- Email: [email protected]
PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF CHOLERA.
375 lines in the annals of natural history were the only notice, he Again, if I wished to register as a physician, I could not, as said, the facts described merited. He compared the Society had passed my M.D. degree after January 1st, 1842. As far as I recollect, by your Bill, one clause in it allowed to the proboscis of an elephant, which picked up, indiscriminately, the most precious"jewels, and the vilest rubbish: of gentlemen registering to insert all their qualifications. Why course, his own memoir on Belemnites" was the former, and not now allow a clause of this sort to be again introduced. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Dr. Mantell’s the latter. It is true that the gentle Professor
I ,
W. PHILPOT BROOKES. Cheltenham, 1848. put on his mettle, as Dr. Mantell’s paper showed that the memoir of Professor Owen, which received the award of a royal medal, was founded in error, and that the fossil remains THE EXTRA-LICENTIATES OF THE COLLEGE OF of the body and soft parts of a cephalopod, (which Professor PHYSICIANS AND THE PROPOSED NEW BILL. was
Owen supposed to belong to the belemnite, and on which his presumed discovery of the animal of that extinct cephalopod
To the Editor of THE LANCET. rested,) were the relics of a distinct genus, the belemnotento SIR,—I beg entreat of you to exercise your great influthis, as was shown by specimens which Dr. Mantell placed on ence, to prevent the College of Physicians from perpetrating the table. However, as the Professor has learned how to use such gross injustice towards their extra-licentiates, as to comhis lungs, under the stimulus supplied on Thursday evening, them to pay a second time for their diplomas. pel we may hope that his voice will no longer be inaudible in the I possessed an Edinburgh degree, I went before somniferous atmosphere of the unventilated lecture-room of theAlthough authorities some years since, and obtained their College of the Royal College Surgeons.-Your constant reader, extra licence, for I was unwilling to practise by mere sufferVERITAS. March, 1848. ance, and I supposed that the privileges which I then obtained, .
__
_____
and would have been continued for life, unless forTHE PROPOSED NEW CHARTER TO THE COLLEGE feitedpaid for, by improper conduct. Judge, then, of my surprise, at OF PHYSICIANS. finding, that by the contemplated Bill I would be in no better than those physicians who have been for years pracTo the Extra-Licentiates of tlae Royal College of Physicians tising solely under Scotch degrees, and, may I not add, who of London. set the College at defiance. BROTHER EXTRA-LICENTIATES,-It is not too much to say, By all means let those physicians who have not hitherto that your liberty, as British subjects, is threatened by the joined the College be brought within its ranks, and enrolled College of which we are in common licentiates. You are each to be reduced again to the level of a student! members of it, (with or without examination, according to their standing,) on payment of the proper fees. But in the (if the College obtains its charter)—that is to say, you are to be name of justice,-nay, of common honesty,-I demand that unlicensecl to practise your profession, in any branch; nay, you will not even dare to use the title-a title which you now legally the extra-licentiates shall, by the new Bill, be placed in posof the same rights and privileges that they now enjoy, possess-of physician, without breaking the lawYou have session without the payment of additional fees. but one alternative-to become a student again; to submit to Should the mention of this subject in your pages not suffice another examination; to be rejected or not, at the whim and to deter the College from perpetrating so gross an act of incaprice of your examiners; and to pay a further fine of £25, justice, I hope that in your place in the House of Commons exclusive of stamps; or to be robbed entirely of your privileges you will denounce the Bill and its concoctors, and extirpate as a licensed physician. You cannot—surely, you will not-tamely submit to such all the diseased parts of it.-I am, Sir, yours, A PROVINCIAL PHYSICIAN. indignity. It becomes the duty of each and every one of you March, 1:48. to avail himself of every possible means in his power to resist such an un-English retrospection of law. If you do not now THE PROPOSED CHARTER TO THE COLLEGE OF act with every energy you possess-if you do not make up PHYSICIANS. your minds not to rest until you accomplish your just object, To the Editor of THE LANCET. then I say we deserve whatever insult the College cliooses to inflict upon us. Up and be doing! SIR,—Ibeg to return you my best thanks for the advice so and kindly given in your last publication to the A PRACTISING PHYSICIAN, EXTRA-LICENTIATE. judiciously licentiates extra urbem of the Royal College of Physicians. THE PROJECTED CHARTER OF THE COLLEGE OF I wish most cordially I could devote time sufficient