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MEDICAL CORPORATION REFORM.
460 for the council to pause before committing itself to a may repent having taken; for deservedly high as the college stands in public opinion, assuredly it cannot with impunity bear another sliock almost as severe as that from which it is only now in a fair way of recovery. The profession will closely scrutinize the claims of Mr. Cooper’s successor..... The great question again arises—Arethosegentlemenwho have I been educated in University College to be always debarred from filling places of honour and profit within its walls! There is one man, at least, whose claims must be recognised, who is in every way fitted for the appointment, and towards whom the "alumni" of the college look for an act ofjustice being done
well
step it
MEDICAL CORPORATION REFORM. LETTER
FROM
nu.
DJCK, LONDON.]
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—I beg to be allowed, through your pages, to submit to my professional brethren a few cursory and general observations on the subject which heads this letter. Amid all the discussions of the above question, and all the suggestions made concerning it, I do not find one person inquiring whether there is need for any medical corporation at all? At a time when, both in this country and in every other of the old and new world, institutions of all kinds are being and restrictions on national and individual liberty by their " alma mater." simplified, I would say one word to the present students: if they have are being taken off, and this both with public and private adany regard for their own future position, and for the present vantage and comfort, it well behoves us to inquire what use welfare of the college, let them advocate the rights of the man corporations serve, and whether they are not only totally unupon whom their unanimous choice falls. The time has been necessary, but positively hurtful. when the council did not refuse to listen to and act upon the , I have no intention of entering here into an abstract disrespectful remonstrances of the whole body of students. The cussion of this question, though I entertain a thorough perpresent students have a similar power: let them use it dis- suasion that I could make it evident that the true principles creetly and wisely, and the council will not, in face of the of political and natural liberty are entirely in favour of the opposition they would receive from every quarter, fulfil the affirmative view; but I shall content myself with a few very dictates of one or two of their own body. simple practical observations, bearing on the question—What, A COUNTRY SURGEON. as regards the public and the medical profession, would be the April, 1848. consequence of the total abolition of all medical corporations? I would first observethat in all medical corporations as PRIORITY IN EMPLOYMENT OF ETHER IN hitherto constituted and as proposed still to be constituted, MIDWIFERY. there is a manifest unwarrantable interference with private To the Editor of THE LANCET. and individual liberty of choice and action. Charters and SIR,—My attention has been called to a letter in THE corporations fix places of study, terms of study, and modes of LANCET of Saturday, Jan. lst, in which Mr. Lansdown ob- study; matters which, I conceive, should be left to every indiserves that I have so worded " the last paragraph but one" of vidual, and which no corporation has a right to dictate about. my communication on chloroform, inserted in THE LANCET of One young man is of more moderate pecuniary means, and at Nov. 2’1 the, that it may be understood that I was the first to the same time, of more activity and capacity, than another, record the use of ether in midwifery. In explanation of and both chooses and is able to compress into three years the the omission in my paper of any notice of Mr. Lansdown’s curriculum, which the latter takes four or five to complete. case, published in your journal of April 24th ult., I regret One young man, from economical considerations, chooses to that it had entirely escaped my notice until referred to in self-educate himself more than another; and so on. Now, TiiE LANCET of Jan. 1st, by the author of it. I should be very what use or what is there in interfering with such prijustice sorry to make any statements, however inadvertently, which vate liberty and choice? None that I can perceive. could not be borne out by facts; especially if such statements It will be ashed,—" What! leave the public open and in any way compromised the credit of one whose professional to the practices of unlicensed and uneducated unguarded attainments entitle him to the esteem of all his