THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ROYAL NAVY.

and certain chemists will be directed to report their opinions; gress, Sir John Pakington, the present First Lord of the since, however, nearly all our eminent chemists are more or Admiralty; and, certainly, nothingshort of this will meet the less committed to one or the other scheme, it will be difficult requirements of the service, and the reasonable expectations of to secure an impartial report. At any rate, conflicting state- the department. The following are the chief ments and counter-statements are to be expected, and the Regulations for Candidates for the Office of Assistant-Surgeon in the Royal Navy. question will arise "Quis judicabit judicem?" It will ultimately narrow itself, however, not quite to the limits of a nutAdmiralty, March lst, 1853. shell, but within very moderate limits, since the reporters will The Right Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the bear in mind that "the expense is restricted to £100." De- Admiralty are pleased to direct that no person be admitted as cidedly the Board are more lavish in the matter of building a an assistant-surgeon in the Royal Navy who shall not produce of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Engpalace for their deliberations, than in remunerating the skilled a certificate from one land, Edinburgh, or Dublin, or from the Faculty of Physicians services which they claim. and Surgeons of Glasgow, of his fitness for that office; nor, as a surgeon, unless he shall produce a diploma or certificate from one of the said Royal Colleges or Faculty, founded on an exA MARINE SANATORIUM MISPLACED. amination to be passed subsequently to his appointment of IT is hard to convince those who have become inured to any assistant-surgeon, as to his fitness for the situation of surgeon mischievous influences, that others are not likely to be as for- in the Navy; and in every case the candidate producing such tunate as themselves; and it is not uncommon to find that certificate or diploma shall also undergo a further examination, his qualifications in all the necessary branches and such representations are received with indignation, and con- touching of medicine and surgery for each of the steps in the points sidered to cast an undeserved slur upon objects to which they Naval Medical Service; and that previous to the admission have long been accustomed, and have, perhaps, become at- of assistant-surgeons into the Navy, it will be required that tached. It is somewhat after this fashion that the residents of they produce proof of having received a preliminary classical and that they possess in particular a competent Scarborough who govern the affairs of its proposed new Sea- education, of Latin ; also, knowledge to have received the bathing Infirmary Sanatorium, appear That they are of good moral character, the certificate of inand a few of the medical officers other of persons protests which must be signed by the clergyman of the parish, or by a telligence and public spirit against the selection of a site which magistrate of the district. That they have served an apprenticeship, or have been combines the disadvantages of lowness of position, deficiency i of air, imperfect light, and vicinity to a tidal harbour. Those engaged for not less than six months in practical pharmacy. That their age be not less than twenty years nor more than who havelong been accustomed to inhale the fragrant breezes, twenty-six years. as they imagine without injury, repel such statements as That they have actually attended an hospital in London, an attack upon the character of their beautiful and healthy Edinburgh, Dublin, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Manchester, or Bristol, town, and insist on building this sanatorium in a timber-yard, for eighteen months subsequently to the age of eighteen, in hospital the average number of patients is not less than facing the harbour, and surrounded closely on three sides by which 100. of it is to a cost This site at buildinns. proposed purchase That they have been engaged in actual dissections of the human £3000, when one with twice the area, and three times the bodv twelve months, the certificate of which from the teacher frontage, can be obtained on the cliffs for less than half that must state the number of subjects or parts dissected by the The economical aspect of the question does not concern candidate. sum. That they have attended lectures &c. on the following subus: it is a matter cf trust and conscience which these gentlemen will dispose as they list, or as they are advised. But on jects at established schools of eminence, by physicians or sur. of the recognised Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, in behalf of the medical and sanitary interests of the charity, geons the United Kingdom, for periods not less than hereunder and in the belief that the intentions of the benevolent donors stated; observing, however, that such lectures will not be adare about to be ignorantly-we would not say wantonly-sacrimitted if the teacher shall lecture on more than one branch of ficed, we call upon the committee to reject the advice of pre- science, or if the lectures on anatomy, surgery, and medicine be not attended during three distinct winter sessions of six judiced persons, and to consult the true interests of their charity months each :for a the site which shall be free from the by selecting position months’ anatomy (or twelve months’ general anaEighteen terrible disadvantages which we have enumerated. tomy, and six months’ comparative anatomy); eighteen months’ surgery (or twelve months’ general surgery, and six months’ military surgery ; six months’ theory of medicine, and twelve months’ practice of medicine ,* (if the lectures on the THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE theory and practice of medicine be given in conjunction, then ROYAL NAVY. the period required is eighteen months;) six months’ clinical lectures (at an hospital as above) on the practice of medicine SEVERAL important improvements have of late years been and on the practice of surgery respectively; six months’ cheeffected for the medical officers of the Navy, more especially mistry (or three months’ lectures on chemistry, and three months’ practical chemistry; six months’ materia medica; six as regards the social position of assistant-surgeons on board months’ midwifery (accompanied by certificates stating the ship, and the mode of reckoning length of service in the in- number of midwifery cases personally attended) ; three months’ spectorial grades.* The naval medical service, however, under botany. In addition to the tickets for the lectures, certificates must present regulations, does not hold out the inducements posbe produced from the professors, &c., by whom the lectures sessed by the other public services. were given, stating the periods (in months) actually attended But while, in more especially addressing the medical youth by the candidates. The time also of actual attendance at an looking forward to public medical employment, we feel bound hospital or infirmary must be certified; and the tickets, as well to publish the present standard of medical rank, pay, &c., in as certificates of attendance, age, moral character, &c., must the Navy, we cannot but express our belief, and, indeed, our be produced by the candidate previously to his examination. By the rules of the service, no assistant-surgeon can be proconviction, that the provisions of the recent Army Medical moted to the rank of surgeon until he shall have served three of scale for the widows as well as the Warrant, pensions, &c., years (one year of which must be in a ship actually employed of army medical officers, will at once be extended to the Medical at sea), and can produce a diploma from one of the beforeDepartment of the Navy. Less than this is not to be expected mentioned Royal Colleges or the Faculty of Physicians and from the liberal and enlightened friend of education and pro- Surgeons, and it is resolved that not any diploma or certificate’ of examination from either of the aforesaid Royal Colleges shall * There are occasional complaints regarding the appropriation of cabins to * Six months’ lectures on pathology, if given at a University where there assistant-surgeons, which at present rests too much with the captain of the The Admiralty would do well to issue an order on this point incapable be a professorship on that branch of science, will be admitted in liea of ship. of hcinT misunderstood or e by months’ lectures on the practice of medicine.