to assist in organizing the whole body of the class to which I have the PHYSICIANS, AND NEW SCHEME OF MEDICAL honour to belong. I should indeed consider it a positive REFORM. duty to be engaged, as an humble instrument, in so justifiable To the Editor of THE LANCET. a proceeding, now rendered absolutely necessary by the base SIR,—Is it possible that the members of the medical pro- intrigues and premeditated injustice and wickedness of the fession will remain quiet, and allow a College Charter to be College authorities against their own members-men having well-defined privileges, pursuant to a specific Act of Parliagranted, of a retrospective nature, as, by clause two, all ment. But though the spirit is willing, truly my professional after will a become degrees granted January list, 1842, nullity, not allowing their holders to register as members of the engagements absorb all my time. It is to be hoped, however,
position have
College of Physicians, thereby giving an ex post facto law? Again, are we quietly to pass over this new, jumbled piece of medical legislation, called a Medical Dill," which, if passed, will deprive physicians’ degrees from being registered, if the holders of them practise as surgeons, &c.? What, pray, willbecome of the London University graduates, many ofthem the most talented men of the day, who hold the M.D. degree, yet practise as surgeons, or generally? If this law passes, they will be deprived of their rights, and a premium will be offered for men to give up aspiring to the higher degrees of medicine, thereby returning to the old times of class legislation and the gold-headed cane. Had the profession unanimously and strenuously fought for your Bill, as introduced last session, a good system of medical reform would have been established, and no member deprived of rights attained at much expense, time, and labour. I will simply state my own case. I am a member of the College of Surgeons, a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, and a graduate in medicine of a British university, (attained after a most severe and trying examination,) of 1842. I practise as a surgeon, not dispensing my mediMay, cine. If this Bill passes, I must register either as a surgeon or general practitioner; and if, at any future day, I may wish to practise as a physician, I cannot, without appearing for a fresh examination, as this Bill deprived me of my M.D. when I registered as a surgeon. "
younger than I am, energetic and zealous, forward, and form themselves at once into a Committee ; draw up a form of petition to the House of Commons, embodying " distinct allegations relative to our present position, and what would become our position if the proposed charter were to be granted by the Crown;" forward a copy to each extra urbent licentiate; and appoint a day for an aggregate meeting in London, to discuss our grievances, and take into consideration the "retrospective vengeance" of our College, which ought to be quite above so dishonourable and
that will
some men
come
dishonest
a
trick.
The addresses of many of our body unfortunately is not given in the College Catalogue; but the " Provincial Medical Directory," though far from being universally correct, will no doubt greatly assist the labours of a Committee. All the necessary expenses, of course, will be paid by the several members.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, M.D., AND LICENTIATE EXTRA URBEM OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. March, 1848.
PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF CHOLERA. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—In your last LANCET I read some remarks on cholera by Dr. Mainwaring, and it appears to me that he attempts to account for some of the phenomena of that disease in a
376 He suggests tartarizedI useful remedy. As I have seen the disease ina antimony India, perhaps I may be allowed to make a very few remarkss In the first place, I would suggest, that the on the subject. " black blood" spoken of by Dr. Mainwaring is probably caused by the spasm of the diaphragm and other muscles of respiration, preventing the lungs from carrying on their functions, and consequently impeding the process of arterialization ; and not by the gas spoken of by him acting chemically upon the blood. As far as my experience goes, Asiatic cholera is no respecter of persons. I have seen it as frequently attack the. most regular livers as any other description of persons; but I: think that when the seizure has taken place the previousi habits of the patient may influence the character of the disI must say that tartarized antimony does not appear ease. to me indicated in a disease, the most prominent symptoms: of which are irritability of stomach and collapse; and, for my own part, I should prefer relying on counter-irritation, opium, and stimulants, followed by one or two moderate doses of calomel.—I am, Sir, yours obediently, G. C. ARMSTRONG, M.D. Orchard-st., Portman-sq., March, 1848. manner more as a
ingenious than probable.