brethren. I ?" I answer,—Is not the public, at this moment, as quacks beg, however, to remark that I assisted in administering completely unprotected, in this respect, as it is possible for ether to a midwifery case as early as January 25th, 1847, in it to be ? May not any man, at this moment, start unlicensed which Mr. Skey performed the Cæsarian section; and this and unqualified charlatan, without let or hindrance ? Are instance of the early administration of ether in the first there not, in this metropolis and elsewhere, open unlicensed stage of parturition I mentioned in my paper in THE LANCET practice everywhere going on ? Could there, or would there, of May 1st. Whilst I allude to this case, which I believe to be be more of it, though medical corporations were formally the first recorded instance of the inhalation of ether by a abolished to-morrow? parturient patient, I am not at all anxious to insist on any I believe there would not. But even if there were, what claim to priority in the application of anesthetic agents in then? The public has its common sense. It does not patromidwifery. I would rather urge on the profession, the ex- nize incompetent bakers; it does not buy worthless bread, beef, pediency of adopting them generally in practice, feeling as- or porter. Why should we suspect it would, if left to its own sured that when employed with the precautions indicated by discrimination, patronize surgeons, physicians, and chemists, experience, they offer to l:o,h the accoucheur and his patients, of no talent or no character? If it did commit this folly, all advantages which cannot otherwise be obtained. In con- I can say is, that there is no help for it, and that it would clusion, I would observethat our claims either for priority of deserve to suffer. But I have no fear whatever but that use or extent of information must sink into insignificance selfish interest would teach the public to attend to its own when compared with the laborious investigations of the dis- safety in the matters of medicine and medical treatment, as coverer of the ansesthetic properties of chloroform. To Dr. in all other matters. Even at present there are licensed Simpson we are called upon, in common gratitude, to award members of the Colleges as thorough and unprincipled charthe utmost praise. Under this conviction I feel strongly that latans as any of the unlicensed quacks. Does not the publicsomething more than the expression of such sentiments is at least, the intelligent portion of it-at present distinguish due to him; and I venture here to suggest that the members between the above parties and other professional men of real of the profession generally should offer to Professor Simpson character and talent ? It does so between parties now equally some suitable testimony of their obligations to him. licensed. Would it find it more difficult to do so between I am, Sir, your obedient servant, parties, none of whom were licensed ? No ! PROTHEROE SMITH. PROTHEROE Park-street, Grosvenor-square, 1848. In referring above, by way of illustration, to the trades, baking, &c., the writer needs scarcely state that lie means not the slightest disrespect to the educated profession to FATAL SPASMS PRECEDED BY GASTRALGIA. which he has the honour of belonging. He merely means to 1’o the Editor of TnE LANCET. state, that if, in the use of articles of staple interest, as bread, SIR,—In a case reported in your number of March 18th, of beer, &c., it is found that the common sense and self-interest Fatal Instance of Spasm preceded by Gastralgia," I think of the public lead it to discriminate and patronize respectable there can be no doubt that it was one of spinal irritation, purveyors only, so (wemay infer) would be (and indeed at arising from functional derangement of the stomach, to which this moment is) the case in regard to medical practitioners, the individual seems to have been subject. were the practice of medicine formally unrestricted, as it If bleeding by leeches, or cupping of the spine and vesication, virtually is even now. had been employed, together with tonics and mild aperients, As to the more uneducated portion of the public, they I do not say that the result would have been otherwise, but would not be more a prey to quacks, were all corporations I think that such treatment would have afforded a greater abolished, than they are at this moment; and as they do not allow themselves to be poisoned by bad bread, bad beer, &c., chance of recovery than that which was adopted. no more would they allow themselves to be the victims of I am, Sir, yours obediently, R. C. R. unprincipled or incompetent medical practitioners. In cases Aberdeenshire, 1848.
