680 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
be long ere any cause shall arise for the discontinuance of 
this time-honoured custom ! 
It awakened serious reflection to hear one present say, 
“On the morrow is the jubilee of my having obtained the 
diploma of this institution. Fifty years have rolled away into 
the ocean of the past, since little more than a youth I sat in 
this theatre, one of a class of eight or nine, and now I see it 
filled to overflowing with pupils and their friends.” Right 
honorably has he comported himself throughout life, and 
richly does he merit all that he has obtained, as well as the 
high estimation in which he is held, not only by his profes- 
sional brethren, but by all with whom he has had intercourse. 
Another had been a pupil of Mons. Vial de Sainbel, being 
one of the six young men placed on the foundation of the 
establishment. He remembered the first operation the first 
professor of the then infant institution performed, — the re- 
moval of supernumerary fetlocks from a horse, — and ad- 
mirably he said the professor did it. Since then, he had 
been actively employed in his profession both at home and 
abroad, and had he hoped been instrumental in doing some 
good for it. He now justly holds a high and important 
office in it. 
We could look back for more than thirty years, and felt 
that to be a long period of our existence, which we fear has 
been somewhat unprofitably spent ; but what is that com- 
pared to theirs ? Many changes and improvements, too, we 
have known take place. We have witnessed the three lec- 
tures in a week increased to as many, and sometimes more 
being given in a day. We have seen the objectionable, al- 
though to a certain extent advantageous, system of pupils 
being allowed to go to the medical schools for instruction, 
give place to all, or nearly so, that is required by the student, 
being taught within the walls of the college ; while the num- 
ber of pupils has increased very considerably. Surely all 
this indicates that we are increasing in reputation, if we are 
not progressing so rapidly as some might wish, and think 
we ought to. “ Let patience have her perfect work all 
will yet be well, if the profession be only true to itself. 
