The scene rises before us of the physician taking his interested friend, the town clerk, over his house and grounds. It sounds most attractive, both the front-hall and the study, and certainly the visitor appreciated everything when he took the trouble to write it down in his book. Gregorie also improved the salmon-fishing in the Don by building a stone rampart across the river which was called ‘Gregorie’s Dyke’ and can still be seen from the Bridge of Don. In return for this, ‘a half-net’s fishing’ was granted to him and his heirs for ever, and this has now devolved upon a descendant of Dr James Gregorie.
When Gregorie was made mediciner he was no longer young, but there was little in his new position to call for energy; for, although the University of King’s College of Aberdeen, had been the first to institute a Chair of Medicine, the teaching of the subject was somewhat fitful. His predecessor Professor Urquhart had given some ‘Publick Lessons’ on this subject, but no where is it mentioned that either Dr James Gregorie or his son followed his example. Their work consisted chiefly in deciding which candidates were to be granted the M.D. degree, and in taking a share in the university life. The mediciner was not a regent and was thus saved the continuous worry and supervision which fell to the lot of most of the professors.
As for the giving of degrees it was almost entirely a personal affair, and a doctor of medicine did not by any means need to know much of his subject. If he were desirable and willing to pay the fees, the mediciner had the right to grant him a diploma; in some cases even the fee was dispensed with. For example, there is the following entry in the Records of the University and King’s College.
‘8th September, 1701.
‘Mr George Cheyne allowed to be graduat doctor in medicine gratis, because he’s not onely our owne country-man, and at present not rich, but is recommended by the ablest and most learned physitians in Edinburgh as one of the best mathematicians in Europe; and for his skill in medicine he hath given a sufficient indication of that by his learned tractat de Febribus, which hath made him famous abroad as well as at home; and he being just now goeing to England upon invitation of some of the members of the Royal Society.’
The affairs of King’s College left much to be desired at this time. As early as 1709, there had been friction between the professors and students, the latter of whom described their professors as ‘the useless, needless, headless, defective, elective Masters of the K. Colledge of Abd,’ and matters did not improve much in the intervening years; for, when Professor James Gregorie’s son was mediciner, things had come to such a pass that the university had to make special and almost pathetic efforts to secure students.
‘23rd October, 1738.