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‘Are you taking the Conjoint?’ he asked Philip.
‘Yes, I want to get qualified as soon as I can.’
‘I’m taking it too, but I shall take the F. R. C. S. after-
wards. I’m going in for surgery.’
Most of the students took the curriculum of the Con-
joint Board of the College of Surgeons and the College of
Physicians; but the more ambitious or the more industrious
added to this the longer studies which led to a degree from
the University of London. When Philip went to St. Luke’s
changes had recently been made in the regulations, and
the course took five years instead of four as it had done for
those who registered before the autumn of 1892. Dunsford
was well up in his plans and told Philip the usual course of
events. The ‘first conjoint’ examination consisted of biology,
anatomy, and chemistry; but it could be taken in sections,
and most fellows took their biology three months after en-
tering the school. This science had been recently added to
the list of subjects upon which the student was obliged to
inform himself, but the amount of knowledge required was
very small.
When Philip went back to the dissecting-room, he was
a few minutes late, since he had forgotten to buy the loose
sleeves which they wore to protect their shirts, and he
found a number of men already working. His partner had
started on the minute and was busy dissecting out cutane-
ous nerves. Two others were engaged on the second leg, and
more were occupied with the arms.
‘You don’t mind my having started?’
‘That’s all right, fire away,’ said Philip.