1266 EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY: PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN MEDICAL CURRICULUM. I

remark with regard to the correction of rates of birth (asdistinguished from rates of death) that it is questionablepolicy to pretend to a degree of accuracy which must

obviously be unattainable until the statutory registration ofstillbirths becomes an accomplished fact in England, as, webelieve, it has long been in several foreign countries.

(To be contÍ1wed.)

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH: IMPORT-ANT PROPOSED ALTERATIONS IN THE

MEDICAL CURRICULUM.

SOME time ago an epitome of a draft ordinance preparedby the court of the University of Edinburgh bearing uponalterations proposed to be made in the regulations for

degrees in medicine was given in THE LANCET. There has

just been circulated to the members of the general councilof the University a more detailed account of the proposedalterations, along with the comments upon them by thebusiness committee of the council. These are so very im-

portant that it is desirable to mention them in considerabledetail. The proposed alterations are the outcome ofnumerous conferences and have been discussed by the court,the Senatus, and the Faculty of Medicine. The draftordinance referred to only deals with the alterations in sofar as they require the sanction of the King in Councilbefore being given effect to. The comments and suggestionsof the business committee of the council are arranged underthe different clauses of the draft ordinance.Under Clause I. it is indicated that the general idea of

the scheme is that students should be allowed more freely topass their examinations by instalments, so that when theyhave received their instruction in a particular subject theymay be forthwith examined in it, and be thus enabled toconcentrate attention upon the subjects in which they areimmediately undergoing tuition without being distracted byexamination requirements in subjects previously studied.By Olause II. it is intended that students may appear at

once for examination in any one or more subjects of thefirst division after having attended the class or classes;the first division includes botany, zoology, physics, andchemistry.

Clause III. provides for physiology being passed when-ever the qualifying course therein has been taken. Theexamination in anatomy may be taken at any time after theend of the first half-session of the third winter. It isassumed that the recognition of a "half-session" " concedesby implication one of the demands supported by the generalcouncil for a system of three examinations a year.Under Clause IV. students who have begun medicine in

May are to be examinable in pathology at the end of thefourth summer session, and the materia medica examinationis to come at the end of the fourth winter. A veryimportant proviso is, however, introduced to enable candi-dates to be examined in practical pharmacy, and also in thephysical, chemical, and botanical characters of medicinalsubstances at any time after attendance on the qualifyingcourse therein. This the committee thinks indicates thatelementary parts of the subject are to be relegated to anearlier stage in the curriculum, while therapeutics is to bereserved until the students have some acquaintance withclinical work.By G’kz2cse V. the subjects of the fourth or final examination

may be taken after the previous examinations have beenpassed as follows : forensic medicine and public health atany time ; midwifery after the first half session of the fifthwinter ; medicine and surgery at the end of the fifth winter;and clinical medicine and surgery and gynaecology at theend of the fifth year. The draft ordinance does not

prescribe the sequence in which classes are to be attended,but it is thought that its provisions will afford a stimulusto students to follow out the logical order. Two mattersnot dealt with in the draft ordinance the committee hasconsidered. One of these is that when examinationsmay be taken in single subjects immediately uponthe conclusion of a course of instruction therein therecord of work done by the candidate in the classwhich he has attended ought to form a factor in

determining whether he is qualified. The other is that

in the opinion of the committee the Senatus should beintrusted with power to restrain a student when desirablefrom entering upon new subjects of study before he hascleared the examinations in the prior subjects. To enact anabsolute bar to such further study might be unwise but toconfer on the Senatus a full discretion would be eminentlyuseful, would be a kindness to the student himself, andmake for his ultimate efficiency as a practitioner. Thealterations embodied in the draft ordinance and the additionsrecommended by the business committee of the generalcouncil reveal an enlightenment of opinion which will begenerally and widely appreciated by alumni of Edinburgh.The practical concession of the division of the annus medicusinto three terms instead of two and of having examinationscorresponding to them would be a great boon to the studentand whatever lightens the student facilitates and benefitsthe teaching. Liberty to pass the examination in physiologyand anatomy at an earlier date than has hitherto been

possible ought to be greatly to the student’s advantage inallowing him to give more undivided attention to pathology,therapeutics, and the subjects of the final examination. Theseparation of pharmacy and the more physical aspects ofmateria medica from therapeutics is also a step in the rightdirection ; in fact, therapeutics ought properly to bedefinitely included in the final subjects. The recommenda-tion of the business committee that the Senatus should havepower to prevent a student attending classes on moreadvanced subjects when he has not passed the earliersubjects will meet with the approval of those who have hadexperience of students as their teachers and examiners. Tosome it will be a surprise to know that the Senatus has nothitherto had this power. The want of it has allowedstudents to attend not only systematic but practical coursesof instruction when they were not in a position to benefit bythe instruction and in a practical class this always meansthat they act as a drag upon the class and materiallycomplicate and hinder the teaching.

