REPORT ON MEDICAL EDUCATION, &C. 
169 
and great subsequent experience entitle a party to the suspen- 
sion of the law in his favour? If that education has been 
tested by due examination, I certainly do think so. Exami- 
nation before whom ? In the case of the Army and Navy 
surgeons, not before yourselves. Why then before yourselves, 
in the case of graduates and licentiates from the universities 
and colleges of Scotland? From our own experience we may 
not think, perhaps, that such medical education and examina- 
tion in Scotland, are so good as may be expected. At any 
rate, in your previous answer, you have admitted the prin- 
ciple that where the party practising, though contrary to 
the directions of the Act, has received a competent medical 
education, then the Society should exercise a discretion, and 
forbear to prosecute? Certainly, there ought to be, and I be- 
lieve there generally has been, a discretion of that kind 
exercised. 
It is quite unnecessary to offer any comment on the above 
evidence, and we hasten to close this section of our examina- 
tion by presenting our readers with another specimen of 
inconsistency on the same subject. The witness was Henry 
Field, Esq., Treasurer of the Society. 
" Have the informations upon which the prosecutions of 
your Society have generally been founded, proceeded in most 
cases from rival practitioners residing in the same place as the 
parties informed against? Undoubtedly. Have not the pro- 
secutions instituted upon such informations, sometimes been 
directed againt persons, who, though not possessing the qua- 
lification of apprenticeship required by the Act of 1815, yet 
were gentlemen who had received a good medical education? 
I do not think there can have been many of that description ; 
in such cases, why they have not been examined, must have 
been that they could not prove their apprenticeship. Have 
there not been many individuals prosecuted, who have gone 
through all the courses of lectures, and in many cases the 
hospital practice, required for obtaining degrees or diplomas 
in the Scotch schools ? There may have been a few, but I 
apprehend, a very few. Is it not unfortunate that the prose- 
cutions directed by the company should have fallen upon 
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