‘

anyone

508

may six

may

not be in accordance with the above) obtain leave to study be admitted toward the qualification for surgeon, unless the diploma or certificate shall be obtained on an examination previously to their passing for surgeon, they will be required passed after a period of not less than three years’ actual service, on their examination to produce testimonials of their having observing that no one can be admitted to an examination for availed themselves of the period of leave to complete their surgeon unless, as hereinbefore mentioned, he can produce a education agreeably to these regulations generally. diploma together with the most satisfactory certificates that he By command of their Lordships, has performed on the dead body, under the superintendence of R. OSBORN. all or teacher of known eminence, the capital operaa professor tions of surgery, and is perfectly competent to perform any and the We append the present rates of pay, half-pay, &c., operation with skill and dexterity, and thoroughly acquainted I army rank of medical officers of the Royal Navy; but we with the anatomy of the parts involved in such operation; record our belief that, in regard to pay, rank, and without which qualification no one hereafter can be promoted the naval medical officers will shortly to the higher branches of the service ; and whenever assistant- widows’ pensions, &c., assimilated with their brethren in the Army. surgeons already in the service (whose professional education

again

be

RATES OF FULL-PAY FOR MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE ROYAL NAVY.

RATES OF HALF-PAY FOR MEDICAL OFFICERS’OF THE ROYAL NAVY.

