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MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS AT FREEMASONS' TAVERN.
672
NAVAL SURGEONS—MEETING OF ASSOCIATED SURGEONS—UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.
and liberal administration of its affairs, will render it efficient for the direction and protection of the interests and honour of the medical profession. That the sentiments entertained by your petitioners are fully borne out and corroborated by Mr. G. J. Gnthrie, who formerly occupied the honourable position of President of the Royal College of Surgeons, and have been fully detailed and explained by him in evidence before a Committee of the honourable the House of Commons, (in his replies to questions numbered respectively, 194, 235, 251, 252, 253, 258, 259, 260, 261, 281, 284, 285, and 291, in the published " Minutes of
sirous of attending, should be held, for the purpose of consider-
would be right to nominate gentlemen to state before the committee of the House the views and feelings of
ing whether it
the body for whom the committee act, respecting the formation of a new incorporation, and the changes they would desire to see made in the College of Surgeons. Some further explanations were then given respecting what it was understood were the heads of a Bill drawn up in accordance with the " principles" put forth by the conference, and the following resolutions were then passed
unanimously:1. Moved by P. CARTWRicnif, Esq., of Oswestry, and sepray your right honourable conded by T. ABRAHAM, Esq.:-" That the present Colleges of House, that it will withhold its sanction to the establishment Physicians and Surgeons are sufficient, if properly modified, of the Royal College of General Practitioners, or to any for the requirements of the profession, and that the formation of a third and inferior incorporation is totally unnecessary." new medical corporation or licensing body whatever. 2. Moved by T.LEWIS, Esq., and seconded byW.S.GILL,Esq.: That it will bestow such powers on the Royal College of Surgeons of England as shall enable it to remedy the injns- -"’That this meeting feels bound to express its strong disaptice perpetrated on the great body of its members by the probation of the course taken by the council of the College of charter last granted, and likewise render it efficient for Surgeons in accepting the charter of 1843, whereby the feeldirecting the examinations of the profession generally, as ings of a very numerous body of educated men were deeply also such other powers as may enable it to afford protection wounded by the selection of a limited number of gentlemen to its various members in the exercise of their professional to form a new grade in the college, at the expense of the members at large-a proceeding which was not only unnecesduties. And your petitioners will ever pray. sary, but created invidious distinctions where none previously existed. That, in the opinion of this meeting, the charter of Here follow between sixty and seventy signatures, in- 1843 should be repealed, and another, securing the constituof representation to the members, should be cluding the names of many of the most respectable practi- tional principle in its place. substituted tioners in the county. The following gentlemen were then nominated by the meeting to represent the opinions of the associated surgeons before the parliamentary committee, and the hon. secretary THE following is a copy of an advertisement which appeared was requested to take the necessary steps for getting them in the first page of the Times of Wednesday last. It is called before the committee : G. BOTTOMLEY, Esq., P. CAHTEsq., EDwIN LEE, Esq., and D. OTTLEY, Esq. evidently the production of one of the sufferers. The spirit I WRIGHT, Several members from a distance attended the meeting, that he manifests is in all respects commendable. There among whom were Mr. CARTwRIGHT, of Oswestry, Mr. MORGAN, must be a reform in the odious system of treatment to which of Woodford, who attended as a delegate from a meeting of the surgeons of Essex; and petitions and letters from various the assistant-surgeons of the navy are exposed. members of the college, expressing opinions in accordance "MEDICINE.— Royal Navy.—Medical gentlemen are CAUTIONED with those of the meeting, were received. not to enter the naval service until ward-room position be granted the assistant-surgeons. The naval assistant-surgeon, on joining,enters a midshipman’s mess, composed of noisy boys; has no servant allowed, Correspondence. or cabin, but a small sea-chest, on which he may sit and read, if the first lieutenant does not object.’ UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL. Evidence.") Your petitioners therefore
The army assistant-surgeon,’on joining, becomes a member a mess of grown-up gentlemen, where he is treated as one as long as his conduct merits it. He is allowed a servant, or remuneration for one, and has suitable quarters.’"
of
MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS AT FREEMASONS’ TAVERN. A HIGHLY respectable meeting of members of the College of Surgeons assembled at the -Freemasons’ Tavern, on Tuesday last, to take into consideration the propositions which have been submitted to a committee of the House of Commons by the representatives of the medical corporations, with a view to adjust ’the question of medical legislation; to adopt such proceedings as might be deemed necessary with respect to the Charter granted to, or, as Mr. Guthrie states, forced on, the College of Surgeons in 1843; and to determine whether witnesses should be appointed to state the case of the members of the college before the committee of the House of Commons.
