410 
THE INADEQUATE PERIOD ALLOWED 
ture of honourable men, ought to be the pledge of industiy, talent, 
and worth ? 
It arises from the faulty constitution of the Medical Examining 
Committee. They are, with two exceptions, human surgeons or 
physicians—most justly respected in their own profession, but 
totally ignorant of the practical part of our’s. 
In what way can they examine the veterinary student ? Not 
on the minute anatomy, much less the diseases of horses or cat¬ 
tle, but in the most general and superficial manner. Some phy¬ 
sician takes the circulation, or the digestion. A surgeon exa¬ 
mines the pupil on the origin, course, and functions of the nerves— 
the structure of the teeth—the mechanism of the eye. (If we had 
not been before instructed on these points, we should have no 
difficulty in qualifying ourselves for such an examination in one 
fortnight.) Then comes the chemical teacher, our sterling and 
respected friend Dr. Pearson. What questions will he ask ? What 
questions can he ask ? They must relate to the chemical history 
of the drugs which constitute the veterinary pharmacopoeia, so 
far as he has heard of them, or they are recognized by the Col¬ 
lege ; and these are principally aloes, and calomel, and sulphate of 
copper, and the croton tiglium. (Two days more would qualify us 
for this.) Then comes the professor, or the sub-professor, and with 
them should come the rub but they have peculiar notions, 
and favourite theories, on particular subjects; and to these their 
attention is oftener directed than to others. The candidate knows 
full well what these are. He prepares himself on these points: 
he adopts the opinions and language of his instructors; and, 
having done this, he will seldom fail to obtain the object he seeks. 
An examination like this is plausible enough, and, we doubt 
not, is supposed by the inquisitors to be fair and sufficient; but 
less than three weeks’ application would qualify a dunce to go 
through the whole, if not with eclat, yet without marked dis¬ 
grace. 
A few veterinary surgeons added to the committee would soon 
set this matter right; and a strict questioning on various points 
of veterinary anatomy never heard of in the present examinations, 
and on the nature and cause, and symptoms and treatment, of 
many a disease seldom there mooted, and on the peculiarities 
