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THE BELGIAN DOCTORS' AND PHARMACISTS' RELIEF FUND.
351 and is due to chronic peritonitis from venous congestion or hepatic cirrhosis. Pain behind the sternum has been noticed in some cases. Symptoms of pressure on the cesophagus or trachea are rare. Percussion may yield a dull note over the manubrium and in the interscapular region. On auscultation an important sign appears, which has been described by Perez-a rough, creaking, to-andfro friction sound over the manubrium when the arms are moved upwards and downwards.
THE Central Committee for National Patriotic
Organizations, through its chairman Mr. Henry Cust, has sent a letter to the press thanking the prominent citizens, the public, and the press for their support at the successful meetings held in London at the Guildhall and London Opera House, and in many distant parts of the world. These influential meetings expressing the national attitude in regard to the war have been free to the public, but heavy expenses of organisation and equipment have been met by the committee, which depends solely upon voluntary subscriptions. The committee, of which the honorary president is the Prime Minister and the vice-presidents the Earl of Rosebery and the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P., has much other work in hand of a patriotic and economic nature, but is urgently in need of funds for the work. Subscriptions of any amount should be sent to the treasurer of the committee at 62, Charing Cross, London, S.W.
THE
BELGIAN DOCTORS’ AND PHARMACISTS’ RELIEF FUND. THE WEEK’S SUBSCRIPTIONS.
THE
outstanding
feature of the week’s
subscrip-
tions is the fine contribution from the Canadian Committee. The generosity of our colonies, which has been so marked a feature in the growth of the Fund, is further shown in subscriptions from Newfoundland and Cape
Colony.
-
MEDICINE AND THE LAW. TV0711en and Veterinary Surgery. meeting of the council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons an interesting discussion arose out of a letter which had been received from the registrar of the University of Liverpool asking whether, in the event of AT
THE APPEAL
FOR
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Dr. Prosser White, Standishgate, Miss H. C. Boulland, Leeds Preston.
Merthyr ;
Wigan; Anonymous, ; Dr. F. W. Collinson,
recent
the necessary courses in veterinary the University of Liverpool, the council of would be prepared to admit such candidates to their examinations, and, in the event of their passing, to issue to them licences to practise. The council resolved to reply that it was advised that it did not possess the power to grant diplomas of membership to women, after the council’s solicitor, Mr. Thatcher, had been invited by a member to give his reasons for the which he had tendered to the effect indicated. Mr. Thatcher referred to Section 1 of the Interpretation Act, 1889, to the effect that in any Act of Parliament since 1850 any words of masculine meaning shall import the feminine unless there is some reason to the contrary, and explained that it had been laid down that in such matters as that under discussion usage and long precedent must be taken into consideration. Otherwise, in charters and Acts of Parliament the words used generally cover either sex, as, for example, "persons," "students," " and the Latin scholae. Turning to parallel cases, he informed the council that in 1865 the Society of Apothecaries gave their diploma to a woman and afterwards claimed to have the right to admit women to their examinations. They, however, seemed to have had doubts as to the legality of this, for they obtained the passing of an Act of Parliament in 1875 giving to them, or confirming to them, the right which they claimed to possess. The University of Edinburgh, deriving its authority from a charter of 1588, in which the word "scholarum"" occurs, passed regulations in 1869 for the admission of women to education and degrees in medicine, and when certain professors declined to carry out these regulations, a woman, desiring to take advantage of them, brought an action to compel the professors to supply the necessary education for her benefit. The Court of Session thereupon decided that, in spite of the language of the charter, there was no power to admit women to the medical profession because to do so would be contrary to old usage and precedent. In 1876 the Medical Qualifications Act gave all bodies having power to admit to the medical profession power to do so without distinction of sexes (but did not give women the right to insist upon such admission), thus settling the question so far as it concerned medicine. In the legal profession the matter came before the courts recently, in 1914, in the case of Bebb v. the Incorporated Law Society, on the application of a woman to be admitted as a solicitor. In that case Mr. Justice Joyce held that the foundation of the common law was usage and precedent, and that these were against the contention of plaintiff, the Court of Appeal afterwards unanimously confirming this decision. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, it was pointed out by Mr. Thatcher, derived its powers and rights from a charter granted in 1844, the Royal Veterinary College was founded in 1791, the Dick College in 1823, and the Glasgow College in 1863. The first-named had never admitted any woman to practise, and the three latter bodies had not admitted any woman as a student. Their usage was not of great antiquity but was unbroken. the question had been raised and afterwards dropped although I in the case of a woman educated at the New Veterinary College, Edinburgh, who sought examination in 1897. In the discussion that followed reference was made to the fact that in our modern universities courses of instruction and degrees are open to men and women without distinction, and to the degree of B.Sc. in Veterinary Science granted by the University of London. It was pointed out, however, that this was not a diploma and gave no right to one, or to use any name, title, or designation implying that its holder was qualified to practise as a veterinary surgeon. Mr. Thatcher summarised the situation in this respect by saying that in his opinion there was a distinction between a woman taking a degree which shows that she possesses certain knowledge and a woman taking a diploma which entitles her to practise. The parallel of the legal profession applied here, there being women
attending
subjects in the College
advice
passed
Subscriptions to the Fund should be sent to the treasurer of the Fund, Dr. H. A. Des Vceux, at 14, Buckingham-gate, London, S.W., and should be made payable to the Belgian Doctors’ and Pharmacists’ Relief Fund, crossed Lloyds Bank, Ltd. The Master of the Society of Apothecaries of London begs to acknowledge the receipt of surgical instruments kindly contributed by the following donors since the publication of the last list ;
a
THE Central Committee for National Patriotic
Organizations, through its chairman Mr. Henry Cust, has sent a letter to the press thanking the prominent citizens, the public, and the press for their support at the successful meetings held in London at the Guildhall and London Opera House, and in many distant parts of the world. These influential meetings expressing the national attitude in regard to the war have been free to the public, but heavy expenses of organisation and equipment have been met by the committee, which depends solely upon voluntary subscriptions. The committee, of which the honorary president is the Prime Minister and the vice-presidents the Earl of Rosebery and the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P., has much other work in hand of a patriotic and economic nature, but is urgently in need of funds for the work. Subscriptions of any amount should be sent to the treasurer of the committee at 62, Charing Cross, London, S.W.