461 I herewith send you a calculation I have made, from the on the part of ignorant quacks, tho law would always be open for an action of manslaughter; and ltledical Directory, of the number of medical men, in London this, along with the common sense and information of the and the provinces, who possess the Hall qualification only, and may possibly enable you to come to a iiiora satisfactory public and of the working classes, would sufficiently guard this conclusion on the subject upon which I have taken the liberty against abuses greater than exist now. I need not add, that according to the above views there to address you. would be no necessity for an examining or licensing board of any kind. I shall only add my conviction, that if such a board should be still deemed necessary, its duties should be simply restricted to ascertaining, by examination, if oireriug candidates are or are not competent to practise. This is all that the interest, and advantage, and safety of the public can iC possibly require--all that is required for qualification for the Above 200 of this number hold poor-law appointments. bar. As to where, when, and how a young man acquired his In the supplementary lists there are 1805 whose qualifications are not known. Assuming one half of these to professional knowledge, these are matters with which no man, or body of men, have a right to concern themselves. It may be feared by some, that were there no legal establishment of medicine, and it were left, like religion in America, wholly to voluntary support, the art would die out, A rather large number to disqualify from holding poor-law and become extinct, or at least greatly deteriorated. A am, Sir, your obedient servant, appointments.-I vain fear! Do we find astronomy, horticulture, painting, AN APOTHECARY OF TWENTY YEARS’ STANDING. or other useful and or even merely sculpture, any necessary London, March, 1848. ornamental art, dying out, because not incorporatedbecause not fostered by legal protection and interference ? No! Medicine, like religion, arising, as it does, necessarily out of man’s nature, wants, and relations, would exist as well, or better, though the state institution of it ceased to-morrow. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gentlemen, In truth, the age of all corporations—in other words, monoor having fast and the time undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, polies-is past, passing, approaching, admitted members of the College at the meeting uf the when, provided a man trenches not on the equal liberty of were his neighbour, and is not, in his dealings, chargeable with court of examiners, on the 14th instant-viz., Messrs. Robert Ladd, St. Peters, Isle of f’,-aud, he will be, as he ought to be, entitled to bring his Woodman, Bath; Frederick Freeman talents and productions to the market in the manner he him- Thanet; William Haggan, R.N.; Francis Edward Goldsmith, s?lf chooses; not as others, necessarilv less acquainted than Bedford; James Seymour Leeson, Deal; Frederick William. himself with his circumstances and abilities, choose to pre- Pearce Jago, Stepney-green; Frederick Thomas Barkway, Bungay, Suffolk; George Wise Mackenzie, Maidstone ; and scribe. William Webb, Shrewsbury. At the same meeting of the and to some feel both humiliated distrustful Finally, might Mr. Henry Francis Williams passed his examination Court, a descend from the status and protection of legal corporation to the same level with such men as the professor who deals as naval surgeon : this gentleman had previously been adout his death-pills near Temple-bar. To these persons I would mitted a member of the College, his diploma bearing date, answer, first—Now that you are a corporation, are you actually July 21,1843. APOTIIECAItIES’ HALL.—Names of gentlemen who passed protected? No; for this disgraceful and degraded man,and others at this moment, practise as freely as they would do were your their examination in the science and practice of medicine, corporation at an end. Secondly: the feeling of humiliation and received certificates to practise, on Thursday, April 13th, and distrust, referred to above, really rests on a weak vanity: 1848:-Thomas Jeston, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon; Benjamin it is nobler for each man to rely on his personal respectability Buck, East Dereham; Charles Worth Pearce, Leeds; Henry as a man, than on the artificial and really venal protection of Tireman, York; Thomas Alcock, Cheshire; Charles Martin, a corporation. Lastly: let us not fear that the public, though Stockton; William Thomas Holme Burrow, Settle, Yorkshire; corporation distinctions and privileges are abandoned by us, Joseph Gustavus Symes, Crewkerne ; William Birds Wall, will fail to discriminate between character and talent, on the Liscard, Cheshire. one hand, and quackery and low and unprincipled deception, HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION.—The Bishop of Oxford preached on the other.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, a sermon, on Sunday last, on behalf of the funds of this instiROBERT DICK. Bentinck-st., Manchester-sq., 1848. tution, which were increased by the eloquence of his lordship to nearly .E90. SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF QUALIFICATIONS OF POOR - LAW MEDICAL MEDICAL MEN.—The annual meeting of this excellent instiOFFICERS. tution, founded by Dr. Denman, the father of the present :Z ute Editor of A IIH LANCET. Lord Chief Justice, held its anniversary meeting at the FreeSm,-I know not whether you will view the matter in the masons’ Tavern, on Saturday evening, Sir C. M. Clarke in the same light as myself, but I will nevertheless take the liberty when a most liberal collection was made for increasing chair, of calling your attention to the fifth proposition in the series the funds of the Society. of resolutions about to be moved by my Lord Ashley, in ROYAL FREE twentieth anniversary of this HOSPITAL.