_
.
.
.
,
.
Tuesday,
Jan.
11th, 1848.
SIR,—I consider your reply to my letter of the 7th instant as unsatisfactory, and as disgraceful to you as the conduct of which I complained.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A. Ross, M.D. To Dr. George Scott. And thus, for the present, has closed the correspondence. The circumstances leading to my correspondence with Dr. Allatt came under my notice immediately after I had written my last note to Dr. Scott, with such certainty to me of their exactitude, that I conceived it my duty to ask for an explanation of them. The persons whom Dr. Allatt styles "these people" are, I assure you, well known for their integrity, and are respected by all who know them. The husband is the master of the British Free Schools here, which situation he has held for ten or twelve years, and by his uniform good conduct, in his humble sphere, has procured that esteem which wealth and rank cannot always command. After these preliminary remarks, I believe my letters to Dr. Allatt sufficiently explain the circumstances.
(COPY.) 12, Grande Rue, January 11th, 1848.
PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE IN BOULOGNE. To the Editor of THE LANCET. me to claim the privilege of an old subscriber SIR,—Allow
begging a place in your columns for the following correspondence. On first settling here in practice, I was informed in
SIR,—Mr. and Mrs. S---- have respectively reported to me what passed between you and the latter, on the occasion of your strangely-timed visit on Sunday last ; and with the former, at the interview he had with you on Monday morning. If they were not both persons of well-known probity, and also of intelligence, I could not have believed it possible that you should so far have forgotten what was due to the dignity of our common profession. I am informed, that when allusion was made to my having been in attendance on Mrs. S-, you asked, " Who on earth could have recommended Ross to them ?" and that you, moreover, observed, that they would have done much better to have employed you, as you would have cured her in a fortnight, instead of the long period that I had been in attendance. As I consider that such remarks convey a reflection on my professional character, I feel called upon to ask for an explanation of them.-I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient
that the usual and most certain means to obtain immediate success was of a description totally at variance with all my ideas of professional dignity, and which accordingly I could not employ. The consequence has been, that I have voluntarily submitted to be far outstripped in immediate success by all my competitors, even by one who has been settled here a much shorter time than myself. I have patiently submitted also to pass over in silence the frequent occurrence of gross breaches of etiquette, and the attempts, often successful, to deprive me of my patients. But the two following instances have occurred so closely servant, A. Ross, M.D. To Dr. Allatt. after one or two others, that I have determined, reluctantly, not to pass them over any longer without explanation and (COPY.) Boulogne-sur-mer, Jan. 12th, 1848. exposure. The circumstances leading to the first correspondence are so exactly detailed in my letter to Dr. Scott, SIR,—I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day. that no remarks are required. I really feel surprised that the conversation of Mr. and Mrs. S- should justify the honour of my receiving a letter from (COPY.) 12. Grande Rue, Jan. 7th, 1848. ’, you, and still more so, at your thinking proper to designate my calling upon them as a " strangely timed visit," which you will SIR,—I was requested, in the afternoon of Monday, the allow me to say I consider a very gratuitous observation on 27th ultimo, to see Mrs. -, whom I found labouring under the prevailing influenza, exhibiting itself in a severe attack your part. I called on Mr. S- to present him my account of bronchitis, extending to the smaller tubes, into which the for attendance during the year 1847. I was not aware that air could scarcely penetrate, the larger ones being also any one was ill in the house, and was surprised to see Mrs. S- in bed. Having attended these people the last blocked up with mucus. Mrs. had been suffering for a week