376 
ANNUAL DINNER. 
have acted as examiners, I found belonging to the College 
of Physicians the distinguished names of Dr. Fordyce, Dr. 
Bailey, Dr. Babington, Dr. Babington, jun.. Dr. Pearson, 
Dr. Paris, Dr. Cook, and Dr. Bright; and we can now 
boast, which we are exceedingly proud of doing, of having 
upon our Board, Dr. Sharpey. (Cheers.) In the Scotch 
section we have men no less distinguished for their scien¬ 
tific knowledge as physicians, namely. Dr. Dunsmore, Dr. 
Begbie, and Dr. Struthers. And if 1 go from the College of 
Physicians to the College of Surgeons, I find amongst those 
who assisted us in the infancy of our profession the names 
of Cline, Sir Astley Cooper, "Wilson, Abernethy, Hume, 
Travers, Cruikshanks, Liston, Bell, Brodie, Green, Bransby 
Cooper, and Solly; and last, though not least, I mention our 
friend, Mr. Quain. (Cheers.) I think I have thus shown you 
that these professions do take a considerable interest in the 
one to which we belong. They have shown it from the earliest 
times to the present moment, and I am sure you will agree 
with me in thinking that we are under the greatest possible 
obligation to those distinguished persons who have given up 
so much of their valuable time to advance our interests. As 
a teacher, I may be permitted to say, that it matters not how^ 
perfect our teaching may be, it can be of little use unless 
there is likewise a perfect examination. The pupils must be 
sent to a properly constituted board to be tested ; and if they 
are imperfectly taught, we know the proof of it w ill be in the 
rejection of many of them. Not that this would reflect en¬ 
tirely upon the teachers, because we all know' there is a di¬ 
versity of talent amongst us, and that, wdth the best in¬ 
struction given, all pupils will not pass the same satisfactory 
examination. I feel that we are under the greatest pos¬ 
sible obligation to these gentlemen for the support they 
give us, and I trust that we shall continue to be united 
w'ith them as we now^ are for many years to come. I ask 
you to drink The health of the Court of Examiners.” 
(Cheers.) 
Mr. Quain .—I am very sorry again to appear before you in 
a vicarious position. The chairman of the Court of Examiners 
(Mr. Brande) is unavoidably absent, or it would have been 
his duty and pleasure to respond to this toast. I confess 
that, seeing the w^ay in wdiich you have received this toast, 
I am surprised at your good nature, and for this reason. 
Examinations have become so common that it has been 
proposed by some men, I suppose in jest, to divide men into 
the examiners and the examined. I suppose, therefore, that 
many of you have been examined, and certainly you are 