The Carnegie tr1lSt.-The new regulations issued by theexecutive committee of this trust in the fifth annual

report have been already given in detail in THE LANCET.The business committee of the general council, in re-

ferring to the changes, pertinently points out that bythe new regulations the attendance of ordinary studentsat optional and supplementary classes will be cut downor at least deferred. As these extra classes have oftenbeen the direct or indirect result of the other partof Mr. Carnegie’s endowment, that for the increase ofteaching power, the position is getting anomalous and willdemand early attention. One way out of the difficulty wouldbe for the universities to charge annual composition fees forinstruction and not fees for individual classes, leaving foradjustment the classes ordinary or extra which a studentshould be entitled to attend according to the circumstancesof his academic career at the time and his own provedfitness.

Greater liberty for the Universities.-It is not gene-rally known that the Scottish universities are strangelyhindered in their evolution by Act of Parliament.The court of each university has power to make suchordinances as it may think fit, with the approval of theSovereign in Council. Before, however, submitting any suchto the Privy Council for approval each new ordinance mustbe communicated in draft by the court to the Senatus andto the general council for their opinions. After finaladjustment by the court it has then to be com-

municated to the courts of the other Scottish uni-versities. Any of the other universities or any persondirectly affected by the new ordinance may within onemonth notify dissent and within another month lodge arepresentation with the Privy Council. The ordinance maybe referred to the universities committee of the PrivyCouncil for a report to the Sovereign but cannot be approveduntil it has been laid before both Houses of Parliament during12 weeks of session to give those Houses an opportunity of pre-senting an address praying the Sovereign to withhold assent.The business committee of the general council aptly termsthis procedure slow and cumbrous and experience has shownthat it is far from encouraging in its results. It is, more-over, in striking contrast with the autonomy enjoyed by thelately created English universities. By this procedure anyof the Scottish Universities can practically block anyimportant change which the University of Edinburgh maydesire to make and instances are given illustrating howundesirable this state of affairs is. There is no doubt that

1267ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON.

the universities ought not to be thus trammelled and hide-bound. Freedom for each Scottish University to developalong the lines most suited for its particular circumstancesis surely the best for each. The business committee rightlyasks, Why should Parliament not be asked forthwith to grantto each university autonomy in some measure correspondingto that conferred on the younger universities in England ? 7The recommendation that the University Court should takethis matter up at once will commend itself to all who realisethe necessity of enabling the Scottish Universities to adaptthemselves readily to the changed conditions of the presenttimes and to the wider conception of the functions of thehighest educational institutions in the country which is nowwidely entertained.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OFLONDON.

A COMITIA was held on April 26th, Sir R. DOUGLAS

POwELL, Bart., K.C.V.O., the President, being in the chair.The following gentlemen, having passed the required

examination, were admitted as Members of the College:Frederick Samuel Langmead, M.D. Lond., L.R.C.P. Lond. ;Charles Hewitt Miller, M.A., M. D. Cantab., L.R.C.P. Lond. ;and Athelstane IlifE Simey, B.A., M.D. Cantab., L.R.C.P.Lond.Licences to practise physic were granted to 101 gentlemen

who had passed the necessary examinations.A report was received, dated April 5th, from the examiners

for the Murchison scholarship, awarding the same to HenryFrancis Bell Walker, a student of Guy’s Hospital. Mr.Walker was in attendance and was handed the award by thePresident.The following Members were, on the nomination of the

council, elected Fellows of the College : Dr. SamuelWalton Wheaton, Dr. Frederick William Burton-Fanning,Dr. John Hill Abram, Dr. George Henkell DrummondRobinson, Dr. Richard Tanner Hewlett, Dr. Ernest GrahamGordon Little, Dr. Charles Richard Box, Dr. Maurice Craig,Dr. James Purves Stewart, Dr. Thomas Jeeves Horder, Dr.James Hugh Thursfield, and Dr. Edward Farquhar Buzzard.The following communications were received : 1. From I

the honorary secretaries of the Second International Con- Igress on School Hygiene, to be held in London, August 5thto 10th, 1907, inviting the College to appoint two repre-sentatives to be members of the general committee. It wasresolved that representatives of the College should beappointed and it was left to the President to nominate them.2. From the University of Aberdeen inviting the College tosend a delegate to represent the College at the Quater-centenary Commemoration Festival in September next, to bethe guest of the University and of the city. The invitationwas accepted and it was resolved that the President shouldrepresent the College on that occasion. 3. From Messrs.Goupil’s (art publishers) successors, asking permission tophotograph the portraits of Dr. Arbuthnot and of SirSamuel Garth, in possession of the College, for illustratinga work which they have in hand. The request was granted.4. From the secretary of the Royal College of Surgeons ofEngland reporting proceedings of its Council on April 5th.The quarterly report, dated April 6th, of the College

