QUACKS AND QUACKERY.

381 And your petitioners, in conclusion, further pray your House, in utter disregard of all their claims, they have expehonourable House that you will take into your consideration, rienced additional hardship and injustice. That the Health of Towns Act, and the Act for the Pre- as speedily as can be, and adopt measures to amend, not only vention of Epidemic Diseases and the Removal of Nuisances, the system of poor-law medical relief, but also to put on a passed by your honourable House during the last Session of more enlightened and satisfactory footing the laws and reguParliament, confer certain powers on the boards of guardians, lations relating to the education and control of the medical and the new general board of health, in relation to sanitary profession generally throughout England and Wales.

purposes, in virtue of which the medical officers of unions have been called upon to perform the duties of officers of health, without any provision being made for payment for such duties. As these duties form no part of the contracted engagements of the medical officers with the boards of guardians, and are not referred to in the instructions of the Commissioners of Poor Laws under which the union surgeons took office, your petitioners consider that the orders issued by the boards of guardians in compliance with the instructions of the general board of health are a direct violation of the rights of union surgeons as private citizens of the state. That your petitioners having already protested to the general board of health, and to the Poor-Law Board, against this new imposition of unrequited labour, and do hereby most respectfully repeat their protest to your honourable House, and earnestly trust that your honourable House will see fit, not only to amend laws so directly subversive of the rights of the subject, but will also undertake the revision of all other laws which affect the position of the medical officers of unions, so that a system more conformable with justice and the true interests of the public may be established. Your petitioners are convinced that under an improved system, equally regardful of the interests of the poor and of the medical officer, prompt and efficient attendance might be obtained in all cases for the former, whilst the just interests of the latter might be guaranteed, and that thereby the requirements of a true economy in the apportionment of the public funds might be secured, and the duties of an enlightened humanity worthily fulfilled. That, as the principles of a new and improved system, your

And

vour

netitioners will ever nrn.vTHOMAS HODGKIN, M.D., Chairman of the Committee. ADOLPHUS BURNETT. WILLIAM LOBB. &c. &c. &c.

THE

following is

QUACKS AND QUACKERY. a copy of the petition of Dr. J.

C. HALL

against the indecent quack advertisements which appear daily in the public journals, and which he pledged himself should be submitted to the House of Commons. It had been placed in the hands of the editor of this journal for presentation. Our readers will at once see that our friend Dr. Hall is fully resolved to carry on the warfare he has so long waged, in THE LANCET, against quacks and quackery, with renewed vigour. He shall have our most cordial assistance.

(PETITION.) To the Right Hozzourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliarize7?t assembled. [Presented March 28th, 1849.] The petition of John Charles Hall, of East Retford, in the county of Nottingham, Doctor of Medicine, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, and Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England,

