Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/228

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1889.— Lord Reay.
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ology, (3) Pathology, Practical Pathology, (4) Morbid Anatomy, Forensic Medicine, (5) Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Therapeutics, (6) Surgery, Clinical Surgery, (7) Clinical Medicine, (8) Clinical Surgery, Operative Surgery, (9) Ophthalmology, (10) Hygiene, (11) Obstetrics, (12) Dermatology, (13) Aural Disease, (14) Chemistry, (15) Materia Medica, (16) Botany. Besides the above, courses of instruction are given by lecturers in the following:— (1) Military Surgery, (2) Ophthalmic Medicine and Surgery, (3) Gynaecology, (4) Bacteriology, (5) Surgery, (6) Histology, (7) Diseases of the Nervous System. I purposely take that University, and not the Strasburg programme, for this reason, that the University of Amsterdam is a Municipal creation, entirely supported by Municipal funds, and as such it teaches a lesson which our Corporation may take to heart, in contributing to the further development of higher education in this city. Local self-government in this city would cover itself with glory if it showed a due appreciation of the requirements of higher education, and filled up the many gaps which exist in our system. To the enlightened heads of Native States whose subjects obtain their training at our colleges, who recruit their doctors, surgeons, jurists, engineers, from our colleges, I should also like to point out what a splendid field our University offers to their liberality.

There is another precedent which might be followed by the Medical Faculty. One of the most important events in the life of our University has been the foundation in 1888 of a Chair of Agricultural Chemistry for the whole of India. This has been brought about by a combined effort of the various Provinces on the invitation of the Government of India. It has thus become possible to secure an eminent Professor, who will divide his time among the various Provinces, and his advent will mark a new era in agricultural education. The same principle can be applied to other branches. We thereby gain the immense advantage of obtaining the best tuition, and we spread its benefits over the whole country. Through co-operation of the various Provinces we preserve intact the progressive development due to and dependent on decentralisation, and we obtain results which the absence of co-operation would imperil. We may give further extension to this principle. Nothing would stimulate higher education more in India than lectures on any subject, by a highly qualified expert, even though he could not permanently be absorbed in our staff. I do not see why eminent men at home should not be invited to give a course of lectures at our Universities. Occasional teaching of