[REMARKS
ON THE LETTER OF DR.
To the Editor
TAYLOR.]
of THE LANCET.
SIR,—Notwithstanding the vast amount of correspondence that you have published respecting the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and the manifestation of the feelings of the students, at the distribution of prizes at University College, I believe the cause of that manifestation has not yet been fairly stated.. That the students, as a body, were not opposed to the,elec. tion of Mr. Syme, is proved by the fact, that immediately after the appointment of Mr. Syme, a numerous meeting of,. students was held, and an address voted to that gentleman,, which strongly savoured of the ancient worship of the rising sun. Again, on his resignation other meetings were (which were most numerously attended,) in order to induce him to remain. What, then, was the cause of the decided disapprobation,, manifested by the students to Messrs. Quain and Sharpey Simply this, that there was an almost universal belief that intrigues had been carried on, in order to procure, or force, the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and to obtain the chair of surgery for Mr. Quain. It may be asked, what was the foundation of such an opinion I can’ on the part of the students, or had it any foundation? state the following circumstances in reply, which I conceive bear upon the question. Immediately after the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and some time prior to the distribution of prizes, one of the permanent visiting medical-staff of the hospital, stated in the course of a conversation, in which Afr. Ellis’s name was mentioned, that he (Mr. Ellis) was to be the professor of anatomy, (vice Quain promoted, being understood.) It was asked if there was not to be the usual public competition; the reply was, " Certainly; but Ellis has written! the best book on the subject, and has claims on the college, and therefore it is certain he will be appointed." The person to whom these observations were addressed, replied, that whilst her
held,
Mr. BOTTOMLEY, of Croydon, having been called to the chairMr. OTTLEY, honorary secretary to the associated surgeons, briefly explained the present position of medical reform. He stated that a committee of the House of Commons was now sitting, for the purpose of hearing evidence on the subject of medical reform, and that a conference had been held between the representatives of the various medical corporations in the United Kingdom, with a view of coming, if possible, to an amicable adjustment of the difficulties in the way of medical legislation. The " principles" agreed on by them had been before the profession for some weeks, but as these involved the formation of a third and inferior college for the general practitioners, and as it appeared that no alterations were to be made in the charter of 1843, it had been thought desirable that a meeting of the committee of the associated surgeons, and of such other members of the college as might feel de- believed that no better practical anatomist could be found than
NAVAL SURGEONS—MEETING OF ASSOCIATED SURGEONS—UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.
and liberal administration of its affairs, will render it efficient for the direction and protection of the interests and honour of the medical profession. That the sentiments entertained by your petitioners are fully borne out and corroborated by Mr. G. J. Gnthrie, who formerly occupied the honourable position of President of the Royal College of Surgeons, and have been fully detailed and explained by him in evidence before a Committee of the honourable the House of Commons, (in his replies to questions numbered respectively, 194, 235, 251, 252, 253, 258, 259, 260, 261, 281, 284, 285, and 291, in the published " Minutes of
sirous of attending, should be held, for the purpose of consider-
would be right to nominate gentlemen to state before the committee of the House the views and feelings of
ing whether it
the body for whom the committee act, respecting the formation of a new incorporation, and the changes they would desire to see made in the College of Surgeons. Some further explanations were then given respecting what it was understood were the heads of a Bill drawn up in accordance with the " principles" put forth by the conference, and the following resolutions were then passed
unanimously:1. Moved by P. CARTWRicnif, Esq., of Oswestry, and sepray your right honourable conded by T. ABRAHAM, Esq.:-" That the present Colleges of House, that it will withhold its sanction to the establishment Physicians and Surgeons are sufficient, if properly modified, of the Royal College of General Practitioners, or to any for the requirements of the profession, and that the formation of a third and inferior incorporation is totally unnecessary." new medical corporation or licensing body whatever. 2. Moved by T.LEWIS, Esq., and seconded byW.S.GILL,Esq.: That it will bestow such powers on the Royal College of Surgeons of England as shall enable it to remedy the injns- -"’That this meeting feels bound to express its strong disaptice perpetrated on the great body of its members by the probation of the course taken by the council of the College of charter last granted, and likewise render it efficient for Surgeons in accepting the charter of 1843, whereby the feeldirecting the examinations of the profession generally, as ings of a very numerous body of educated men were deeply also such other powers as may enable it to afford protection wounded by the selection of a limited number of gentlemen to its various members in the exercise of their professional to form a new grade in the college, at the expense of the members at large-a proceeding which was not only unnecesduties. And your petitioners will ever pray. sary, but created invidious distinctions where none