To the Editors of THE LANCET. SIRS,-I venture to think that Mr. Munro Scott's letter in THE LANCET ot Nov. 15th, p. 1351, will be read with great pleasure by a large percentage of your readers as offering a good solution to the difficulties which have debarred Conjoint men from obtaining the M.B. degree of the London University. Recently another attempt has been made by London men to draw attention to the disabilities under which they labour, and with no small pleasure will they view the

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... of the committiee appointed by the Faculty of Medicine, who recommend, under Section 123, examinations in certain subjects of the medical curriculum, particularly the subjects of the final or pass examinations for the M.B., B.S., and M.R.C.S., L.R C P. I am of opinion that Mr. Munro Scott's suggestion for overcoming the difficulty, by imposing up-n those Conjoint men who wish to obtain the degree an examination in chemistry, physics, and biology, would receive the support of, and satisfy, all parties concerned. Upon this point I venture to offer a few facts which were patent to many of us during my hospital course I knew good men from Epsom College who had matriculated and passed the preliminary scientific and won an entrance scholarship, which latter carried certain privileges to its holder which were denied to the ordinary student (to this latter I offer no comment) ; these attended the same lectures and pursued an identical course with the ordinary student until after the second Conjoint examination was passed. As a fact. these men were beaten in open examinations in anatomy and physiology for prize competition by Conjoint men. Moreover, I know of individual cases where even scholarship men failed to pass the intermediate" after three attempts. Again, at the close of their clinical work and lectures Conjoint men invariably won the medals, prizes, and scholarships offered. A man may excel at school subjects and pass with flying colours up to a certain point, and then be compelled to struggle for a lower diploma to qualify for practice. Another individual, who lacks the opportunity or the ability to grapple with the higher standard of the London matriculation, takes a lower preliminary examination, but, when he enters upon the real work of the profession, brushes aside with apparent ease all his more favoured competitors in open examinations. ° I know a remarkable instance of this. A man joined during my year and laid himself out for the L.S.A. course and passed its primary examination. His natural ability was soon recognised by his teachers, one of whom I know prevailed upon him to work for the examinations of the Conjoint Board, which meant for him going back to subjects he had already passed. The result was most gratifying, for excepting in a single instance he was top of all prize examinations he entered, took every appointment he desired, secured a gold medal, and his career afterwards was one of unqualified success.