—The to reference the medical treatment of the poor; and to ask institution was held at the London Tavern last Thursday, you whether you do not think it would be an act of justice to when nearly 300 attended, the EM-1 of IIturowby, permit gentlemen who possess the single medical qualification in the chair, whogentlemen since its foundation upwards that stated, (the only really legal one in this country) to practise as union of relieved at the hospital, which ill been had 253,000 patients medical officers At all events, should not such a boon (if it extended advice and assistance to 23,000 applicants. The so be in ; be to who have been conceded those called) may may read the list of subscriptions, amounting to upwards practice, say ten years; and to those who, with this qualifica- secretary of £1000. tion, have only once held office in an unionYou must at FRENCH MEDICAL ELECTIONS.—The medical profession of once grant that a gentleman who had so practised successfully for upwards of ten years, and had given satisfaction in his Paris have just met with a flat refusal from the staff of the office of union surgeon for any portion of those years, must National Guard. The request made was, that the surgeon of be fully equal to the " ordinary exigencies" of surgery, should the citizen troops should not be elected by the medical men and the officers of the different legions conjointly, but by the he at any time desire again to hold the appointment. I trust, Sir, you will agree with me, that to force a gentle- former alone, which mode of election the profession look upon man situated as I have described, to expend a somewhat large, as the only one in conformity with their rights. It has been sum of money in entering the College of Surgeons is most proposed by a member of the committee entrusted with the unjust. Instances do frequently occur, in which persons with management of the affair, that no medical man, in the event single qualification throw up their poor-law appointments,, of a denial, should accept office. We shall report to our readers and in going to reside in other neighbourhoods, are compelled how this contest will end. again to become candidates for these offices, in order to keep) BUST OF MR. GREEN.—We learn that Mr. Malerbi, of away ’strangers, who might greatly depreciate the value off Cliarles-street, Hatton-garden, has just published a small bust practices, for the possession of which the holders may have: of Professor J. H. Green, which is considered a very good just before paid large premiums. likeness of the eminent original.
of gross incompetency
’
Medical News.
.
1847 I
.
.
the
well
step it
MEDICAL CORPORATION REFORM. LETTER
FROM
nu.
DJCK, LONDON.]
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—I beg to be allowed, through your pages, to submit to my professional brethren a few cursory and general observations on the subject which heads this letter. Amid all the discussions of the above question, and all the suggestions made concerning it, I do not find one person inquiring whether there is need for any medical corporation at all? At a time when, both in this country and in every other of the old and new world, institutions of all kinds are being and restrictions on national and individual liberty by their " alma mater." simplified, I would say one word to the present students: if they have are being taken off, and this both with public and private adany regard for their own future position, and for the present vantage and comfort, it well behoves us to inquire what use welfare of the college, let them advocate the rights of the man corporations serve, and whether they are not only totally unupon whom their unanimous choice falls. The time has been necessary, but positively hurtful. when the council did not refuse to listen to and act upon the , I have no intention of entering here into an abstract disrespectful remonstrances of the whole body of students. The cussion of this question, though I entertain a thorough perpresent students have a similar power: let them use it dis- suasion that I could make it evident that the true principles creetly and wisely, and the council will not, in face of the of political and natural liberty are entirely in favour of the opposition they would receive from every quarter, fulfil the affirmative view; but I shall content myself with a few very dictates of one or two of their own body. simple practical observations, bearing on the question—What, A COUNTRY SURGEON. as regards the public and the medical profession, would be the April, 1848. consequence of the total abolition of all medical corporations? I would first observethat in all medical corporations as PRIORITY IN EMPLOYMENT OF ETHER IN hitherto constituted and as proposed still to be constituted, MIDWIFERY. there is a manifest unwarrantable interference with private To the Editor of THE LANCET. and individual liberty of choice and action. Charters and SIR,—My attention has been called to a letter in THE corporations fix places of study, terms of study, and modes of LANCET of Saturday, Jan. lst, in which Mr. Lansdown ob- study; matters which, I conceive, should be left to every indiserves that I have so worded " the last paragraph but one" of vidual, and which no corporation has a right to dictate about. my communication on chloroform, inserted in THE LANCET of One young man is of more moderate pecuniary means, and at Nov. 2’1 the, that it may be understood that I was the first to the same