commenced, and though in its absolute infancy, is yet exerting a perceptible influence.

But when we look at this summary, is it worthy of the most enlightened rule that India ever possessed? Could nothing more have been done for the advancement of her condition and the happiness of her inhabitants during the last half century of our possession? Alas! how much more, had the government been actuated by a liberal spirit, and sought, instead of pressing down the people, by exclusion from all participation in the government except in filling situations as clerks, to raise them by a generous confidence! Had it early attended to education, and spread the knowledge it possessed among them, it is not too much to say that a deep blow would have been struck at Hindooism. Had it followed the example of its predecessors, both Mahomedan and Hindoo, in establishing colleges, everywhere endowing village schools, and affording the people the means of rising from their state of superstition and ignorance,—we might have arrogated to ourselves with some justice the proud station we assume, of being the saviours and regenerators of India. At present, whatever we have done and are doing, only serves but slowly to efface the memory of the past; and the generation has been lost in whom the seed of cultivation rested, which, by common care and protection, might by this time have borne good fruit.

The present is a fit time to consider the matters we have already touched upon in this article, and the others we purposed to illustrate must stand over for future comment, as we have long since exceeded our allotted space. India has just passed a crisis of much excitement, which has not yet entirely subsided. The valour of the British arms-the prompt and signal punishment of those native princes whose disaffected spirit could not be concealed-the vigour and perfect readiness with which the government has met all emergencies-has for the time overawed and tranquillized the people, and restored their confidence in the ability of their rulers. Why not follow up this spirit by a determined exertion to redress existing abuses?-why not extend education,-reorganize the police, make further reforms in the system, and take away the hateful tax upon the administration of justice? Link the

people by some bond of interest with the government, and their gratitude will surely follow. It is idle to expect the natives of India to be grateful to foreigners, not only for no benefits done, but for positive injuries inflicted, and for a line of conduct which daily proves to them how meanly, how despicably they are esteemed. A very little local excitement anywhere, a year ago, would have caused many outbreaks which might have extended rapidly throughout the country; that spirit has given way however, to better thoughts, and it is fervently to be hoped for the future, that in the conciliating tenor of its enactments, its extended operations of education and benevolent care, and its improved legislation, the government will take warning by the past, and find in similar periods of excitement instead of murmured disaffection, that there exists in truth a pure spirit of cooperation and satisfaction. Great reforms are undoubtedly called for in all departments; and these, if undertaken in a good spirit, will work their due effects with the mass. Even a spirit of good avowed openly, satisfies and consoles till it is acted upon, and among the people would be hailed as a joyful omen of eventual regeneration. Suppose that Russia, in her spirit of restless intrigue, were in the present state of affairs to proclaim to the people of India a return to their own systems of government in case of aid in her schemes; a perfect non-interference in local habits, laws and usages— a system of plain and cheap law-a general light assessment of the lands, not to exceed the ancient rates :—what might not be the effect? That she has the power of disseminating such promises, is doubtful, but it would not be well to trust to this alone; for if disseminated, that they would have a bad effect upon the people, few will doubt. The best remedy against them is in speedy and effectual reforms, which the times loudly admonish to be granted.

In conclusion, for the present we bid farewell to the work from which we have been enabled to draw such authentic pictures of existing evils; and we wish heartily that it belonged to the library of every young man whose future destination is India; well convinced that no unprejudiced person could rise from its perusal without having imbibed a spirit of charity and benevolence towards the people of that country, which would VOL, XI,-No. XXI.

P

be his best guide to a correct estimate of their characters and qualifications; and that an impression would be made upon his young mind which would ensure to him a gratifying intercourse with them, entered upon, as it would be, in a spirit of conciliation and benevolence, instead of the usual haughtiness and superciliousness of demeanour, added to contempt. To the public we recommend these interesting volumes, we fear not generally known, not only for their pleasant, eloquent and convincing style, which render it impossible to open the work anywhere without finding matter for amusement and instruction, but for those deep considerations of every topic connected with the welfare and happiness of the people of India, with which it abounds.

ARTICLE VI.

Medical Reform.

