Dr. Christison—‘In her opinion the gentleman was intoxicated.’
Miss Jex-Blake—‘I did not say he was intoxicated. I said I was told he was.’
The Lord Provost—‘Withdraw the word “intoxicated.”’
Miss Jex-Blake—‘I said it was the only excuse for his conduct. If Dr. Christison prefers that I should say he used the language when sober, I will withdraw the other supposition’ (laughter).”
The Pall Mall,[[77]] chuckling sympathetically over this and another repartee, wisely concluded:
“It is sincerely to be hoped that these unhappy little differences will soon come to an end. It cannot be to the advantage of anyone that lady students should be pelted with mud, or that they should use the power of retaliation displayed by their champion at the Royal Infirmary meeting on Monday.”
So the conflict deepened, and it would have been small wonder if all but the very brave had taken fright.
But Edinburgh did contain some very brave people besides the women students.
At the meeting on January 2nd, the Revd. Professor Charteris had been ruled out of order in some matter, but, at the earliest opportunity he returned to his point, and brought forward a motion, expressing the desire of the contributors that immediate arrangement should be made for the admission of the ladies to the Infirmary. This motion, seconded by Sir James Coxe, M.D., was lost by a small majority.
Several things happened at that meeting, however, which were of more value to the cause than a formal victory would have been: