ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 
495 
Mr. Collins seconded the motion. It was a clear and defined line. It 
could thus be ascertained whether the applicant was a member of the 
English Colleges or not. If he were a foreigner the information could 
not be so well obtained. 
The "President wished, before the amendment was put, to inform the 
Council that it would place the Examining Board rather in a fix. Already 
at Edinburgh there was an American gentleman studying who applied 
to be exempted from the first term ; but it was discovered in reference to 
the rules of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons that his diploma 
was not recognised in this country ; therefore he had to study the full 
term. And he thought there was another gentleman at the Royal Vete¬ 
rinary College, also an American, and that he was exempted from the first 
term of study. When he came up for his final examination what was 
to be done with him ? lie would have to go back to his first term of 
study. 
Mr. Collins said that in this case an exception might be made. 
Prof. Axe said it was worth while considering if they, as a Council, 
had power to reject a pupil who was presented to them for exami¬ 
nation. 
Mr. Taylor asked whether if the applicant said he had the diploma of 
some college he should forego the first term of study. 
Prof. Axe said it seemed to him to be a question of arrangement 
between the student and the College. He simply suggested to the Council 
that it would be worth while to consider whether, on a student coming 
up for his first examination, receiving his certificate from a college, the 
Council had the power to reject him. 
Mr. Cox asked what college was referred to. 
Prof. Axe said he meant any college. Supposing a gentleman entered 
himself as a student at any of the recognised schools in England or 
Scotland, the College would admit him on certain terms, providing he 
should attend two or three sessions as the case might be, on considera¬ 
tion that he had passed certain examinations abroad. If the colleges 
admitted him, had the Council power to reject him or decline to examine 
him. 
The President said that the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 
could not give a diploma to unworthy students. It had the right 
to obtain the fullest proof that the gentleman who presented himself 
was a legally qualified medical gentleman because he was exempted 
from a very important period of study. This object in bringing the 
motion forward was to furnish the Royal College with proof that a man 
was really a well-qualified man at a properly legalised university or 
faculty of medicine. He thought that the Royal College should exer¬ 
cise every care in ascertaining who those were upon whom they inten¬ 
ded to confer their diploma. 
Prof. Axe said that the way in which the matter was put seemed to 
suggest that there was an obstacle. He took it that it was not within 
the province of the Council or of the Examiners to decide on the quali¬ 
fications of a man by his antecedents. If a gentleman presented him¬ 
self he thought it was for the Council and Examiners to decide on his 
qualifications by the merit he manifested in his examination, and not by 
the fact as to whether he had passed through any college or was 
exempted or not at any school. It seemed to him that schools were 
responsible for the gentlemen they received for teaching purposes. He 
did not think, from the manner in which the matter was put, that the 
Council was in a legal position. 
Mr. Cox said that the Council surely had the power to determine 
