SOME ASPECTS OF THE RECENT MEETING OF FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.

THE PRINCIPLE OF DIRECT REPRESENTATION.

177

it was undesirable to put Members on the council. that they will notelect rash or untried men. They Mr. do he to PAGE the no Member shall be for To a justice, yielded quickly suggestion have proposed that eligible of Mr. TWEEDY to omit the less generous parts of his amend- seat on the council who is of less than twenty years’ standment, and to be content with the simple, and what will be ing. They have everything to gain by electing men of the the historical, averment, that it is desirable to give the highest repute and standing in all departments of medical Members of the College direct representation upon the knowledge and practice who will represent the principle of

thought

council.

direct representation with dignity. To require them But the historical interest will centre not so much to be content with a representation by Fellows is rather in the declaration of the Fellows in 1896, that the direct to mock them than to meet their wishes.This is, representation of the Members on the council is desirable, as of course, not saying that they should be precluded in the fact that such an expression of opinion should have from electing Fellows as their representatives. But it been deferred

and that when made it was so contrived as to take all directness out of the representation and to make it oblique or indirect. It will be the surprise of later generations that such a body as the College, which has ruled so largely in medical education and examination, boasts of a membership larger than that of so

long,

would be little creditable to the Members and to the principle of direct representation if they cannot find in their own

order men to represent them. This principle applies to the General Medical Council as well as to single corporations. The representation of Fellows and of official men from schools and hospitals on the Council and in the Examining It was not to any other examining body or of all other examining bodies Bodies is ample enough already. the Members which have for the most the and of this that put together, part increase profession spent years in fighting for conducted the general practice of England for generations, the principle. What is wanted to ensure the peace and has yet thought so slightly of its Members as to have prosperity of the profession and to bring its leading bodies into excluded them from all voice or share in the government and harmony with itself is a representation of the rank and file, discipline of the College. The argument from history on who, we verily believe, will be as jealous for the education which Mr. HENRY MORRIS mainly founded his opposition and the honour of the profession as those who are drawn to direct representation of Members would tend to prevent from its teaching and consulting ranks. all progress and all change in scientific bodies, and encourage the perpetuation of all the old abuses of which all are now ashamed. Mr. TWEEDY and Mr. GANT and others have done great service in inducing Mr. PAGE to withdraw the limiting words of his resolution, and to approve the principle "N6 quid nimia." of direct representation simpliciter. It is scarcely possible to believe, after this expression of opinion by a majority of SOME ASPECTS OF THE RECENT MEETING OF Fellows, that there will be any further hitch on the part of FELLOWS OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF the College in conceding direct representation of Members SURGEONS OF ENGLAND. either Members the Members or Fellows as see fit. may by THE more carefully the proceedings at the half-yearly If ever there was a time when the executive of our medical meeting of Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of corporations needed to be strong it is now. The numbers of England held on the 2nd inst. are studied, the greater the profession and the competition which is thereby involved reason have the advocates of the claims of the Members of the College to be satisfied with the acceptance of the make the maintenance of the discipline and traditions of the principle of direct representation ofMembers of the College profession at once more difficult and more necessary than at on the council by the assembled Fellows. The meeting was any anterior period. But there can be no strength in the the largest, the most important, and the most representative executive unless it represents the constituency and unless meeting of the Fellows which has yet been held. Three there is harmony between the various sections of which members of the council of the College spoke in favour of the the constituency consists. The Royal College of Surgeons principle, and a fourth, who adopted a neutral attitude, was with the movement, whilst the of England found that, when it went to the Home Secretary known to sympathise warmly one member of the Council who spoke against the concession for his sanction to a new ethical clause, the opposition of the and was the sole speaker on the opposition side certainly dissatisfied Members had some influence, and the council had made no converts, if he did not influence votes in the other at least to adopt a different form of expression to ensure the direction. Out of eighty-one Fellows present only seven acceptance of the proposed new by-laws. In spite of the could be found to hold up their hands against the resolution dogged opposition to direct representation there are many "that it is desirable to give to the Members of the College indications that it is giving way, and that the intellectual direct representation on the Council," whilst at least sixty Fellows held up their hands in its favour. If a similar proleaders of corporations are beginning to perceive that such portion should be maintained throughout the constituency a concession will bring to their councils an element of exit would result in showing more than 800 supporters and perience, and even of wisdom-and, above all, of sympathetic about 100 opponents of the principle. Be this as it cooperation--which can only be to the general advantage. may, the vote and the circumstances attending the vote We must not omit, however, to point out that the con- constitute a very striking evidence of the growth of cession of direct representation of members of the profession liberal opinion in the constituency of£ Fellows since the subject was first discussed at the College rather or of any of its colleges makes it incumbent on them to use more than ten years ago. At that period the council the greatest diligence and care in selecting such representasanctioned the issue ofmemoranda said to have been tives as will sustain the reputation of the principle. The unanimously adopted by the members of the council against Members of the College seem to give guarantees beforehand the Members’ claims. The present position of the question-

Annotations.