Finance Committee was received and adopted.A communication was received from Dr. J. Abercrombie,

resigning the office of curator of the museum. The resigna-tion was accepted and the thanks of the College were orderedto be given to Dr. Abercrombie for the services he hadrendered to the College. Dr. W. H. Allchin was appointedto the office on the nomination of the President.The books and other publications presented to the library

during the past quarter were received and the thanks of theCollege were ordered to be returned to the donors.The quarterly report of the Examiners for the Licence on

the January examinations was received and adopted.The PRESIDENT then dissolved the Comitia.

AT the meeting of the Chard (Somerset) ruraldistrict council held on April 22rd it was resolved to erecta small-pox hospital at a cost of about .S260.

THE

FIFTEENTH INTERNATIONAL

CONGRESS OF MEDICINE.Held at Lisbon, April 19th—April 26th, 1906.

FINAL MEETING OF THE GENERAL INTER-NATIONAL COMMITTEE.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONER.)Lisbon, April 28th.

ON Thursday morning, April 26th, at about 10 o’clock, theInternational Committee met in the great hall of the newSchool of Medicine and first decided by 38 votes against 23that the Government delegates might be represented bysubstitutes. This was fortunate, for the 6A was by thattime far away at sea on its way homewards with Sir DyceDuckworth on board. Sir John Tyler, however, was bythis vote accepted as his substitute. Then came the

question of where the next International Congress shouldmeet. The General Secretary, Dr. BOMBARDA, explainedthat four positive invitations had been received. These werefrom Athens, Brussels, Budapest, and New York; some

advances of a less positive character had also been madefrom Tokio. The executive committee of the present Con-gress had been in negotiation with the Hungarian committeefor several months and found that the Hungarians wereevidently animated by the best intentions and that the RoyalGovernment and the municipality of Budapest had alreadyvoted funds in order that the Congress should be properlyorganised. The American delegates nevertheless made a greatstruggle for New York. Remembering, however, that theInternational Congress on Tuberculosis accepted the invita-tion to meet in the United States of America beforethe next Presidential election, the two Congresses wouldundoubtedly clash. It is not practical to expect Europeanmedical men to go to America twice within the course

of a few months. Ultimately Budapest was acceptedby 38 votes against 26 and one abstention. The next

Congress will, as usual, be held in three years, but a requestwill be made that the invitations sent for the ensuingCongress shall not bear a date, so that when at Budapest theCongress will be free to decide whether it will meet againafter an interval of more that three years.A petition, which was signed by several medical men

dentists, was then read, asking that dentists who were notmedical men should be admitted to the Congress. Dr. CRUET(France), on the contrary, congratulated the committee forhaving excluded the dentists who were not medical men andwhen the matter was put to the vote a large number of handswas held up in favour of excluding dentists who are not fullyqualified practitioners. The contrary opinion was not clearlytaken but it was quite evident that the decision was approvedby an overwhelming majority.The fact that the General International Committee had at

a previous sitting decided to allot the Paris prize to Dr.Ehrlich and the Moscow prize to Dr. Laveran was mentioned,and then Dr. Bombarda hurriedly read out some of theresolutions adopted by the sections. It was difficult tounderstand why this was done as there was no opportunityof discussing the points raised or voting upon them. Suchvotes or semblance oi votes as were given at this stage wererecorded very carelessly. Many persons were in the roomwho did not belong to the Committee and there was nothingto prevent them voting also.

THE CLOSING CEREMONY.A little after 2 P.M. the ’great hall was well filled with

members of the Congress who came to assist at the solemnclosure.The chair was occupied by the President of the Congress,

Councillor Dr. Costa Alemao, with the general secretary,Dr. Miguel Bombarda, by his side. Both wore the broadlilac ribbon, gold chain, and crimson cross of the GrandCross of the Order of Santhiago, which had just beenconferred on them by the King in recognition of theirdistinguished scientific services.The PRESIDENT read out a statement in which he said that

all had gone well. From abroad and at home willing helphad been received and then the President proceeded to thankeverybody. On mentioning Dr. Bombarda’s name a greatovation took place, everyone rose, shouted, waved hats, band-kerchiefs and press notebooks. The treasurer, Dr. Alfredo