before I was seven or eight years, I naturally asked who was attending her, called to her. I visited her again on Tuesday and Wednes- and upon hearing that it was you, I inquired who had recomday. On Thursday morning I went at the hour appointed, mended her to consult you ? Whether I made any exclamaand was surprised to find that you had seen her the evening tion at the interference of busy-bodies, or not, I really cannot before, and had prescribed for her without having any com- say. With respect to your second accusation, that I said if munication with me. I was asked to see her, but declined, they had employed me I could have cured her in a fortnight, I totally deny it. Whether I attend Mr. and Mrs. S- is a excepting with you, expressing my readiness to meet you in matter of very slight importance to me. I feel disgusted at consultation, or to see her alone if you were unable to visit the system of undermining which is always going on in this her. I heard nothing more of the case till I learnt, with regret, place by certain partizans. I have lived too long and too died on Sunday. I have much in the world, Sir, to make use of loose observations to on Monday, Jan. 3rd, that Mrs. since heard that you called in two other medical men. justify my being called upon for explanations, as I have neither Under the disagreeable circumstances, I beg to call upon time nor inclination to write letters; and perhaps when you you for your reasons for treating me in a way so totally next do me the honour of addressing me, you will have someinconsistent with the ordinary rules of professional etiquette. thing more palpable to handle. Quite at your service, Sir, I have the honour to be, your very obedient servant, —I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, R. ALLATT. To Dr. Ross. A. Ross, M.D., M.R.C.S.E., to the Suffolk General Late Physician to To Dr. George Scott. Hospital. (COPY.) January 14th, 1848. The following is a copy of Dr. Scott’s reply:on the remarks SIR,—Without making any style of yours of January 8th, 1848. , the 12th, which I had the honour of receiving yesterday, I contained in the letter of 7th your SIR,—The allegation instant being unfounded, you will admit that no further leave others to judge whether it is satisfactory or not. I feel called upon, however unwillingly, to intrude upon your notice explanation is necessary. a few observations, which seem to me to be called for by your I am, Sir, your obedient servant, letter to me, but which, I trust, may not cause you the trouble GEORGE SCOTT. GEORGE To Dr. Ross. of a reply. To show my laconic correspondent that I did not admit You must be aware, that though you say you"had ateither his premises or conclusion, I addressed to him the tended these people the last seven or eight years," you had, in following note:reality, more than a year ago, in 1846, refused to attend Mrs. -
____ -
-
-
____
I ,
W. PHILPOT BROOKES. Cheltenham, 1848. put on his mettle, as Dr. Mantell’s paper showed that the memoir of Professor Owen, which received the award of a royal medal, was founded in error, and that the fossil remains THE EXTRA-LICENTIATES OF THE COLLEGE OF of the body and soft parts of a cephalopod, (which Professor PHYSICIANS AND THE PROPOSED NEW BILL. was
Owen supposed to belong to the belemnite, and on which his presumed discovery of the animal of that extinct cephalopod
To the Editor of THE LANCET. rested,) were the relics of a distinct genus, the belemnotento SIR,—I beg entreat of you to exercise your great influthis, as was shown by specimens which Dr. Mantell placed on ence, to prevent the College of Physicians from perpetrating the table. However, as the Professor has learned how to use such gross injustice towards their extra-licentiates, as to comhis lungs, under the stimulus supplied on Thursday evening, them to pay a second time for their diplomas. pel we may hope that his voice will no longer be inaudible in the I possessed an Edinburgh degree, I went before somniferous atmosphere of the unventilated lecture-room of theAlthough authorities some years since, and obtained their College of the Royal College Surgeons.-Your constant reader, extra licence, for I was unwilling to practise by mere sufferVERITAS. March, 1848. ance, and I supposed that the privileges which I then obtained, .