THE
BELGIAN DOCTORS’ AND PHARMACISTS’ RELIEF FUND. THE WEEK’S SUBSCRIPTIONS.
THE
outstanding
feature of the week’s
subscrip-
tions is the fine contribution from the Canadian Committee. The generosity of our colonies, which has been so marked a feature in the growth of the Fund, is further shown in subscriptions from Newfoundland and Cape
Colony.
-
MEDICINE AND THE LAW. TV0711en and Veterinary Surgery. meeting of the council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons an interesting discussion arose out of a letter which had been received from the registrar of the University of Liverpool asking whether, in the event of AT
THE APPEAL
FOR
SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS.
Dr. Prosser White, Standishgate, Miss H. C. Boulland, Leeds Preston.
Merthyr ;
Wigan; Anonymous, ; Dr. F. W. Collinson,
recent
the necessary courses in veterinary the University of Liverpool, the council of would be prepared to admit such candidates to their examinations, and, in the event of their passing, to issue to them licences to practise. The council resolved to reply that it was advised that it did not possess the power to grant diplomas of membership to women, after the council’s solicitor, Mr. Thatcher, had been invited by a member to give his reasons for the which he had tendered to the effect indicated. Mr. Thatcher referred to Section 1 of the Interpretation Act, 1889, to the effect that in any Act of Parliament since 1850 any words of masculine meaning shall import the feminine unless there is some reason to the contrary, and explained that it had been laid down that in such matters as that under discussion usage and long precedent must be taken into consideration. Otherwise, in charters and Acts of Parliament the words used generally cover either sex, as, for example, "persons," "students," " and the Latin scholae. Turning to parallel cases, he informed the council that in 1865 the Society of Apothecaries gave their diploma to a woman and afterwards claimed to have the right to admit women to their examinations. They, however, seemed to have had doubts as to the legality of this, for they obtained the passing of an Act of Parliament in 1875 giving to them, or confirming to them, the right which they claimed to possess. The University of Edinburgh, deriving its authority from a charter of 1588, in which the word "scholarum"" occurs, passed regulations in 1869 for the admission of women to education and degrees in medicine, and when certain professors declined to carry out these regulations, a woman, desiring to take advantage of them, brought an action to compel the professors to supply the necessary education for her benefit. The Court of Session thereupon decided that, in spite of the language of the charter, there was no power to admit women to the medical profession because to do so would be contrary to old usage and precedent. In 1876 the Medical Qualifications Act gave all bodies having power to admit to the medical profession power to do so without distinction of sexes (but did not give women the right to insist upon such admission), thus settling the question so far as it concerned medicine. In the legal profession the matter came before the courts recently, in 1914, in the case of Bebb v. the Incorporated Law Society, on the application of a woman to be admitted as a solicitor. In that case Mr. Justice Joyce held that the foundation of the common law was usage and precedent, and that these were against the contention of plaintiff, the Court of Appeal afterwards unanimously confirming this decision. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, it was pointed out by Mr. Thatcher, derived its powers and rights from a charter granted in 1844, the Royal Veterinary College was founded in 1791, the Dick College in 1823, and the Glasgow College in 1863. The first-named had never admitted any woman to practise, and the three latter bodies had not admitted any woman as a student. Their usage was not of great antiquity but was unbroken. the question had been raised and afterwards dropped although I in the case of a woman educated at the New Veterinary College, Edinburgh, who sought examination in 1897. In the discussion that followed reference was made to the fact that in our modern universities courses of instruction and degrees are open to men and women without distinction, and to the degree of B.Sc. in Veterinary Science granted by the University of London. It was pointed out, however, that this was not a diploma and gave no right to one, or to use any name, title, or designation implying that its holder was qualified to practise as a veterinary surgeon. Mr. Thatcher summarised the situation in this respect by saying that in his opinion there was a distinction between a woman taking a degree which shows that she possesses certain knowledge and a woman taking a diploma which entitles her to practise. The parallel of the legal profession applied here, there being women
attending
subjects in the College
advice
passed
Subscriptions to the Fund should be sent to the treasurer of the Fund, Dr. H. A. Des Vceux, at 14, Buckingham-gate, London, S.W., and should be made payable to the Belgian Doctors’ and Pharmacists’ Relief Fund, crossed Lloyds Bank, Ltd. The Master of the Society of Apothecaries of London begs to acknowledge the receipt of surgical instruments kindly contributed by the following donors since the publication of the last list ;
a