time, of more activity and capacity, than another, record the use of ether in midwifery. In explanation of and both chooses and is able to compress into three years the the omission in my paper of any notice of Mr. Lansdown’s curriculum, which the latter takes four or five to complete. case, published in your journal of April 24th ult., I regret One young man, from economical considerations, chooses to that it had entirely escaped my notice until referred to in self-educate himself more than another; and so on. Now, TiiE LANCET of Jan. 1st, by the author of it. I should be very what use or what is there in interfering with such prijustice sorry to make any statements, however inadvertently, which vate liberty and choice? None that I can perceive. could not be borne out by facts; especially if such statements It will be ashed,—" What! leave the public open and in any way compromised the credit of one whose professional to the practices of unlicensed and uneducated unguarded attainments entitle him to the esteem of all his brethren. I ?" I answer,—Is not the public, at this moment, as quacks beg, however, to remark that I assisted in administering completely unprotected, in this respect, as it is possible for ether to a midwifery case as early as January 25th, 1847, in it to be ? May not any man, at this moment, start unlicensed which Mr. Skey performed the Cæsarian section; and this and unqualified charlatan, without let or hindrance ? Are instance of the early administration of ether in the first there not, in this metropolis and elsewhere, open unlicensed stage of parturition I mentioned in my paper in THE LANCET practice everywhere going on ? Could there, or would there, of May 1st. Whilst I allude to this case, which I believe to be be more of it, though medical corporations were formally the first recorded instance of the inhalation of ether by a abolished to-morrow? parturient patient, I am not at all anxious to insist on any I believe there would not. But even if there were, what claim to priority in the application of anesthetic agents in then? The public has its common sense. It does not patromidwifery. I would rather urge on the profession, the ex- nize incompetent bakers; it does not buy worthless bread, beef, pediency of adopting them generally in practice, feeling as- or porter. Why should we suspect it would, if left to its own sured that when employed with the precautions indicated by discrimination, patronize surgeons, physicians, and chemists, experience, they offer to l:o,h the accoucheur and his patients, of no talent or no character? If it did commit this folly, all advantages which cannot otherwise be obtained. In con- I can say is, that there is no help for it, and that it would clusion, I would observethat our claims either for priority of deserve to suffer. But I have no fear whatever but that use or extent of information must sink into insignificance selfish interest would teach the public to attend to its own when compared with the laborious investigations of the dis- safety in the matters of medicine and medical treatment, as coverer of the ansesthetic properties of chloroform. To Dr. in all other matters. Even at present there are licensed Simpson we are called upon, in common gratitude, to award members of the Colleges as thorough and unprincipled charthe utmost praise. Under this conviction I feel strongly that latans as any of the unlicensed quacks. Does not the publicsomething more than the expression of such sentiments is at least, the intelligent portion of it-at present distinguish due to him; and I venture here to suggest that the members between the above parties and other professional men of real of the profession generally should offer to Professor Simpson character and talent ? It does so between parties now equally some suitable testimony of their obligations to him. licensed. Would it find it more difficult to do so between I am, Sir, your obedient servant, parties, none of whom were licensed ? No ! PROTHEROE SMITH. PROTHEROE Park-street, Grosvenor-square, 1848. In referring above, by way of illustration, to the trades, baking, &c., the writer needs scarcely state that lie means not the slightest disrespect to the educated profession to FATAL SPASMS PRECEDED BY GASTRALGIA. which he has the honour of belonging. He merely means to 1’o the Editor of TnE LANCET. state, that if, in the use of articles of staple interest, as bread, SIR,—In a case reported in your number of March 18th, of beer, &c., it is found that the common sense and self-interest Fatal Instance of Spasm preceded by Gastralgia," I think of the public lead it to discriminate and patronize respectable there can be no doubt that it was one of spinal irritation, purveyors only, so (wemay infer) would be (and indeed at arising from functional derangement of the stomach, to which this moment is) the case in regard to medical practitioners, the individual seems to have been subject. were the practice of medicine formally unrestricted, as it If bleeding by leeches, or cupping of the spine and vesication, virtually is even now. had been employed, together with tonics and mild aperients, As to the more uneducated portion of the public, they I do not say that the result would have been otherwise, but would not be more a prey to quacks, were all corporations I think that such treatment would have afforded a greater abolished, than they are at this moment; and as they do not allow themselves to be poisoned by bad bread, bad beer, &c., chance of recovery than that which was adopted. no more would they allow themselves to be the victims of I am, Sir, yours obediently, R. C. R. unprincipled or incompetent medical practitioners. In cases Aberdeenshire, 1848.
