and the elements of physics being taught in our ordinary and common schools, so that there shall be some preparation for the discipline of medical colleges.  And, if this reform were once effected, you might confine the “Institutes of Medicine” to physics as applied to physiology—­to chemistry as applied to physiology—­to physiology itself, and to anatomy.  Afterwards, the student, thoroughly grounded in these matters, might go to any hospital he pleased for the purpose of studying the practical branches of his profession.  The practical teaching might be made as local as you like; and you might use to advantage the opportunities afforded by all these local institutions for acquiring a knowledge of the practice of the profession.  But you may say:  “This is abolishing a great deal; you are getting rid of botany and zoology to begin with.”  I have not a doubt that they ought to be got rid of, as branches of special medical education; they ought to be put back to an earlier stage, and made branches of general education.  Let me say, by way of self-denying ordinance, for which you will, I am sure, give me credit, that I believe that comparative anatomy ought to be absolutely abolished.  I say so, not without a certain fear of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of London who sits upon my left.  But I do not think the charter gives him very much power over me; moreover, I shall soon come to an end of my examinership, and therefore I am not afraid, but shall go on to say what I was going to say, and that is, that in my belief it is a downright cruelty—­I have no other word for it—­to require from gentlemen who are engaged in medical studies, the pretence—­for it is nothing else, and can be nothing else, than a pretence—­of a knowledge of comparative anatomy as part of their medical curriculum.  Make it part of their Arts teaching if you like, make it part of their general education if you like, make it part of their qualification for the scientific degree by all means—­that is its proper place; but to require that gentlemen whose whole faculties should be bent upon the acquirement of a real knowledge of human physiology should worry themselves with getting up hearsay about the alternation of generations in the Salpae is really monstrous.  I cannot characterize it in any other way.  And having sacrificed my own pursuit, I am sure I may sacrifice other people’s; and I make this remark with all the more willingness because I discovered, on reading the name-of your Professors just now, that the Professor of Materia Medica is not present.  I must confess, if I had my way I should abolish Materia Medica[1] altogether.  I recollect, when I was first under examination at the University of London, Dr. Pereira was the examiner, and you know that “Pereira’s Materia Medica” was a book de omnibus rebus.  I recollect my struggles with that book late at night and early in the morning (I worked very hard in those days), and I do believe that I got that book into my head