Page:Anon 1830 Remarks on some proposed alterations in the course of medical education.djvu/6

 these purposes; and, on this gratuitous assumption, they immediately commence, with prodigal liberality, framing projets de loi of radical reform. Before, however, gliding by this royal railroad to such a conclusion, it might have been more logical to have demonstrated their premises; to have shewn clearly that the existing system was, both in theory and practice, erroneous and defective, and that the majority of medical practitioners educated under it were ignorant of their profession. But, at this stage of the case, we shall, for brevity's sake, wave the consideration of these hypothetical premises, and throw together some remarks on the nature of their conclusions and innovations.

In legislating for the course of education to be pursued by individuals aspiring to become practitioners in any of the Faculties, one would naturally anticipate that the primary attention would be directed to those branches of knowledge essentially connected with each, those which form its distinguishing badge, and especially constitute it as a distinct profession. But, will it be believed, hardly any such thing is hinted at? The burden of the song is to introduce laws into the College, obliging every candidate for a medical degree to go through a course of study of Arts, Literature and Science, without condescending to shew in what manner this is essential to forming a sound intelligent practitioner of medicine, and without