from 
the meetings of the Committee, although he had been ap- 
pointed a member. In his opinion the Committee had ne- 
glected one of the principal points suggested by him, namely, 
that the examinations should be only once a year. It was 
neither to the interest of the College nor beneficial to the 
students that examinations should be more frequent. The 
examinations ought to be at the end of the session, as in 
Scotland. There was a danger 3 too, in having it just before 
the General Meeting, which might be influenced by the new 
blood infused into it. Neither was he satisfied with the 
result of the Committee^ deliberations as to the written ex- 
amination. The questions now put orally would be put in 
writing, and that was about all the difference between the 
two modes. If the last examination had been a written one 
there would have been no re-examination of any student. 
It was a very easy matter to carry out the written examina- 
tion. The students might be placed a few feet apart, papers 
given to them with the questions which they were to answer, 
and when they had finished, their replies might be collected 
and afterwards examined. The Committee, too, appeared to 
have forgotten that his recommendation was that the prac- 
tical examination should be on the dead as well as on the 
living subject. In order to become a pathologist or ana- 
tomist the student must be able to explain the different 
parts of a dead body ; this was as necessary as that he should 
be acquainted with the living subject. He was quite content 
that botany and microscopies should be postponed, as they 
were not taught in the schools at present. The Committee 
expressed a hope that the curriculum of study would be im- 
proved, but he doubted very much if it would. The corporate 
body had been established for a quarter of a century, but what 
improvements had been made ? Did not the schools oppose 
everything that the College suggested? The Governors did 
not want improvement, and unless the test was made more 
stringent by the Council the Governors would never move in 
the matter. 
Professor Gamgee lamented that, after the Committee had 
thought over the subject very seriously, Mr. Ernes, who had 
