A reply to the report of the Senatus Academicus of the University of Edinburgh, upon Dr. Reid's Memorial to ... the patrons of the University / [D.B. Reid].

  • Reid, D. B. (David Boswell), 1805-1863
Date:
1833]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A reply to the report of the Senatus Academicus of the University of Edinburgh, upon Dr. Reid's Memorial to ... the patrons of the University / [D.B. Reid]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    9 the arrangements by which Dr Reid is enabled to effect these different objects, he shall have great pleasure in submitting to any gentlemen whom the Council may choose to appoint, should they wish any report in regard to them.”—Memorial, p. 13. Still more was it incumbent on the Professors to hear Dr Reid, when it was seen that Dr Hope had contradicted some of his statements. The Senates might at least have shewn Dr Reid their report, before a statement was presented to the Council, sanctioned with all the authority of the Senates Aca- demicus, and containing statements most injurious to him. But Dr Reid was never informed of its nature, nor even asked if he had any thing to say. By adopting the report of the Medical and Surgical Professors, the Senates have entirely passed over one of the most important parts of Dr Reid’s Memorial,—the value of Practical Chemistry to the follow¬ ing classes of students who have now attended his classes since his first public course of Practical Chemistry in the High School Yards. 1. Gentlemen connected with the arts and manufactures of this country. 5. Students of Agriculture. 3. Civil Engineers ; more particularly those engaged as Mining Engineers. 4. Students of Literature and Science. 5. Gentlemen going abroad, and who expect to turn their knowledge of Practical Chemistry to advantage, either as manufacturers, or as giving them a superior claim to many appointments, where they may have to report more especially upon the value of mineral productions, in dis¬ tricts which they may have officially to inspect. 6. Military Engineers, and Officers of the Army and Navy_Dr. Reid's memorial, p. 14. They have also taken no notice of the value of the Practical Che¬ mistry Class as a branch of General Education, which is specially alluded to in Dr Reid’s Memorial, as follows :— a All who take any interest in education, and consider that one of its leading objects is to cultivate a general activity of mind, a power of fixing the atten¬ tion, and a talent for observation with habits of action, will acknowledge that the establishment of a class at our Universities which embraces all these ob¬ jects, is a great desideratum. That Practical Chemistry, when properly taught, supplies this desideratum, and is of the utmost value as a process of mental training, may be easily shewn,” &c_See Memorial, p. 5. In short, the Senatus, adopting the report of the Medical Faculty, have taken up the question of Practical Chemistry as if its application to Medicine were alone to be attended to; Dr Reid’s testimonials, con¬ taining evidence on the different points above alluded to, were laid before the Senatus Academicus. Dr Reid will now make some remarks on the very extraordi-