Second report of the commissioners appointed by his Majesty William IV November 23rd 1836 and re-appointed by her Majesty Victoria I October 2d 1837 for visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischall College, Aberdeen / presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. Commission for Visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischal.
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Second report of the commissioners appointed by his Majesty William IV November 23rd 1836 and re-appointed by her Majesty Victoria I October 2d 1837 for visiting the Universities of King's College and Marischall College, Aberdeen / presented to both Houses of Parliament by Command of Her Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    only that, by way of introduction, he begs leave to express his sincere regret, that the measures now in agitation (so far as applicable to him,) have not been put in requisition at a much earlier period of his life ; and that this regret is increased on reflecting that, instead of abiding the call now made, he ought, perhaps, long ago to have called on himself to the same effect. As the case stands, to attempt saying anything directly in the way of apology, far less of vin- dication, he would consider as unbecoming. Some alleviation of the matter may, however, be found in the unvaried example of non-efficiency set by his predecessors in office, all men of talents and respectability; but who, for centuries past, have not prelected in civil law, however much they may, in other respects, have been assisting in promoting the welfare and interest of Alma Mater on all occasions. (Signed) A. D. Thereafter a memorial on the same subject was given in by Dr. Bannerman, and ordered to be inserted. King's College, 14th October, 1825. With reference (and in addition) to my note of date 17th January, 1825, I wish to state as follows :— When, during a former and very early period, medical lectures were delivered in this University, at such time King's College naturally (and actually) took the lead, alike in me- dical, as in other sciences. How soon, however, local advantage and a population superior to that of Old Aberdeen had been followed in various other towns in Scotland, by the erection of public infirmaries, the case then became altered. King's College necessarily ceased to give medical lectures, and such were delivered only in regular schools of medicine, attached to the just-mentioned various hospitals. Without the latter then, and in the presently now advanced and perfect state of medicine, without individual courses of lectures also, on the various subjects in the wide range of the science, not any school of medicine can ever exist. Such, then, being the case, how can this University, in its present circumstances, form one. Will students leave the circle of lectures and hospital constituting the medical school of Aberdeen, and repair to King's College for an individual course (or even for two) ? Most cer- tainly not! From the antecedent analysis of the subject, and from such considerations then, has my opinion on the question at issue been formed. And having tendered the same as early as January the 17th, 1825, while not anything definite had since been gone into by the Senatus regarding it, I had come into the unqualified expectation that the subject must ne- cessarily, at all events, lay over, instead of (by possibility) that in the month of October, I should be asked to give a course of lectures for the present session ! Meantime, in the existing circumstances, I might very easily plead bad health in excuse. This, however, I disdain, though neither have revolving years passed harmlessly by, nor is my present constitution Herculean ! While such, however, is the line of conduct which I adopt, and although it were possible for me now, or at any time to go into the lecture-room, yet, unless prematurely forced against my opinion, into an empty, unpromising, and (presently) impossible arena, I owe it to medical science, to King's College, and to myself, to decline lecturing during the present session. (Signed) James Bannerman, M.D. and P. King's College, 14th October, 1825. - Meanwhile having expressed myself, as before, I wish at the same time to add, that as soon as may offer the most distant chance of benefit by lectures, either to medical science, or to King's College, the professor of medicine will be found to be the first, and not the last, to take advantage of so wished for a desideratum. (Signed) James Bannerman, M.D. and P. Note of 17th January, 1825, referred to by Dr. Bannerman, in the preceding communication, of date 14th October, 1825. King's College, 17th January, 1825. I am of opinion that, in the march of time, and of circumstance, King's College is not yet mature for medical lectures. The professor of medicine, lecturing on one subject in the wide circle of medical science, might, possibly, serve individual purpose, but could tend little either to the interests of the University, or to those of medical science. Such considerations, coupled with the local situation of the College, have hitherto (and for such a length of time) been the cause of no medical lectures being delivered. It is more- over, everj- way, problematical whether, in the event of the professor of medicine lecturing, he would be attended, from the distance between the College and New Town, where is the hos- pital, and where are the other medical classes. I am not of opinion that the professor of medicine in King's College lecturing in Aberdeen, would be expedient, inasmuch as (independently of all other considerations,) though the medical classes there held are sanctioned, yet still are they ex-collegiate, and can exercise not any function with King's College, body corporate. I look upon the endowing and filling up, in King's College, of professorships in the circle of medical science, to be a high desideratum. The Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities only began to afford medical lectures when the several departments in the science had been endowed and filled up. (Signed) James Bannerman, M.D. and P. University of Aberdeen. King's College. Orders and