__
_____
and would have been continued for life, unless forTHE PROPOSED NEW CHARTER TO THE COLLEGE feitedpaid for, by improper conduct. Judge, then, of my surprise, at OF PHYSICIANS. finding, that by the contemplated Bill I would be in no better than those physicians who have been for years pracTo the Extra-Licentiates of tlae Royal College of Physicians tising solely under Scotch degrees, and, may I not add, who of London. set the College at defiance. BROTHER EXTRA-LICENTIATES,-It is not too much to say, By all means let those physicians who have not hitherto that your liberty, as British subjects, is threatened by the joined the College be brought within its ranks, and enrolled College of which we are in common licentiates. You are each to be reduced again to the level of a student! members of it, (with or without examination, according to their standing,) on payment of the proper fees. But in the (if the College obtains its charter)—that is to say, you are to be name of justice,-nay, of common honesty,-I demand that unlicensecl to practise your profession, in any branch; nay, you will not even dare to use the title-a title which you now legally the extra-licentiates shall, by the new Bill, be placed in posof the same rights and privileges that they now enjoy, possess-of physician, without breaking the lawYou have session without the payment of additional fees. but one alternative-to become a student again; to submit to Should the mention of this subject in your pages not suffice another examination; to be rejected or not, at the whim and to deter the College from perpetrating so gross an act of incaprice of your examiners; and to pay a further fine of £25, justice, I hope that in your place in the House of Commons exclusive of stamps; or to be robbed entirely of your privileges you will denounce the Bill and its concoctors, and extirpate as a licensed physician. You cannot—surely, you will not-tamely submit to such all the diseased parts of it.-I am, Sir, yours, A PROVINCIAL PHYSICIAN. indignity. It becomes the duty of each and every one of you March, 1:48. to avail himself of every possible means in his power to resist such an un-English retrospection of law. If you do not now THE PROPOSED CHARTER TO THE COLLEGE OF act with every energy you possess-if you do not make up PHYSICIANS. your minds not to rest until you accomplish your just object, To the Editor of THE LANCET. then I say we deserve whatever insult the College cliooses to inflict upon us. Up and be doing! SIR,—Ibeg to return you my best thanks for the advice so and kindly given in your last publication to the A PRACTISING PHYSICIAN, EXTRA-LICENTIATE. judiciously licentiates extra urbem of the Royal College of Physicians. THE PROJECTED CHARTER OF THE COLLEGE OF I wish most cordially I could devote time sufficient to assist in organizing the whole body of the class to which I have the PHYSICIANS, AND NEW SCHEME OF MEDICAL honour to belong. I should indeed consider it a positive REFORM. duty to be engaged, as an humble instrument, in so justifiable To the Editor of THE LANCET. a proceeding, now rendered absolutely necessary by the base SIR,—Is it possible that the members of the medical pro- intrigues and premeditated injustice and wickedness of the fession will remain quiet, and allow a College Charter to be College authorities against their own members-men having well-defined privileges, pursuant to a specific Act of Parliagranted, of a retrospective nature, as, by clause two, all ment. But though the spirit is willing, truly my professional after will a become degrees granted January list, 1842, nullity, not allowing their holders to register as members of the engagements absorb all my time. It is to be hoped, however,
position have
College of Physicians, thereby giving an ex post facto law? Again, are we quietly to pass over this new, jumbled piece of medical legislation, called a Medical Dill," which, if passed, will deprive physicians’ degrees from being registered, if the holders of them practise as surgeons, &c.? What, pray, willbecome of the London University graduates, many ofthem the most talented men of the day, who hold the M.D. degree, yet practise as surgeons, or generally? If this law passes, they will be deprived of their rights, and a premium will be offered for men to give up aspiring to the higher degrees of medicine, thereby returning to the old times of class legislation and the gold-headed cane. Had the profession unanimously and strenuously fought for your Bill, as introduced last session, a good system of medical reform would have been established, and no member deprived of rights attained at much expense, time, and labour. I will simply state my own case. I am a member of the College of Surgeons, a licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, and a graduate in medicine of a British university, (attained after a most severe and trying examination,) of 1842. I practise as a surgeon, not dispensing my mediMay, cine. If this Bill passes, I must register either as a surgeon or general practitioner; and if, at any future day, I may wish to practise as a physician, I cannot, without appearing for a fresh examination, as this Bill deprived me of my M.D. when I registered as a surgeon. "
younger than I am, energetic and zealous, forward, and form themselves at once into a Committee ; draw up a form of petition to the House of Commons, embodying " distinct allegations relative to our present position, and what would become our position if the proposed charter were to be granted by the Crown;" forward a copy to each extra urbent licentiate; and appoint a day for an aggregate meeting in London, to discuss our grievances, and take into consideration the "retrospective vengeance" of our College, which ought to be quite above so dishonourable and
that will
some men
come
dishonest
a
trick.
