“ VETERINARY PROGRESS.” 259 
Examiners. He thought the first members of the Court to 
be dispensed with were those who examined on physiology and 
anatomy. As to chemistry and materia medica, the probability 
w'as that it would be a longer period before the services of 
such gentlemen as were now examining upon those subjects 
could be dispensed with. 
During the period I was President of the Royal College 
of Veterinary Surgeons I presided over thirteen examinations 
of the students for diplomas, of three hours* duration each, 
in London and in Edinburgh. I made a practice of leaving 
the presidential chair, and sitting at each table a quarter of 
an hour at a time. I listened attentively to every question 
asked and to every answer given ; and I feel bound to state 
that the questions asked were such that every student ought 
to be able to answer. I closely observed the nature of 
the different questions in chemistry, materia medica, and in 
physiology ; and I candidly and freely admit that I did 
not see that there were any matters of such profundity or 
abstruseness but what could be readily and fully grasped and 
understood by an intelligent and fairly-educated veterinary 
surgeon who had kept up his scientific readings ; besides, we 
know that at College there are some students who take a 
greater pleasure in studying chemistry and materia medica 
than others, and that these excel in this particular study, and 
when they know that by making themselves extra proficient 
in these subjects they may be called upon to fill the high 
and honorable post of examiner—an inducement that does 
not now exist—this laudable aspiration, inciting and impel¬ 
ling numbers of students, will of itself be a powerful lever in 
raising our profession to a still higher status. I attended 
also the examinations of the Highland and Agricultural 
Society’s Board, and carefully listened to every question 
asked and answered at the different tables ; so it will be 
perceived I have had opportunities of forming an opinion on 
this question above what the average veterinary surgeon has 
had; and I do not hesitate in stating, most emphatically, 
that the Court of Examiners could, without any diminution 
of its efficiency, be in future composed of veterinary sur¬ 
geons only, and that it would tend to exalt our position as 
members of a scientific profession. 
