586 
MEETING OF THE MEDICAL COUNCIL. 
« The Committee also venture to suggest that no experiments should be re¬ 
garded as satisfactory which (in addition to others) are not made in ordinary 
medicinal doses in the diseases for the relief of which the medicines are ad¬ 
ministered (as well as in other poisonous doses), and which are not performed 
with all the care and exactitude known in modern physiological research.” 
Dr. Acland, by whom this memorial was introduced to the Council, in moving 
a resolution on the subject, said “ the Council was appointed for three distinct 
purposes—the registration of practitioners, the superintendence of education, 
and the construction of a great Pharmacopoeia. ” He urged the importance of 
having a proper selection made of the medicines to be recognized in the Phar¬ 
macopoeia, which could only be done by submitting them to the investigation 
suggested in the memorial. He moved “that the memorial of the physiological 
section of the British Association be received and entered on the minutes, and, 
in conformity with the suggestion of the memorialists, that the sum of £250 be 
placed in the hands of a committee to be hereafter named ; and that it be the 
office of the committee to expend the whole or part of that sum in obtaining 
investigations on the points calculated to promote a knowledge of the efficacy of 
the remedial agents which are now assumed to be of service, or of such sub¬ 
stances as the progress of science may point out as likely to be of avail in the 
prevention or the treatment of disease.” This was seconded by Dr. Stokes, who 
said he did not see why they should not make it as perfect a Pharmacopoeia as 
the Council could produce, and he thought by adopting the proposal they would 
disarm the complaints which had been urged against them, aud which were to 
some extent just. The motion was opposed by Drs. Andrew Wood, Sharpey, 
Apjohn, Aquilla Smith, Quain, and Mr. Cooper, on the ground that the pro¬ 
posed investigation did not form a legitimate function of the Council. An 
amendment was moved by Sir D. J. Corrigan to the effect that the proposed 
investigation did not come within the province of the General Medical Council, 
and that they had not the power to expend the money required. _ On being put 
to the vote, the amendment was carried by a majority of 16 against 5. 
Notwithstanding this decision, the correctness of which cannot be doubted, 
it is to be hoped the subject will continue to receive the attention its importance 
demands, and that means may be devised and adopted for carrying the proposed 
investigation into effect. 
The Council have also been engaged iu deciding upon the preliminary educa¬ 
tion to be required in medical students before they enter upon their professional 
studies. A minimum standard of qualification has been fixed to be determined 
by examination in the following subjects Compulsory. 1. English language, 
including grammar and composition ; arithmetic, including vulgar and decimal 
fractions; algebra, including simple equations; geometry, first two books of 
Euclid; Latin, including translation and grammar; and one of the following 
optional subjects:—Greek, French, German, Natural Philosophy. After the 
year 1869, Greek will be transferred to the list of compulsory subjects. 