The addresses of many of our body unfortunately is not given in the College Catalogue; but the " Provincial Medical Directory," though far from being universally correct, will no doubt greatly assist the labours of a Committee. All the necessary expenses, of course, will be paid by the several members.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, M.D., AND LICENTIATE EXTRA URBEM OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. March, 1848.
PATHOLOGY AND TREATMENT OF CHOLERA. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—In your last LANCET I read some remarks on cholera by Dr. Mainwaring, and it appears to me that he attempts to account for some of the phenomena of that disease in a
376 He suggests tartarizedI useful remedy. As I have seen the disease ina antimony India, perhaps I may be allowed to make a very few remarkss In the first place, I would suggest, that the on the subject. " black blood" spoken of by Dr. Mainwaring is probably caused by the spasm of the diaphragm and other muscles of respiration, preventing the lungs from carrying on their functions, and consequently impeding the process of arterialization ; and not by the gas spoken of by him acting chemically upon the blood. As far as my experience goes, Asiatic cholera is no respecter of persons. I have seen it as frequently attack the. most regular livers as any other description of persons; but I: think that when the seizure has taken place the previousi habits of the patient may influence the character of the disI must say that tartarized antimony does not appear ease. to me indicated in a disease, the most prominent symptoms: of which are irritability of stomach and collapse; and, for my own part, I should prefer relying on counter-irritation, opium, and stimulants, followed by one or two moderate doses of calomel.—I am, Sir, yours obediently, G. C. ARMSTRONG, M.D. Orchard-st., Portman-sq., March, 1848. manner more as a
ingenious than probable.
_
.
.
.
,
.
Tuesday,
Jan.
11th, 1848.
SIR,—I consider your reply to my letter of the 7th instant as unsatisfactory, and as disgraceful to you as the conduct of which I complained.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A. Ross, M.D. To Dr. George Scott. And thus, for the present, has closed the correspondence. The circumstances leading to my correspondence with Dr. Allatt came under my notice immediately after I had written my last note to Dr. Scott, with such certainty to me of their exactitude, that I conceived it my duty to ask for an explanation of them. The persons whom Dr. Allatt styles "these people" are, I assure you, well known for their integrity, and are respected by all who know them. The husband is the master of the British Free Schools here, which situation he has held for ten or twelve years, and by his uniform good conduct, in his humble sphere, has procured that esteem which wealth and rank cannot always command. After these preliminary remarks, I believe my letters to Dr. Allatt sufficiently explain the circumstances.
(COPY.) 12, Grande Rue, January 11th, 1848.
