IN MR. YOUATT S CLASS. 
379 
examination. In my own name, and the name of my class, 
and the name of my professional brethren, 1 thank them; for 
although, south of the"Tweed, and beginning in my humble school, 
it is the commencement of that examination of veterinary stu¬ 
dents which justice and common sense demand, and which must 
ere long be conceded. To Mr. Dick, however, belongs the ho¬ 
nour (and it 'will never be forgotten by his brethren) of having 
previously introduced this only rational and equitable mode of 
examination in the Edinburgh school. 
Dr. Davis led the way; and his examination was so close and 
severe, that although I thought I knew the sterling acquirements 
of many of my pupils, I began to tremble, and was about to 
interfere, and to remind the learned professor that he had only four 
months 1 pupils to deal with: but the answers were so appro¬ 
priate, and so far beyond even what I had hoped, that I left my 
young friends to the tender mercies of their inquisitor, and 
secretly exulted, when the almost undeviating correctness of reply 
only led to deeper probing. Dr. Davis's examination turned on 
anatomy, as connected with and illustrative of physiology. Mr. 
Pattison then took them on stricter and even minute anatomy, 
and questioned them now and then, not only on what did, but 
on what did not exist, to see whether he could not catch them a 
little tripping; and concluded with expressing his mingled satis¬ 
faction and surprise at their proficiency. Messrs. Henderson and 
Turner now entered on the most important part of the examina¬ 
tion, the nature and treatment of disease, confining their ques¬ 
tions to the horse ; and they were pleased to say (what it would 
have been a disgrace to the class had it not been true, consider¬ 
ing the rapid progress of veterinary science within the last few 
years, but w r hat was, notwithstanding, highly creditable to my 
E upils), that they never met with young men so evidently and 
onourably qualifying themselves for the discharge of the duties 
of their profession. 
When the examiners had retired to calculate the proportionate 
merit of the answers and the essays, which latter were now first 
opened, Messrs. Davis and Pattison again expressed their perfect 
satisfaction; and added, that although they had attended at my 
urgent request, and because 1 had said so much of the obliga¬ 
tion of the veterinary profession to medical men, and the honour 
wTiich would be conferred on the pupils by their presiding on 
such an occasion, yet they had soon found that they were incom¬ 
petent to the task, and perhaps ought not to have been there; 
for although they had commenced with scrutinizing the improve¬ 
ment of others, they soon found that they were materially im¬ 
proving themselves (the humble narrator of the events of the day 
