The School of Medical Science in Oxford / by J.S. Burdon-Sanderson.

  • Burdon-Sanderson, John Scott, 1828-1905.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The School of Medical Science in Oxford / by J.S. Burdon-Sanderson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    branches of Animal Morphology, Animal Physiology, and Botany in the Higher Examination for Honours meets with my entire approval. I consider it to be quite impossible for any candidate, during the three years which I presume is the whole time that may be usually devoted to the study both of an elementary and advanced kind, to acquire such a knowledge as would be valuable to himself, or productive of any reflective influence on the progress of science, in more than one of these three departments.’ From the above passages it will be seen that the opinion of the eminent persons who were consulted were perfectly unanimous in preferring specialisation, or as I prefer to call it, unity and thoroughness, to cumulation. The second reason why I regard it as in the highest degree unadvisable to make any change in our Final Examination so far as relates to my own subject, is that since the passing of the Statute of 1888, by which the University gave its final sanction to the present system, its working has been in the highest degree satisfactory. The time which has elapsed since the passing of this Statute has not been more than sufficient to render it possible to judge of its operation; but the rapid numerical increase in the number of men reading for the Natural Science School affords already sufficient oncouragcmcnt. All the legislative changes which, during the last ten years, have been made in that School (and which to members of the University who are unaware of tho difficulties wo have had to surmount appear needlessly complicated) have been consecutive steps in the develop- ment of a system which has so far reached completeness, that no further changes seem to be wanting excepting such as may be required for the adjustment of details so as to
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