" There was always a problem before the final examination, of submitting the ‘record books’ of students. These record books issued on entry to the Medical Faculty to each student, carried the The Clinical Professors 11 am 52 The Resurrection signatures of people under whom the requisite appointments were done. These had to be completed and submitted to the Dean’s office with the application form for the final MBBS examination. Unfortunately collecting signatures at the last moment was a very tricky thing. The particular consultant may have retired, died, or simply refused to sign up that particular student for low attendance or unsatisfactory work. As in any group, there was a fringe who would take any risk, including forging a signature, which they considered a harmless pastime.
One of the scenes I remember is a ‘forger’ seated comfortably on a table with a blank sheet of paper and pen with the correct color of ink and shape of nib, for those were the days we used ink pots and ’G’ nibs on nib-holders, for official work. There was a chap with a blotting paper standing by, to blot out the excess ink on the signature. The forger had a specimen signature of the particular consultant in front of him and started to imitate it on the blank paper, repetitively. As the imitation approached perfection, he would shout “now” and the record book would be put in front of him, to place the signature there at the appropriate place. The blotting paper was applied and now the record book was ready for submission. I do not recall any one having got caught and many of these miscreants are now pillars of society, in the medical Profession."
(Extract from "Remembered Vignettes")
