Observations on the education and examinations for degrees in medicine, as affected by the New Medical Bill ... in a letter to the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, bart. / by Richard Quain.

Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on the education and examinations for degrees in medicine, as affected by the New Medical Bill ... in a letter to the Right Hon. Sir James Graham, bart. / by Richard Quain. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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

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    knowledge, tke candidates ai’C to be tried as to their knowledge of Latin. So far it seems an improvement. But I would re- mark, with the exception of Latin, there is no regulation made to secure a knowledge of any of those branches of education, which I look upon as necessary for a Doctor of Medicine. There is no mention made of Greek. I conceive every man, who is to be a Graduate in the University of Edinburgh, or of any other respectable College, ought to have a knowledge of Greek. I do not mean to say that a man cannot practise Medicine in any of its branches who has not learned Greek; but I think his acquisi- tion of professional knowledge will be much facilitated by it: and his education will not be considered as perfect, and he will not hold that respectable situation among medical men, or in society, which a Graduate of this University should hold, with- out a knowledge of this language. With regard to the Modern Languages, I do not know that I have to say anything, except that I look upon French as indispensable; I beheve it is gene- rally attained by students. I think the German and Italian would be useful accompHshments, but I do not think that they should be made essential. I look upon a knowledge of Mathematics as quite essential, before a young man enters upon his Medical education. It is not possible for pupils to pick up a knowledge of Anatomy, Chemistry, or any of the other branches, without a proper knowledge of Mathematics. Next to Mathematics, I conceive Natmal Philosophy to be quite essential. I conceive that every Medical man, and particularly every Doctor of Medi- cine, ought to have a knowledge of Natural Philosophy, to enable him to understand professional subjects, particularly Physiology. There are two other branches which I consider hkewise that a Graduate of the University ought to be acquainted with; I do not call them preliminary exactly, for perhaps it were better they were not taken at so early an age as that at which young men generally begin to stud}'^ Medicine I allude to Logic and Moral Philosophy. I conceive it to be of import- ance that a medical man, obtaining the highest honours in the profession, should understand Logic and Moral Philosophy. My reason for not mentioning them among the preliminaries is, that I think it would be more advantageous that Moral Philo-