THE subject of reform in the medical institutions of this country having at last assumed a more tangible shape than heretofore, we hasten to lay before our readers a statement of some facts connected with it. Since the opening of the present session of parliament a number of petitions have been presented in the House of Commons, and Mr. Warburton has promised to move for the re-appointment of the Medical Committee, which sat in 1834. Mr. French, the member for Roscommon, is also taking an active part on the subject; and Mr. Hawes has offered his assistance to carry through a bill to remedy the grievances complained of. In the House of Lords, the Duke of Richmond, the Marquises of Lansdowne and Normanby, the Earls of Durham and Ripon, Lord Brougham and other noble lords, have admitted the necessity of some legislative measure on the subject. We observe from the public papers and other sources, that petitions continue to be poured in from all parts of the country, particularly from the numerous and influential members of the medical asso

ciations which exist in England, Ireland and Scotland, the members of which are nearly unanimous in their views as to the objects to be attained.

As the medical institutions and governing bodies of the three portions of the United Kingdom are of different kinds and differ even among themselves in their forms and regulations of study, examinations, etc., it may be as well to point out in the first place some of the anomalies and absurdities which exist.

A graduate from Oxford or Cambridge looks down with contempt upon a graduate from Edinburgh or Glasgow; but go to India, or any other portion of our colonial empire, and you never hear of such a thing as an English physician-they are all Scotch doctors. By the term Scotch doctors it is not to be understood that all or even the majority of those who possess degrees or diplomas from Scotland are natives of that part of the kingdom; on the contrary, we are led to believe it to be an established fact, that the majority of gentlemen who graduate at Edinburgh, are from England, Ireland and other parts of the world. For a similar reason, by English physician we do not mean natives of England exclusively, but the graduates of Oxford and Cambridge.

With regard to surgeons, to all intents and purposes the diplomas in surgery from London, Edinburgh and Dublin are equal. They are considered so in the army and navy and all over our colonies, to which, be it borne in mind, nearly three-fourths of our medical men find their way. How absurd, therefore, is it that the person qualified to practise medicine and surgery on this side the Tweed is by law prevented from doing so on the other side and vice versa! Every person possessed of the least degree of reasoning power will at once be able to understand the necessity to the nation at large of having as good doctors in India, Canada, Australia and the West Indies, as in England and Wales; and that the grossest of all monopolies would be that of keeping all the virtuous and moral doctors at home in England, and sending the low fellows abroad where the presence and moral influence of the best-educated and highest principled would be likely to be most wanted. Strange to say, the arrogance and ignorance of English practitioners in general till within the last few years,

have been the cause of producing a greater amount of successful quacks than ever existed in any other civilized country; while in the despised portions of the United Kingdom, called Scotland and Ireland, the name of quack is scarcely known. Yet in England we have graduates in medicine from Oxford and Cambridge; fellows and licentiates of the Royal College of Physicians; graduates of the London University; members of the Royal College of Surgeons; and licentiates of the Apothecaries' Company. The last-mentioned company, which every person will be free to admit ought to be the lowest and least important, assumes more power, founded on an Act of Parliament passed in 1815, than all the others put together. It insists upon the right to punish Scotch or Irish medical men for practising their profession in England and Wales, while it has not the means of preventing the chemist and druggist, or mere buyer and seller of medicine, from practising all the branches of the profession.

In Scotland there are five Universities, one College of Surgeons and a Faculty of Surgeons, in Glasgow. They have no apothecaries' company, as they wisely consider that a physician or surgeon should know all the branches of his profession; that the physician, in case of necessity, ought to be able to either bleed a patient or make up a draught for him; that the medical profession, like the army and navy, will be best manned and officered by obliging every candidate to go through all the lower ranks previous to his assuming that of major or captain. They therefore in their curricula of the studies required, and at their examinations, lay as much stress upon proficiency in chemistry, pharmacy and midwifery, as they do upon the knowledge requisite for being able to prescribe for apoplexy, or operate for stone or hernia.

The graduates of Trinity College, Dublin, and the fellows of the College of Physicians, Dublin, are in a precisely similar situation with those of England. The Apothecaries' Company of Ireland is more like what it ought to be than that of England, in so far as its power merely extends over sellers and compounders of medicine; but strange also to say, in its desire for absolute monopoly, it has frequently attempted to prevent regularly educated surgeons and physicians from making up medicine and prescriptions for their own patients.