All medical officers below the rank of Deputy Medical Inspector who may hereafter be appointed to hospitals, and who may be superseded, or retire therefrom, shall, according to their respective ranks, receive the rate of half-pay to which they may be entitled according to length of service, all time included. PENSIONS TO WIDOWS. Pf,NSIOTS TO THE MOTHERS AND SISTERS OF OFFICERS KILLED IN ACTION. Rules and Orders for granting Pensions to the Widows of Commission and Warrant Officers of the Royal Navy. Mothers.—Where an officer is killed in action, and leaves no ART. 1.—Widows of Commission and Warrant Officers of widow nor legitimate child, but leaves a mother who is a the Royal Navy may be allowed pensions as hereinafter widow, in distressed circumstances, and who was dependent directed, and subject to the following restrictions, provided upon him, the mother shall receive a pension equal to the ordito the rank which her they shall appear to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty nary rate of widow’s pension attached to be proper and deserving officers of the public bounty, and son held at the time of his death; but if such mother shall herself be in receipt of a pension as an officer’s widow, or shall not left in wealthy circumstances. haveany other provision of any kind from the public, in that ART. 2.-The rate of pensions shall be as follows-viz.: case no allowance will be made to her on account of her son, unless she gives up the other pension or allowance; and a pension given to a mother, on account of her son, will be forfeited on

remarriage.

Sisters.-The allowance made to the sisters of officers is not to exceed that which would be given to a mother, and will not be given in any case unless the officer shall have fallen in action, or shall die of wounds received in action within six months after being wounded, and shall have left no widow, legitimate child, nor mother, nor unless the sister shall be an orphan, havingno survivingbrother, and shall have been dependent for support on the officer killed. Every pension so granted will cease when the person receiving it shall marry, or be in any other manner sufficiently provided for. diate act of duty, or if it shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that he has died from the effects of any injury or disease caused by extraordmary exposure or exertion on service within six

* If the officer was killed in action, or died within six months of wounds received in action. t If the officer was drowned, or suffered other violent death in an imme-’ months after

his being frst certified to be ill. 509

Relative Rank of Naval Medical Officers. Director-General of Medical Department of the Navy ranks with Brigadier-Generals. Medical Inspector of Hospitals and Fleets ranks with Lieutenant-Colonels. Deputy Medical Inspectors of Hospitals and Fleets rank with Majors. Surgeons rank with Captains. Assistant-Surgeons rank with Lieutenants. In the medical service of the Army, as well as in that of her Majesty’s Forces in India, the medical officer may always, as a general rule, make up any definite period of continuous service. This, from the paying-off of ships, after periods varying from three to five years, is impracticable in the Navy, and thus time to the medical officer is frequently lost, much against

his inclination. It is well worthy the consideration of the Admiralty, now that the condition of officers in the public medical services is about to be equalized, whether it be not desirable to allow the time to count for increase of pay, retirement, &c., to all medical officers in good health, and in other respects fit for service, so long (and so long only) as they express willingness to serve when called upon. This country owes much to the naval medical service. It was in the Navy that the usefulness of hygienic measures was first clearly demonstrated. Since the days of Lind, Blane, and Trotter, all correct sanitary legislation and improvement have been based upon the great principles laid down by these illustrious men. Sanitary observation, and attention to sanitary laws, of necessity force themselves upon the naval medical officer, who has to treat, and, so far as in him lies, prevent diseases in all quarters of the globe. His education in this respect is strikingly apparent, even on shore. If we look at our great naval

hospitals at Malta, at Bermuda, at Jamaica, at Haslar, at Plymouth, at Chatham, at Woolwich, and at the hospital ships in China, we shall find them unsurpassed, if indeed they be equalled, by the hospitals of any country in Europe. CONVOCATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. THE second meeting of the Convocation of the University of London assembled on Wednesday last, at Burlington-house. C. J. Foster, LL.D., Chairman of Convocation, took his seat at one o’clock. During the preliminary discussion on the order in which the business should be taken, Dr. BRINTON and Dr. SIBSON stated the objections entertained by the medical profession to the Senate’s nomination of Dr. J. Storrar to the new Medical Council, and claimed from the Faculties of Law and Arts a fair hearing for the graduates of Medicine, who objected both to the power the Senate had arrogated to itself and the person in whose favour it had been exercised. Dr. ROUTH defended the Senate; it had acted on the opinion of counsel, and was influenced by a wish to do the best for the University; it was unjust to say it desired to act in opposition to and to the detriment of the medical graduates. He also defended the appointment of Dr. Storrar. An amendment gave precedence to the motion on the nomination of the Senate, over the other orders of the day. Dr. W. E. HUMBLE, in proposing it, stated in detail the points of the case. Towards the close of last session an Act was passed to regulate the qualifications of the practitioners of medicine and surgery ; its object was to enable the public to distinguish between qualified and unqualified persons. By the Bill a Medical Council was created, to which the Universities