PROFESSIONAL ETIQUETTE IN BOULOGNE. To the Editor of THE LANCET. me to claim the privilege of an old subscriber SIR,—Allow
begging a place in your columns for the following correspondence. On first settling here in practice, I was informed in
SIR,—Mr. and Mrs. S---- have respectively reported to me what passed between you and the latter, on the occasion of your strangely-timed visit on Sunday last ; and with the former, at the interview he had with you on Monday morning. If they were not both persons of well-known probity, and also of intelligence, I could not have believed it possible that you should so far have forgotten what was due to the dignity of our common profession. I am informed, that when allusion was made to my having been in attendance on Mrs. S-, you asked, " Who on earth could have recommended Ross to them ?" and that you, moreover, observed, that they would have done much better to have employed you, as you would have cured her in a fortnight, instead of the long period that I had been in attendance. As I consider that such remarks convey a reflection on my professional character, I feel called upon to ask for an explanation of them.-I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient
that the usual and most certain means to obtain immediate success was of a description totally at variance with all my ideas of professional dignity, and which accordingly I could not employ. The consequence has been, that I have voluntarily submitted to be far outstripped in immediate success by all my competitors, even by one who has been settled here a much shorter time than myself. I have patiently submitted also to pass over in silence the frequent occurrence of gross breaches of etiquette, and the attempts, often successful, to deprive me of my patients. But the two following instances have occurred so closely servant, A. Ross, M.D. To Dr. Allatt. after one or two others, that I have determined, reluctantly, not to pass them over any longer without explanation and (COPY.) Boulogne-sur-mer, Jan. 12th, 1848. exposure. The circumstances leading to the first correspondence are so exactly detailed in my letter to Dr. Scott, SIR,—I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this day. that no remarks are required. I really feel surprised that the conversation of Mr. and Mrs. S- should justify the honour of my receiving a letter from (COPY.) 12. Grande Rue, Jan. 7th, 1848. ’, you, and still more so, at your thinking proper to designate my calling upon them as a " strangely timed visit," which you will SIR,—I was requested, in the afternoon of Monday, the allow me to say I consider a very gratuitous observation on 27th ultimo, to see Mrs. -, whom I found labouring under the prevailing influenza, exhibiting itself in a severe attack your part. I called on Mr. S- to present him my account of bronchitis, extending to the smaller tubes, into which the for attendance during the year 1847. I was not aware that air could scarcely penetrate, the larger ones being also any one was ill in the house, and was surprised to see Mrs. S- in bed. Having attended these people the last blocked up with mucus. Mrs. had been suffering for a week before I was seven or eight years, I naturally asked who was attending her, called to her. I visited her again on Tuesday and Wednes- and upon hearing that it was you, I inquired who had recomday. On Thursday morning I went at the hour appointed, mended her to consult you ? Whether I made any exclamaand was surprised to find that you had seen her the evening tion at the interference of busy-bodies, or not, I really cannot before, and had prescribed for her without having any com- say. With respect to your second accusation, that I said if munication with me. I was asked to see her, but declined, they had employed me I could have cured her in a fortnight, I totally deny it. Whether I attend Mr. and Mrs. S- is a excepting with you, expressing my readiness to meet you in matter of very slight importance to me. I feel disgusted at consultation, or to see her alone if you were unable to visit the system of undermining which is always going on in this her. I heard nothing more of the case till I learnt, with regret, place by certain partizans. I have lived too long and too died on Sunday. I have much in the world, Sir, to make use of loose observations to on Monday, Jan. 3rd, that Mrs. since heard that you called in two other medical men. justify my being called upon for explanations, as I have neither Under the disagreeable circumstances, I beg to call upon time nor inclination to write letters; and perhaps when you you for your reasons for treating me in a way so totally next do me the honour of addressing me, you will have someinconsistent with the ordinary rules of professional etiquette. thing more palpable to handle. Quite at your service, Sir, I have the honour to be, your very obedient servant, —I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant, R. ALLATT. To Dr. Ross. A. Ross, M.D., M.R.C.S.E., to the Suffolk General Late Physician to To Dr. George Scott. Hospital. (COPY.) January 14th, 1848. The following is a copy of Dr. Scott’s reply:on the remarks SIR,—Without making any style of yours of January 8th, 1848. , the 12th, which I had the honour of receiving yesterday, I contained in the letter of 7th your SIR,—The allegation instant being unfounded, you will admit that no further leave others to judge whether it is satisfactory or not. I feel called upon, however unwillingly, to intrude upon your notice explanation is necessary. a few observations, which seem to me to be called for by your I am, Sir, your obedient servant, letter to me, but which, I trust, may not cause you the trouble GEORGE SCOTT. GEORGE To Dr. Ross. of a reply. To show my laconic correspondent that I did not admit You must be aware, that though you say you"had ateither his premises or conclusion, I addressed to him the tended these people the last seven or eight years," you had, in following note:reality, more than a year ago, in 1846, refused to attend Mrs. -
____ -
-
-
____