Page:Introductory lecture delivered to the class of military surgery in the University of Edinburgh, May 1, 1855 (IA b21916469).pdf/28

27 be accomplished without allotting a page or two of those huge folios to every man admitted, compelling the surgeon to spin his brains to give a graphic description of a sprained wrist, or an ulcerated leg, or to detail with equal prolixity the case of one man with a virulent gonorrhoea, and another with a malignant typhus fever.

I know no good that comes of this compulsory writing; but there is another description of writing which I should wish to see encouraged. I know not at this precise moment what are the regulations, or what is the practice of the French army, but I know, that from the medical officers of that army have emanated more than sixty volumes of the "Recueil de Mémoires de Médecine de Chirurgie et de Pharmacie Militaires." This published under the authority, and at the expense of the Government, and containing many valuable papers on subjects all important to the health of the troops. In this, I think we would do well to imitate them. In addition to all other professional competitions open to the military surgeons as well as to others, I should like to see a competition instituted within the department itself. Who will show himself most conversant