humbly showeth,-

That the attention of your petitioner has been for some time past drawn to the fact, that numerous advertisements of a very indecent and immoral character are very extensively petitioners are humbly of opinion,lst. That the payment for medical relief to the poor should introduced into the public journals of the day, to the very serious injury of the health and morals of the inhabitants of be made from the Consolidated Fund. 2nd. That the remuneration should be fixed according to a this kingdom. That although some few journals, including the Times, have settled plan or scale, and that the average payment in town and country districts should be at least 6s. per case. very properly refused to insert these disgusting and highly 3rd. That the appointment of a medical officer to a district indecent advertisements, by far the greater number, both of should be permanent, and subject only to be rescinded by the the daily and weekly journals, published both in London and President of the Poor-Law Board, or by the director of a throughout England, permit the insertion of them. That such advertisements are written in language the most board specially appointed, upon proved charge of neglect of duty, gross malpractice, legal sentence inferring dishonour or filthy and disgusting possible, and that they relate to works of the most objectionable character,-to works written, as crime, or other valid cause. 4th. That a general board should be established for the your petitioner honestly believes, for the purpose only of exsuperintendence of the duties of the medical officers of unions, citing the most fearful alarm in the minds of the youth of under a chief medical director, and a sufficient number of both sexes, thereby to induce the said individuals to apply competent medical inspectors, to protect both the interests of for advice and medicines to the authors of the above-named the public and the profession. .publications, and from whom they obtain, from time to time, That your petitioners, seeing the perverse opposition by large sums of money, by resorting to a system which your which the local boards have too often succeeded in rendering petitioner is certain your honourable House will find, on ir.the instructions of the central board nugatory and void,are fear- quiry, to be productive of the most serious results. That these advertisements relate to works on diseases of the ful that the Poor-Law Board has not sufficient power to remove the existing evils, and they therefore most emphatically press generative organs, and contain remarks which ought not to upon your honourable House the urgent necessity of considering be permitted to reach the eyes of the young men and women their manifold wrongs and grievances; and your petitioners, of this kingdom through the medium of the public press. That your petitioner, in his capacity as a physician, has freremembering that nearly 3,000,000 of her Majesty’s subjects are entrusted to their care and skill in every form of accident quently been consulted by individuals who have been reduced and disease, that they are often called upon singly, and at ato a condition approaching to insanity by the altogether moment’s notice, to succour life under the most appalling and groundless fears induced by reading works of this description ; hazardous occurrences, and the high qualifications that are’ and by others who have been induced to pay large sums of necessary from them for a due performance of their varied money, for advice and medicines, to the authors of publicaduties; and considering also the constant liability to pesti. tions of this kind, such patients never having been affected lence, with all its fearful consequences, not only to themselvesI by the venereal disease, and the belief of the existence of but also to their families, the numberless annoyances and which has entirely resulted from the perusal of these dangerous harassing anxieties incidental to their arduous and responsi and wicked pamphlets. ble duties, the continual exposure to the vicissitudes of climate’ That in one of the leading daily London journals, published and season, and the daily sacrifice of time, money, andl on Saturday, the twenty-seventh day of January, one thousand strength, which their avocations necessarily incur, believe eight hundred and forty-nine, not less than four advertisethat they have paramount claims on the attention of your. ments of this kind appeared, from which the following senhonourable House, and they earnestly hope that your honour tences areextracted, and to the evil and demoralizing able House will speedily take into your consideration thei]r tendency of which the attention of your honourable House is present position and claims, and amend a system so defective, most earnestly directed. The first advertisement is that of a unsatisfactory, and fruitful of injustice to all parties con work " On Marital Philosophy. To be, or not to be, that is cerned in its operation, whereby your honourable House wil1 the question.—Shakspeare." The next advertisement is headed, fulfil the noblest functions of a philanthropic and parenta1 " On Nervous Debility and GenerativeDiseases. Just publegislature, will enlist the sympathies of the suffering poor., lished, the thirty-eighth thousand, an improved edition, recommand the respect and confidence of the public, and winz vised and corrected, 120 pages, price 2s., in a sealed envelope; the gratitude of a numerous but oppressed body of public or forwarded by the author to any address, post-paid, for 2s. 6d., illustrated with numerous anatomical engravings. officers. .

.

.

-

382 the Causes of its Premature Decay. A medical titioners, the sooner the latter separate themselves from the essay on those diseases of the generative organs emanating National Institute the better. from sedentary habits and indiscriminate excesses, addressed I cannot understand how any respectable body of medical to the sufferer in youth, manhood, and old age; with practical men (and I believe there are many connected with the remarks on marriage, and the treatment and cure of nervous National Institute) can for a moment think of depriving their and mental debility, impotency, and other urino-genital dis- brethren of a degree which they have obtained by their own eases, by which even the most shattered constitution may be mental exertions, and paid for besides. restored, and reach the full period of life allotted to man. ’, I must also acknowledge my surprise at Dr. Christison’s The whole illustrated with numerous anatomical engravings consenting that such a privation clause should be introduced on steel, in colour, explaining the various functions, secreinto the proposed Bill, to please the London College, when the tions, and structures of the reproductive organs, in health members of his own college should naturally look to him for and disease; with instructions for private correspondence &c." protection. As it appears, however, that the graduates of the British In the same paper, another advertisement appears of a work, said to be " Illustrated by twenty-six coloured engravings on colleges must look after themselves, I shall be glad to lend a steel, on Physical Disqualifications and Impediments to helping hand towards the " Medical Reform Fund," by Marriage. Just published, price 2s. 6d. ; by post, direct from guaranteeing a subscription of ten shillings, which I will the establishment, 3s. 6d. The Silent Friend; a Medical double if required.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, EDMUND GEORGE, M.D. Edin., M.R.O.S.E. & L.S.A. Work on the Infirmities and Decay of the Generative System. Part I. treats of the anatomy and physiology of the reproducSandgate, Kent, March, 1849. tive organs, and is illustrated by six coloured engravings. To the Editor of THE LANCET. Part II. treats of the consequences resulting from excessive indulgence, and their lamentable effects on the system, promost SIR,—I willingly wish to contribute my mite of ten ducing mental and bodily weakness, and nervous excitement. shillings and sixpence towards the " Medical Reform Fund," It is illustrated by three explanatory engravings. Part III. with best wishes to the cause.-I remain. Sir. vours trulv. treats of the diseases resulting from infection, either in the JOHN SOMMERS. Coventry, April, 1849. primary or secondary form, and contains explicit directions for their treatment. Part IV. contains a prescription for the To the Editor of THE LANCET.