461 I herewith send you a calculation I have made, from the on the part of ignorant quacks, tho law would always be open for an action of manslaughter; and ltledical Directory, of the number of medical men, in London this, along with the common sense and information of the and the provinces, who possess the Hall qualification only, and may possibly enable you to come to a iiiora satisfactory public and of the working classes, would sufficiently guard this conclusion on the subject upon which I have taken the liberty against abuses greater than exist now. I need not add, that according to the above views there to address you. would be no necessity for an examining or licensing board of any kind. I shall only add my conviction, that if such a board should be still deemed necessary, its duties should be simply restricted to ascertaining, by examination, if oireriug candidates are or are not competent to practise. This is all that the interest, and advantage, and safety of the public can iC possibly require--all that is required for qualification for the Above 200 of this number hold poor-law appointments. bar. As to where, when, and how a young man acquired his In the supplementary lists there are 1805 whose qualifications are not known. Assuming one half of these to professional knowledge, these are matters with which no man, or body of men, have a right to concern themselves. It may be feared by some, that were there no legal establishment of medicine, and it were left, like religion in America, wholly to voluntary support, the art would die out, A rather large number to disqualify from holding poor-law and become extinct, or at least greatly deteriorated. A am, Sir, your obedient servant, appointments.-I vain fear! Do we find astronomy, horticulture, painting, AN APOTHECARY OF TWENTY YEARS’ STANDING. or other useful and or even merely sculpture, any necessary London, March, 1848. ornamental art, dying out, because not incorporatedbecause not fostered by legal protection and interference ? No! Medicine, like religion, arising, as it does, necessarily out of man’s nature, wants, and relations, would exist as well, or better, though the state institution of it ceased to-morrow. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.—The following gentlemen, In truth, the age of all corporations—in other words, monoor having fast and the time undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma, polies-is past, passing, approaching, admitted members of the College at the meeting uf the when, provided a man trenches not on the equal liberty of were his neighbour, and is not, in his dealings, chargeable with court of examiners, on the 14th instant-viz., Messrs. Robert Ladd, St. Peters, Isle of f’,-aud, he will be, as he ought to be, entitled to bring his Woodman, Bath; Frederick Freeman talents and productions to the market in the manner he him- Thanet; William Haggan, R.N.; Francis Edward Goldsmith, s?lf chooses; not as others, necessarilv less acquainted than Bedford; James Seymour Leeson, Deal; Frederick William. himself with his circumstances and abilities, choose to pre- Pearce Jago, Stepney-green; Frederick Thomas Barkway, Bungay, Suffolk; George Wise Mackenzie, Maidstone ; and scribe. William Webb, Shrewsbury. At the same meeting of the and to some feel both humiliated distrustful Finally, might Mr. Henry Francis Williams passed his examination Court, a descend from the status and protection of legal corporation to the same level with such men as the professor who deals as naval surgeon : this gentleman had previously been adout his death-pills near Temple-bar. To these persons I would mitted a member of the College, his diploma bearing date, answer, first—Now that you are a corporation, are you actually July 21,1843. APOTIIECAItIES’ HALL.