James Edward Neild

“ I think it will be seen, therefore, that a good deal has been done to make the School an efficient means of teaching the science of Medicine, and that there is no need for our young men to go to Europe to learn their profession. I do not forget that the disposition -to undervalue everything Australian has not seldom found its expression in a sneer, both at our University generally and our Medical School especially. Even the Council itself has not been entirely free from this kind of prejudice, seeing that two of its members have sent their sons to Europe to be medically educated. ”

“ Looking down the long list of those who have worked in the School, it is impossible to feel other than saddened to think that so many have passed into the land of shadows and are now known only as memories. ”

“ He has tried to deserve his success, and he has gained his success because he has deserved it, and for no other reason. As one of his teachers, I am very proud to have taken part in his education. T regard it as a distinction to have had a share in instructing a man who does such credit to his profession and to his Alma Mater, and I know that my feeling towards him is shared, not only by every other member of the teaching staff of this School, but by the whole brotherhood of Medicine throughout the colony. I point to him as an example to all the other students, past, present, and to come. ”

“ For my own part, I cannot perceive any absolute or abstract indelicacy in male and female students listening together to a lecture upon any scientific subject, if only it be regarded, and I think it may be so regarded, in the cold light of science. It is a very old aphorism, but it contains a perpetual truth, that "to the pure all things are pure," and it is equally incontrovertible that while there is a soul of goodness in all things evil, it is possible to discover evil in things essentially good. ”

“ Any attempt to admit women to the medical profession by the side-door of less exacting conditions, could result only in procuring for them a position of inferiority, which would be unjust to themselves, and dangerous to those whom they might have to treat. ”

“ It has then to be considered in what way the education of medical women is to be conducted, and, at once, I insist that, if we are to regard women as equal in intelligence and intellectual capacity to men—and I for one do so regard them—then there is no escape from the necessity of their going through exactly the same educational process as men do. ”

“ Six applications from young women have been made to be so admitted, and the Council have resolved that the applications shall be allowed. I do not propose, therefore, at this moment to discuss, at any length, the principle of women engaging in medical practice. It has for many years been a debatable question, and it is by no means settled yet, for all that some women in Europe and America have graduated in Medicine, and are understood to be engaged in the successful practice of it. ”

“ The University has no control over the Hospital, and even the Hospital Committee has shown no disposition to further the interest of the University, but has manifested a positive antagonism and dislike to it. The medical staff for the most part have not been unwilling to teach students, but the clinical teaching has been given as it suited their convenience, and it is only by giving himself up to that part of his instruction, that a student can hope to secure it. ”

“ It is not a little curious, however, that while it is insisted that women-students shall be taught in separate classes, when studying medicine in a medical school, it is never regarded as necessary to segregate them when they go to learn the duties of a nurse in hospitals. There they mix freely with the other sex, and are present at all manner of operations, without being considered to forego, in the very least, their claim to be considered pure-minded women ”

“ The scheme of the University itself, as everybody knows, owed its inception to the late Sir Redmond Barry, who, with eyes farseeing beyond those of his contemporaries, perceived, even in the early era of this country, the desirability of an educational institution to which all others should look up as their head, and their authority ”

“ As a result of this liberal recognition of the needs of the School, very large additions have been made to our buildings. The style of architecture is wholly different from that of the original structure, for while this latter is of the spurious classic order, and as I have already said, in brick and stucco, the new portion is of respectable Elizabethan Gothic, and the material is good honest freestone. The inside arrangements are not less satisfactory. There is a dissecting room, with ancillary offices that could not be bettered in any school in the world. ”

“ She has too much self-respect, and too lively a consciousness of her social rights, to accept a qualification which would not be as complete as that possessed by her male compeer. We have, then, to consider how far it is practicable or desirable to teach mixed classes. Here, also, there is some difference of opinion, and in a communication addressed by the Council of this University to the Faculty of Medicine, requesting this latter body to frame regulations for the teaching of female medical students, it is apparently assumed that mixed classes of male and female students are not possible. ”

“ It is contended that a certain class of diseases to which women are liable, can be properly dealt with only by women, and that women so suffering will prefer to suffer rather than consult a medical man. ”

“ Tracy was a typical illustration of a successful man. As a general practitioner, he would always have held his ground, but in his gynaecological specialty he took first rank, and he would equally have ranked first if he had chosen to win his successes in the old country. His early death from intestinal cancer in 1874, caused universal regret, both in the public and in the profession. ISTo man ever more completely enjoyed the confidence of his patients, and no teacher ever secured more certainly the regard of his pupils. ”

“ At the opening of the Medical School in 1863 there were three students; now there are over 200. They may congratulate themselves, therefore, upon being associated with an institution that is evidently prosperous. A further evidence of this prosperity is that, during the past year, the fees paid by medical students amounted to upwards of £4000—a sum far in excess of that received from the students of all the other departments. In addition to this sum, it is estimated that during the present year £964 will be obtained from the fees for hospital practice. ”

“ Macadam and Dr. Eades may be regarded as the actual beginning of the School. In the latter part of the same year, Professor Halford arrived from England, and on the 1st of May, 1863, he delivered his introductory address in the Mathematical Theatre. From that time the work of the School went steadily on, and the first class consisted of but three students, viz., Patrick Moloney, William Carey Rees, and Alexander Mackie. Of these, Mr. Mackie fell away from his allegiance to medicine, and entered the Presbyterian ministry ”

“ Professor Halford who was originally appointed to teach Descriptive and Surgical Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology now devotes himself exclusively to General Anatomy, Physiology and Histology, the subjects of Descriptive and Surgical Anatomy and Pathology being undertaken by Professor Allen, whose appointment was made in 1882. To Dr. Macadam, as Lecturer in Chemistry, succeeded Mr. Kirkland, who, in 1882 was created Professor of Chemistry, and who, dying in 1885, has been succeeded by Professor Masson, who arrived from England last year. Dr. ”