EVIDENCE ON MEDICAL LEGISLATION. 
99 
was the gentleman called in on the memorable occasion when Mr. 
Drummond was shot for Sir Robert Peel, and we remember he 
especially distinguished himself by the clearness with which he 
gave his evidence — a characteristic very rare with medical men. 
For their benefit, we may add, that the secret was short. He as 
far as possible avoided digression and explanation, and confined 
himself as closely as he could to monosyllabic answers. 
Evidence taken before the Select Committee on 
Medical Legislation. 
[From the Medical Times.] 
( Joseph Henry Green , Esq., F.R.S., called in and examined.) 
Professional Titles. — I AM a member of the College of Surgeons 
and one of the council ; I have been one of the council for ten 
years, and a member of the college about thirty years. I have 
ceased to practise generally, but I still continue to be surgeon of 
St. Thomas’s Hospital. 1 have been one of the surgeons of St. 
Thomas’s Plospital about twenty-five years. My connection with 
St. Thomas’s Hospital has enabled me to watch the progress of the 
students in general in the acquirement of the knowledge of their 
profession, for I have been occupied in teaching during the whole 
of that time, and indeed longer — for upwards of thirty years; I began 
to be a teacher before I was a member of the college : I have been 
engaged, therefore, instructing the surgical youth upwards of thirty 
years. I am now one of the council of King’s College ; I was 
professor of surgery there. 
Opportunities for observing the Progress of Students. — My 
connection with those two institutions has given me opportunities 
of observing the progress, or otherwise, generally made by youths 
studying surgery within the last thirty years. I should fear that 
their proficiency as a body has been rather retrograde in respect of 
those particular branches which I have taught, anatomy and sur- 
gery. Those two branches are the cardinal points in the science 
of medicine, certainly. I ascribe this retrograde movement to a 
greater demand being made upon the time of the young men by the 
system of instruction, which requires attendance upon a greater 
number of lectures, and attention to be given to a greater number 
of subjects, than formerly. * * * * 
Grinding. — * * * * I have mentioned grinding as pre- 
paratory to the examination before the College of Surgeons ; I am 
now an examiner of the College of Surgeons, and by examination 
we can detect grinding, and imperfect knowledge based upon grind- 