nf Oxford

Cambridge London

and Durbam returned each

510

one

member. In the University of London the Senate had nominated that member without reference to the fellows and graduates of the institution, though the Act did not expressly give the Senate that power. The Act simply gave the right of election ’’ to the University;" and the question was, who composed the University ? He contended that the whole body was included in that term; certainly the University was not the Senate alone. To prove this position he cited the text of the 5th, 18th, 20th, and 21st clauses of the Charter, arguing that the Senate had only a power of regulating the internal affairs of the general body, such as the appointment of officers and examiners, not that of deciding on the public relations between the University and the whole medical profession. He believed that, in the absence of any provision to the contrary, the power of electing the representative to the Medical Council was vested in the governing body of the University; and assuredly if there were any governing body, it was not the Senate, which was entirely under the control of the Secretary of State. The legal opinion which the Senate had taken was actually against them; and he contended that the right of the graduates to elect could be proved from the University Charter and from the Medical Qualifications Act itself. If the question could not be decided there, it must be decided in a court of law; if the Senate maintained its position, the graduates would be ready to unite to carry the case into the Court of Queen’s Bench. He then moved as a resolution" That it is the opinion of Convocation, that the members of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom should be chosen under the Act, by the whole University, consisting of the Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Fellows, and Graduates." He intimated that the graduates had also taken legal advice on the case-that of Mr. Edward James-and his opinion is that the choice of a medical representative did not fall under the description of the powers to be exercised by the Senate in the selection of examiners, officers, and servants; that the right of election was not vested in Convocation, but was conferred on the University at large. The medical representative of Oxford had been elected by Convocation; at Cambridge he was about to be elected by the graduates. Those more ancient bodies, supposed to be comparatively aristocratic in their constitution, gave the election to the whole of their members; how much more ought this to be the case with the University of London, which claimed to be more progressive than the other Universities. He protested against the rights of the graduates being taken from them by such secret and underhand proceedings. Mr. LITTLER, LL.B., seconded the proposal in an eloquent and convincing speech. He read the opinion of Mr. Edward James, Q.C., which stated most clearly that the power of electing a representative was given to the University of London in its corporate capacity-of Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Fellows, and Graduates-and that the election by the Senate was illegal. Mr. Littler’s address was received with loud and continued applause. Mr. G. JESSEL thought it was no part of the functions of Convocation to give an opinion on a dry point of law. The medical members were no more qualified to do so than was the Faculty of Law to give an opinion on an operation of surgery. (Oh, oh !) The Senate had taken the advice of its ordinary counsel (Mr. Tomlinson), and had requested him (Mr. Jessel) to give an opinion with him. He should have wished personally that the power of election had been given to the graduates, and the Senate would have acted wisely had it deferred the appointment till the feeling of the graduates was ascertained. His bias, if he had any, was in favour of the graduates; but, looking at the law on the question, he could not say it gave them the right they claimed. As the Act did not point out who was to exercise the right of election, it must be exercised by that body which was already competent to perform all the ordinary acts of the University. The Convocation of Oxford included Masters of Arts of a certain stand. ing; the graduates were excluded; the power was given to the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge by name, and to the only authorized bodies in them; but in the University of London there was a large proportion of graduates who were not members of any recognised body in it; they had no power even to call a meeting. Many Acts of Parliament conferred certain powers on the Corporation of the City of London, and those powers were always exercised by the Common Councilthe governing body-not by the Livery. He asked them to pause before they committed themselves to a legal opinion; the powers of Convocation were limited by the Charter, and it could not interfere with the business of the University. He