previously existed. That, in the opinion of this meeting, the charter of Here follow between sixty and seventy signatures, in- 1843 should be repealed, and another, securing the constituof representation to the members, should be cluding the names of many of the most respectable practi- tional principle in its place. substituted tioners in the county. The following gentlemen were then nominated by the meeting to represent the opinions of the associated surgeons before the parliamentary committee, and the hon. secretary THE following is a copy of an advertisement which appeared was requested to take the necessary steps for getting them in the first page of the Times of Wednesday last. It is called before the committee : G. BOTTOMLEY, Esq., P. CAHTEsq., EDwIN LEE, Esq., and D. OTTLEY, Esq. evidently the production of one of the sufferers. The spirit I WRIGHT, Several members from a distance attended the meeting, that he manifests is in all respects commendable. There among whom were Mr. CARTwRIGHT, of Oswestry, Mr. MORGAN, must be a reform in the odious system of treatment to which of Woodford, who attended as a delegate from a meeting of the surgeons of Essex; and petitions and letters from various the assistant-surgeons of the navy are exposed. members of the college, expressing opinions in accordance "MEDICINE.— Royal Navy.—Medical gentlemen are CAUTIONED with those of the meeting, were received. not to enter the naval service until ward-room position be granted the assistant-surgeons. The naval assistant-surgeon, on joining,enters a midshipman’s mess, composed of noisy boys; has no servant allowed, Correspondence. or cabin, but a small sea-chest, on which he may sit and read, if the first lieutenant does not object.’ UNIVERSITY COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL. Evidence.") Your petitioners therefore
The army assistant-surgeon,’on joining, becomes a member a mess of grown-up gentlemen, where he is treated as one as long as his conduct merits it. He is allowed a servant, or remuneration for one, and has suitable quarters.’"
of
MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS AT FREEMASONS’ TAVERN. A HIGHLY respectable meeting of members of the College of Surgeons assembled at the -Freemasons’ Tavern, on Tuesday last, to take into consideration the propositions which have been submitted to a committee of the House of Commons by the representatives of the medical corporations, with a view to adjust ’the question of medical legislation; to adopt such proceedings as might be deemed necessary with respect to the Charter granted to, or, as Mr. Guthrie states, forced on, the College of Surgeons in 1843; and to determine whether witnesses should be appointed to state the case of the members of the college before the committee of the House of Commons.
[REMARKS
ON THE LETTER OF DR.
To the Editor
TAYLOR.]
of THE LANCET.
SIR,—Notwithstanding the vast amount of correspondence that you have published respecting the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and the manifestation of the feelings of the students, at the distribution of prizes at University College, I believe the cause of that manifestation has not yet been fairly stated.. That the students, as a body, were not opposed to the,elec. tion of Mr. Syme, is proved by the fact, that immediately after the appointment of Mr. Syme, a numerous meeting of,. students was held, and an address voted to that gentleman,, which strongly savoured of the ancient worship of the rising sun. Again, on his resignation other meetings were (which were most numerously attended,) in order to induce him to remain. What, then, was the cause of the decided disapprobation,, manifested by the students to Messrs. Quain and Sharpey Simply this, that there was an almost universal belief that intrigues had been carried on, in order to procure, or force, the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and to obtain the chair of surgery for Mr. Quain. It may be asked, what was the foundation of such an opinion I can’ on the part of the students, or had it any foundation? state the following circumstances in reply, which I conceive bear upon the question. Immediately after the resignation of Mr. Cooper, and some time prior to the distribution of prizes, one of the permanent visiting medical-staff of the hospital, stated in the course of a conversation, in which Afr. Ellis’s name was mentioned, that he (Mr. Ellis) was to be the professor of anatomy, (vice Quain promoted, being understood.) It was asked if there was not to be the usual public competition; the reply was, " Certainly; but Ellis has written! the best book on the subject, and has claims on the college, and therefore it is certain he will be appointed." The person to whom these observations were addressed, replied, that whilst her
held,
Mr. BOTTOMLEY, of Croydon, having been called to the chairMr. OTTLEY, honorary secretary to the associated surgeons, briefly explained the present position of medical reform. He stated that a committee of the House of Commons was now sitting, for the purpose of hearing evidence on the subject of medical reform, and that a conference had been held between the representatives of the various medical corporations in the United Kingdom, with a view of coming, if possible, to an amicable adjustment of the difficulties in the way of medical legislation. The " principles" agreed on by them had been before the profession for some weeks, but as these involved the formation of a third and inferior college for the general practitioners, and as it appeared that no alterations were to be made in the charter of 1843, it had been thought desirable that a meeting of the committee of the associated surgeons, and of such other members of the college as might feel de- believed that no better practical anatomist could be found than