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STATE OF THE PROFESSION.
800 TO CORRESPONDENTS.
STATE OF THE PROFESSION.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—Presuming that most, if not all, medical men read your journal, may I intrude on your columns to direct their attention to the principal cause of the present distressed state of the profession, (the very numerous class of genera.l practitioners). I would ask, does not the evil rest with the two constituted authorities - the college of surgeons, and the society of apothecaries ? The former, I know, requires of its members, that they should at all times maintain the honour and dignity of the profession, and, in return, undertakes to afford them every protection in the practice of it : In what single instance have they redeemed that pledge It is notorious that hundreds are practising, both in London and in the country, illegally, and without any regular medical education,, and that others are daily smuggling themselves into the profession by writing on their doors or windows, surgeon or surgeon-apothecary; thereby imposing both on the profession and on the public. If then the powers which profess to be the guardians of our rights and privileges, remain indifferent to our interests, it behoves us to adopt some plan of our own, to enable the public to distinguish the legally.qualified and regularly educated practitioner, from the illegal and impudent intruder. I would suggest, that every member should write up on his door or window, 11 member of the royal college of surgeons," " or, licentiate of the society of apothecaries;" and the college and hall ought to inform the
Communications received from Mr. Greetham-Mr. Jackson—Mr. Frere—Mr. Croxall - Dr. Wilson.—Dr. Harman—Mr. Purton— Mr. Mayne—Mr. Laing-Mr. Rye—Mr. Johnson—Mr. William Young—Mr. F. Young-Dr. Barton—Mr. J. Mytton—Mr. William Lewis—Mr. Edwads-Dr. Twycross-Mr. Litclfield, Dr. McFadzen—A
i
Subscriber—A Druggist’s Assistant—Chirrurgicus—Expositor—O. " µ." If the paper can be found, it shall
be left at the LANCET office, directed Z. Z. within a week. All letters are usually des. a short period. troyed if not inserted after The explanation of " Amicus Sciential" ’ was received too late to attend the proposed ’
appointment.
The communication of Mr. Edwards reach. too late for insertion this week. " A Subscriber." We can have no objec. tion for the description of " sound chirur. gical," published in No. 313, to be applied to the Bury and Suffolk Hospital. We will answer A Junior Subscriber’s inquiries in our next. ’, We very much approve of the spirit in which the letter of Mr. Edward Davies is written, but he is wholly wrong in his conclusiols. Surely it is not necessary that a reviewer should lay before his readers, every fact which may have influenced him in forming his opinions. The judgment may have been defective, but our honesty cannot be impeached. We regard the work in question as a rank puff, and our only error, if was that of forbearance. public, by constantly advertising, that those any, Neither the wit nor the flattery of " 0." who have not this distinction, are practising us to relax in our determination. illegally, or without their sanction. It is can induce"break not a fly upon the wlieel." ; high time something was done ; and I hope Besides that you. who have always been the advo- It could afford " O." no pleasure to wound cate of the general practitioner, will give us the feelings of a most industrious and worthy man. your able assistance on the subject. &c. Ensuing session. VerbaYours, tim. M. R. C. S. London, Sept. 12th. If " Hibernus"will oblige us with a list we will publish it. " ERRATUM: Senex." No ; not a leaf of it. Can he In Dr. Blundell’s Sixth Lecture on the not perceive that the report owes its origin Gravid Uterus, Vol. I, page 261, line 8, for to the foulest malignity ? Unchanged and " absolute," read " obsolete." unchangeable.
ed us
" Chirurgicus."
END OF VOL.
II.,
1828—9.
STATE OF THE PROFESSION.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—Presuming that most, if not all, medical men read your journal, may I intrude on your columns to direct their attention to the principal cause of the present distressed state of the profession, (the very numerous class of genera.l practitioners). I would ask, does not the evil rest with the two constituted authorities - the college of surgeons, and the society of apothecaries ? The former, I know, requires of its members, that they should at all times maintain the honour and dignity of the profession, and, in return, undertakes to afford them every protection in the practice of it : In what single instance have they redeemed that pledge It is notorious that hundreds are practising, both in London and in the country, illegally, and without any regular medical education,, and that others are daily smuggling themselves into the profession by writing on their doors or windows, surgeon or surgeon-apothecary; thereby imposing both on the profession and on the public. If then the powers which profess to be the guardians of our rights and privileges, remain indifferent to our interests, it behoves us to adopt some plan of our own, to enable the public to distinguish the legally.qualified and regularly educated practitioner, from the illegal and impudent intruder. I would suggest, that every member should write up on his door or window, 11 member of the royal college of surgeons," " or, licentiate of the society of apothecaries;" and the college and hall ought to inform the
Communications received from Mr. Greetham-Mr. Jackson—Mr. Frere—Mr. Croxall - Dr. Wilson.—Dr. Harman—Mr. Purton— Mr. Mayne—Mr. Laing-Mr. Rye—Mr. Johnson—Mr. William Young—Mr. F. Young-Dr. Barton—Mr. J. Mytton—Mr. William Lewis—Mr. Edwads-Dr. Twycross-Mr. Litclfield, Dr. McFadzen—A
i
Subscriber—A Druggist’s Assistant—Chirrurgicus—Expositor—O. " µ." If the paper can be found, it shall
be left at the LANCET office, directed Z. Z. within a week. All letters are usually des. a short period. troyed if not inserted after The explanation of " Amicus Sciential" ’ was received too late to attend the proposed ’
appointment.
The communication of Mr. Edwards reach. too late for insertion this week. " A Subscriber." We can have no objec. tion for the description of " sound chirur. gical," published in No. 313, to be applied to the Bury and Suffolk Hospital. We will answer A Junior Subscriber’s inquiries in our next. ’, We very much approve of the spirit in which the letter of Mr. Edward Davies is written, but he is wholly wrong in his conclusiols. Surely it is not necessary that a reviewer should lay before his readers, every fact which may have influenced him in forming his opinions. The judgment may have been defective, but our honesty cannot be impeached. We regard the work in question as a rank puff, and our only error, if was that of forbearance. public, by constantly advertising, that those any, Neither the wit nor the flattery of " 0." who have not this distinction, are practising us to relax in our determination. illegally, or without their sanction. It is can induce"break not a fly upon the wlieel." ; high time something was done ; and I hope Besides that you. who have always been the advo- It could afford " O." no pleasure to wound cate of the general practitioner, will give us the feelings of a most industrious and worthy man. your able assistance on the subject. &c. Ensuing session. VerbaYours, tim. M. R. C. S. London, Sept. 12th. If " Hibernus"will oblige us with a list we will publish it. " ERRATUM: Senex." No ; not a leaf of it. Can he In Dr. Blundell’s Sixth Lecture on the not perceive that the report owes its origin Gravid Uterus, Vol. I, page 261, line 8, for to the foulest malignity ? Unchanged and " absolute," read " obsolete." unchangeable.
ed us
" Chirurgicus."
END OF VOL.
II.,
1828—9.