Professorial correspondence [of R. Christison & J.Y. Simpson] relative to the chair of General Pathology / reprinted ... from the public journals of Edinburgh.

  • Robert Christison
Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Professorial correspondence [of R. Christison & J.Y. Simpson] relative to the chair of General Pathology / reprinted ... from the public journals of Edinburgh. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    1G Jurisprudence , will, in due time, be heaved overboard, so as to approxi¬ mate the tonnage of the medical curriculum of this University to the lighter burden of that of the University of Glasgow. In submitting to you these observations, I have no wish to deny to the arguments which the Medical Faculty may adduce for the abolition of the Chair of General Pathology the benefit of whatever intrinsic force they may possess. All that I contend for is, that these arguments are not en¬ titled to more weight with the Patrons and the public, on account of the quarter from which they proceed.—I am, &c., AN ALUMNUS OF THE UNIVERSITY. Edinburgh, September 23, 1841. P.S.—Since writing the above, I have seen in the Scotsman of yesterday a letter by the Dean of the Medical Faculty of the University, in which he expresses himself much dissatisfied at its being represented, that “ the same body” which is now seeking the abolition of the Chair of General Pathology, is that which opposed various other additions to the course of education required of candidates for medical degrees,—seeing that at the periods at which these proceedings took place, “ this c same body’ contained only three of its existing thirteen members.” I humbly conceive that the body has continued the same, whatever change may have occurred in the individueds composing it; not only the same in name,—but, to judge from the analogy of sentiment and reasoning, the same unfortunately in spirit. I have no doubt that the time will come when the successors of the present members of the Medical Faculty will be as anxious to disavow their identity with the body which.so vehemently op¬ posed the Chair of General Pathology, as they themselves are to establish that they are not the same body which opposed the separation of Surgery from Anatomy in 1777 ; which opposed the erection of a Chair of Medical Jurisprudence in 1798; which resisted, as long as it could, the institution of a Chair of Clinical Surgery in 1803 ; and, when they found it at length necessary to succumb, caused the commission of the Professor to be clogged with a futile but insulting proviso; which resisted the institution of the Chair of Military Surgery in 1808; and which in 1815, gave the go-bye to Dr Hamilton’s application to have the Midwifery Class added to the Medi¬ cal curriculum. Printed by Thomas Paton, N.W. Circus Place.
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