178 a large extent the outcome of the policy of establishing large force was ready and waiting to effect a junction with separate meetings of the Fellows of the College, and thus him on the appearance of his force, his expedition could affording opportunities for discussion and interchange of only have been what it proved-a hopeless undertaking. As opinion-is especially gratifying to THE LANCET, inasmuch it was, the agitation in Johannesburg had no backbone; it as we have never ceased, even in periods when the fortunes seems to have had no organisation or plan of action, and the of the Members appeared to be at a low ebb, to advocate con- raid across the border ofthe South African Republic went as cessions and to urge upon the council and the Fellows the straight into a position from which there was no escape as wisdom and expediency of giving to the Members of the a rat or a bird into a baited trap. The raid, whether College a share in the government, and thus uniting in successful or unsuccessful, was no doubt a most illegal harmonious relations all who belong to this great corporation. and indefensible action; but, apart from its grave political It will have been noted by our readers that the resolution aspect, it was bound to be unsuccessful. The position affirming the desirability of direct representation of the attacked was an impregnable one; the attacking force, Members of the College on the council has been referred by instead of being a preponderating body, was ridiculously the council to the committee, which received deputations inadequate for the purpose, besides being insufficiently from the Association of Fellows and from the Society of supplied with food, water, and ammunition, and neither Members and has not yet sent in a report to the council. the men nor their horses were equal to the strain to What may be the recommendations of the committee we are which they were subjected. Now, Dr. Jameson’s previous not in a position to anticipate, but the significance of the career had proved that he was a man of ability and

to

vote in favour of the Members is such that it would seem advisable that the views of the entire constituency of Fellows should be ascertained without delay. If these views should prove confirmatory of the recent vote we do not see how the council can any longer hesitate to give effect to them. It is to be regretted that the great length of the proceedings at the meeting in reference to the questions of the representation of the Members of the College on the council and the admission of women to the examinations for the diplomas of the College prevented the full discussion of the case of Mr. R. B. Anderson, thus precluding the Fellows from evincing their warm sympathy with him on account of the grievous wrongs which have been inflicted upon him in the sacred name of justice. The endurance of the audience had been exhausted, and when Mr. Holmes rose to speak a rapid exodus was in progress, so that by the time he came to the end of his remarks the requisite quorum of thirty Fellows no longer existed. The President, therefore, was precluded from putting the resolution to the meeting, which thus came to an untimely end. It would have been a point gained if the support of the body of Fellows to which Mr. Anderson belongs could have been demonstrated at a large meeting, and we sincerely trust that the Fellows will take the earliest opportunity to lend at least their moral aid to Mr. Anderson in his courageous efforts to obtain redress, to vindicate the rights of medical practitioners, and, if necessary, to secure an amendment of the law. There was one other incident at the meeting to which we wish to allude. Before the commencement of the proceedings two reporters had been admitted and had taken their seats near the well. These" strangers"were soon discovered and were requested to withdraw ; they were at The once obedient to the injunction of the President. exclusion of reporters is thought by the officials of the College to be necessary in order to emphasise the informal character of the meetings of Fellows ; but would it not be for the advantage of the profession and the College, that the proceedings should be properly and completely reported in the medical press?7 This is a subject which we commend to the careful and favourable consideration of the council of the College.

cool judgment as well as courage and daring, and he had for comrades in his desperate enterprise professional soldiers. It seems impossible, then, to suppose that they would have started on such a service unless they had been dominated by a conviction that it was absolutely necessary to undertake it, and at once. On the other hand, was it only the out. come of a badly designed plot formed long before ? As far as we are at present in possession of the facts, it would certainly seem to have been a hopeless and unwarrantable expedition ; but it is only fair to add that we are not yet in possession of all the facts. One side of the unfortunate story has been told, but it leaves us altogether in doubt as to the reasons and motives that actuated the leaders of the raid against the Boers. What were the antecedent and attendant circumstances ? Who were the real movers and instigators of the plot-if plot it was?7 What part did Colonel Rhodes, who was present in Johannesburg, take in the business ? Why did not President Kruger, if he was aware of any widespread plot, warn the High Commissioner and prevent its accomplishment ? What the public like is, after all, a good advocate, one who strongly takes up one or other side of a question ; but that is manifestly not the way to get at the truth. We must know a good deal more than we do at present before we can say how far Dr. Jameson was to blame and deserving of censure or not ; and this we trust we shall learn later, when he and those acting with him have had an opportunity of speaking. The distress of the wounded from want of water must have been considerable. We are glad, however, to notice that all accounts agree in saying that they were well cared for as soon as they fell into the hands of the Boers, who seem to have behaved with a consideration and humanity that were most creditable to them under the circumstances.

THEATRES, WHY NOT CHURCHES &rgr; A CORRESPONDENT of the Times, in a letter dated Jan. 7th, points out a custom existing in sundry churches, of the kind known as fashionable, which is a real danger to IF

’

the

community. He draws attention to Margaret’s, Westminster, the aisles

at St.

THE TRANSVAAL AND DR. JAMESON.

the fact that and the nave with regard to

are blocked up with chairs, and that, THE political horizon has undergone a sensible change for another fashionable church, St. James’s, Marylebone, the better, although it cannot yet be said to be free from dis- the Rev. H. R. Haweis writes: "I have more than quieting clouds. Notwithstanding that we have ascertained doubled the legal number of free seats by means of many details regarding Dr. Jameson’s raid, we are still very chairs, camps (sic), and slabs." We regard this as a highly much in the dark as to the actual causes which led to its objectionable practice in two respects-firstly, on account being undertaken and the exact motives that actuated its of the danger of blocking the exits in case of panic; leaders. Who signed and sent the document and plan that and, secondly, because of the injury to health caused are stated to have been found after the fight was over? by cramming a building to its utmost capacity. Churches Unless it had been represented to Dr. Jameson that the are never too well ventilated, and there should be a definite people of Johannesburg were in great straits and that a limit imposed upon the numbers of the congregation. We