“A disturbance of a very unbecoming nature took place yesterday
afternoon in front of the Royal College of Surgeons, caused by the
entrance of the lady ‘medicals’ to the class-rooms. However ungallant
it may appear, there is no doubt that many of the students look upon
the admission of the ladies to the classes with no friendly eye; but,
unfortunately for their own credit, some have adopted a very
undignified mode of signifying their displeasure. Shortly before four
o’clock, the hour when the ladies arrive at the College, nearly two
hundred students assembled in front of the gate leading to the
building. As may be readily supposed, there was no lack of animation
amongst the students; and, with other popular melodies, ‘The Whale’
and ‘John Brown’s Body’ were sung with more spirit than good taste by
at least a hundred voices. Such a noisy demonstration speedily
attracted a large crowd, and greatly interfered with the public
traffic. Shortly before four o’clock those on the outlook descried the
approach of the ladies, and immediately their appearance was greeted
with a howl which might have made those who are supposed to be
possessed of more temerity, quail, but it seemingly had no effect upon
the ladies, for they most unconcernedly advanced towards the gate, the
students opening up their ranks to allow them to pass. On reaching the
gate it was closed in their face. Amidst the derisive laughter which
followed this very questionable action, it must be said to their
credit that a number of students cried ‘shame.’ In a short time the
janitor succeeded in opening one leaf of the gate, and the ladies were
admitted to the precincts, but not before some of them had been
considerably jostled.
The anatomical class-room to which they proceeded was crowded to the
door, and, in consequence of the noise and interruption, Dr. Handyside
found it utterly impossible to begin his demonstrations. With much
difficulty, he singled out those students belonging to his class, and,
turning the others out of the room, he was about to proceed, when the
pet sheep which grazes at the College was introduced to the room, a
student jocularly remarking that it would be a good subject for
anatomical purposes. Poor ‘Mailie’ was kept a prisoner, and the
lecturer was allowed to proceed.”
Footnote 70:
The _Courant_, Nov. 19, 1870.
“Let it remain,” Dr. Handyside had said, “it has more sense than those
who sent it here.”
“When the class broke up, a number of the students seemed determined
to accompany the ladies home; but the result was that several of them
were apprehended by the police.”
The writer of the diary naturally saw things from a different point of
view:
“Friday, 18th. On getting in sight of S(urgeons’) H(all), found mob of
students and mixed multitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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