ANNUAL DINNER. 
373 
be lost in my hands^ if I have the opportunity of protecting 
the interests of the profession and at the same time elevating 
its social position. The facilities now within my reach are 
very great compared with what they wxre when I first entered 
the service. Of late years, you are aware, great improve¬ 
ments have been made in our arm}^ establishment, which 
have enabled me to offer better terms to the candidates, and 
thus to secure the best materials which our schools produce 
in the shape of young gentlemen entering the service. I 
hold this to be an example of what I have always maintained, 
that if we could only improve the primary education of our 
candidates, we should hold a high position in society, one 
which I hope very shortly we shall hold. I do not see why 
we should not do so. I know men who have had a good edu¬ 
cation, and been some time in practice, who have been re¬ 
garded as one of themselves by the gentry and scientific men 
of this great country. And I do not see why this should not 
be the case with all; although, perhaps, not quite all, because 
there are, no doubt, some black sheep in every community. 
But we have a great work to do, and it is a work which must be 
aided by every individual member of the corporation. The 
main thing we have to do is to improve the education of our 
members, and thus elevate their social position. When we 
have accomplished that, we shall have no difficulty in getting 
men as well educated as those who enter the medical profes¬ 
sion. I believe that many persons who now enter the medi¬ 
cal profession, having a love for horses, would come into 
ours, only that they do not like the idea of going a step down 
instead of keeping on a level with that which they have 
already reached. I thank you sincerely for the compliment 
you have paid us, and I assure you that no effort shall be 
wanting on my part to promote those interests which, 
through the army, affect the general body of our profession. 
(Cheers.) 
Mr* F/i'nes ,— Mr. President and gentlemen, I regret to 
have to inform you that the toast I have to propose was not 
placed in my hands originally, and unfortunately the gentle¬ 
man who would have been able to do justice to it has been 
obliged to leave the room. I am somewhat of a volunteer, 
and I hope you will bear with me in the few words I have to 
say. 1 might have had a great deal to offer on the subject if 
I had been better prepared, because I think this is a very 
important toast. When I tell you that the College of Physi¬ 
cians has existed now nearly 300 years, and when we look 
back at the progress it has made, I am sure you will rejoice 
with me in that advance. I sometimes look in at the College 
xxxvi. 25 