Manhood;

of disease by a simple application, by which the SIR,—From your statement in your journal of this day, I feel danger of infection is obviated. This important part of the satisfied it behoves every duly qualified medical man to subwork should not the reader’s notice. Part V. is de-

prevention

escape voted to the consideration of marriage, and its duties. The causes of unproductive unions are also considered, and the whole subject critically and philosophically inquired into. The cordial balm of Syriacum is exclusively employed in treating nervous and sexual debility, impotence, &c.: 118. and 33s. per bottle. Consultation fee, if by letter, £1. A minute description of the case is necessary, stating age, habits, and position in society. X5packets, with advice, -to be had at the establishment only, by which the fee, £1, is saved." Your petitioner also begs to inform your honourable House that he has very carefully examined several of these publications ; that in a medical and scientific point of view they are altogether worthless; that they are of the most filthy and abominable description, and are addressed to the fears and passions of the ignorant, with the sole view of enriching their authors, as can be proved before a committee of your honourable House. Your petitioner further assures your honourable House that his professional experience enables him to state, that he has known several instances in which he has most clearly traced the commencement of those vices and practices, of which those advertisements speak, to the perusal of them in the pages of the journals of the day. That, fully satisfied that advertisements of this kind daily lead to the most injurious consequences, and that they are exerting a most pernicious influence on the health and morals of the inhabitants of this kingdom, your petitioner therefore most humbly prays your honourable House to immediately institute such inquiries, and take such steps as may seem best, to put, as speedily as possible, an end to so great and dangerous an evil-an evil by which the temporal and eternal happiness of thousands is endangered. And

East

vmir

nAt.it.ionAr will

Retford,

Feb. 1, 1849.

evfr nrav.

JOHN CHARLES

HALL, M.D.

Correspondence. "Audi alteram

partem."

THE FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS MEDICAL REFORM FUND. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—Ifeel that I should be guilty of a dereliction in duty, and aiding in the system of spoliation attempted by the projectors of the proposed Medical Bill, were I silently to submit to be deprived of my diploma of M.D., without entering my protest against the dishonest attempt to rob those who have worked hard to obtain it. If one of the results of the efforts of the committee of the National Institute be to deprive those general practitioners who are also graduates of a British university of their degree, because they choose to continue to practise as general prac-

scribe to the " Medical Reform Fund." Some exertion must be made on the part of some influential individuals to carry out any measure that will ultimately place the profession on its proper basis. My ten shillings, when required, shall be at the service of the " Reform Fund:’-I remain. dear Sir. vour obedient servant. HENRY EMETT. Liverpool, March, 1849. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—Ishall have great pleasure in subscribing a guinea towards the ’’Medical Reform Fund," which I promise to remit to the proper authorities when required, and remain,

Billingborough,

Sir. vnnr obedient servant. THOMAS BLASSON. M.R.C.S. & Lincolnshire, March, 1849.

L.S.A.

To the Editor of THE LANCET. Mr. Loney will thank the Editor of " THE LANCET" to add his name as a subscriber of ten shillings to the proposed " Medical Reform Fund." Hartington, Derbyshire, April, 1849.

of THE LANCET. by appending my

To the Editor

name as a subSIR Will you oblige scriber of ten shillings to the list of contributors to the pro posed Medical Reform Fund." me

T

a.m

Bradford, Wilts, April, 1849.

Sir

your

obedient servant.

W. JARVIS HIGHMORE.

THE ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY. To the Eclitor of THE LANCET. SIR,—I trust that your observations on the 10th inst., and those of Dr. Webster, referring to some abuses in the Medical and Chirurgical Society, may be the means of procuring their abolition, though the circumstance that several of the council are junior fellows, elected since 1840, while members who have belonged to the Society for twenty or twenty-five years, have never been on any council, and also that referees to decide upon the merits of papers presented should be arbitrarily elected by, and at the same time members of, the council, never having themselves contributed to the Transactions, is just of a piece with the rest of our system of medical organization, and it must be confessed thatthey manage these things better in France." Dr. Webster justly observed, that it was from the value and importance of the published Transactions that the Society would be estimated by the rest of Europe; and these, I think, (in common with many others,) have not been of late years, as an ensemble, calculated to raise the Society very highly in estimation, as compared with the chief medical societies in other capitals. The humble attempt which I made to induce