—Names of gentlemen who passed protected? No; for this disgraceful and degraded man,and others at this moment, practise as freely as they would do were your their examination in the science and practice of medicine, corporation at an end. Secondly: the feeling of humiliation and received certificates to practise, on Thursday, April 13th, and distrust, referred to above, really rests on a weak vanity: 1848:-Thomas Jeston, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon; Benjamin it is nobler for each man to rely on his personal respectability Buck, East Dereham; Charles Worth Pearce, Leeds; Henry as a man, than on the artificial and really venal protection of Tireman, York; Thomas Alcock, Cheshire; Charles Martin, a corporation. Lastly: let us not fear that the public, though Stockton; William Thomas Holme Burrow, Settle, Yorkshire; corporation distinctions and privileges are abandoned by us, Joseph Gustavus Symes, Crewkerne ; William Birds Wall, will fail to discriminate between character and talent, on the Liscard, Cheshire. one hand, and quackery and low and unprincipled deception, HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION.—The Bishop of Oxford preached on the other.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, a sermon, on Sunday last, on behalf of the funds of this instiROBERT DICK. Bentinck-st., Manchester-sq., 1848. tution, which were increased by the eloquence of his lordship to nearly .E90. SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF QUALIFICATIONS OF POOR - LAW MEDICAL MEDICAL MEN.—The annual meeting of this excellent instiOFFICERS. tution, founded by Dr. Denman, the father of the present :Z ute Editor of A IIH LANCET. Lord Chief Justice, held its anniversary meeting at the FreeSm,-I know not whether you will view the matter in the masons’ Tavern, on Saturday evening, Sir C. M. Clarke in the same light as myself, but I will nevertheless take the liberty when a most liberal collection was made for increasing chair, of calling your attention to the fifth proposition in the series the funds of the Society. of resolutions about to be moved by my Lord Ashley, in ROYAL FREE twentieth anniversary of this HOSPITAL.—The to reference the medical treatment of the poor; and to ask institution was held at the London Tavern last Thursday, you whether you do not think it would be an act of justice to when nearly 300 attended, the EM-1 of IIturowby, permit gentlemen who possess the single medical qualification in the chair, whogentlemen since its foundation upwards that stated, (the only really legal one in this country) to practise as union of relieved at the hospital, which ill been had 253,000 patients medical officers At all events, should not such a boon (if it extended advice and assistance to 23,000 applicants. The so be in ; be to who have been conceded those called) may may read the list of subscriptions, amounting to upwards practice, say ten years; and to those who, with this qualifica- secretary of £1000. tion, have only once held office in an unionYou must at FRENCH MEDICAL ELECTIONS.—The medical profession of once grant that a gentleman who had so practised successfully for upwards of ten years, and had given satisfaction in his Paris have just met with a flat refusal from the staff of the office of union surgeon for any portion of those years, must National Guard. The request made was, that the surgeon of be fully equal to the " ordinary exigencies" of surgery, should the citizen troops should not be elected by the medical men and the officers of the different legions conjointly, but by the he at any time desire again to hold the appointment. I trust, Sir, you will agree with me, that to force a gentle- former alone, which mode of election the profession look upon man situated as I have described, to expend a somewhat large, as the only one in conformity with their rights. It has been sum of money in entering the College of Surgeons is most proposed by a member of the committee entrusted with the unjust. Instances do frequently occur, in which persons with management of the affair, that no medical man, in the event single qualification throw up their poor-law appointments,, of a denial, should accept office. We shall report to our readers and in going to reside in other neighbourhoods, are compelled how this contest will end. again to become candidates for these offices, in order to keep) BUST OF MR. GREEN.—We learn that Mr. Malerbi, of away ’strangers, who might greatly depreciate the value off Cliarles-street, Hatton-garden, has just published a small bust practices, for the possession of which the holders may have: of Professor J. H. Green, which is considered a very good just before paid large premiums. likeness of the eminent original.
of gross incompetency
’
Medical News.
.
1847 I
.
.
the