179 BERLIN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The German Medical Praetitioners’ Association. THE delegates of the German Medical Practitioners’ Asso- ciation (Deutscher Aerztevereins Bund) held their annual meeting on June 28th and 29th at Wiesbaden. The principal subject of discussion was the admission of women into the medical profession. Medical women are very rare in Germany, as they are not permitted to take a German qualification. The few that there are have obtained their qualifications abroad, principally in Switzerland, and are therefore regarded by the laws of Germany as unqualified practitioners. Lawyers are divided in opinion as to the possibility of women becoming qualified under the present laws. A very serious obstacle is, or at least has been, caused by the regulation that German medical students must pass the Abiturienten-Examen at a German gymnasium before beginning their medical curriculum and there has hitherto been no gymnasium where women were admitted, but this state of things is now altered as a women’s gymnasium has been founded by private means in Berlin. The discussion at the Practitioners’ Association was opened by Professor Penzoldt of Erlangen, who first of all described the position of medical practice by females in countries where they are legally recognised as qualified. America, he said, affords no precedent for Germany, owing to the great difference in the social conditions of both countries. In England female practitioners are wanted for the native population in India, where religious prejudices often prevent native women from consulting medical men. In Russia the relatively small number of medical men, especially in the vast country districts, has induced the Government to look for medical aid wherever it may be obtainable, and on this account medical women have been encouraged. In Switzer- land, the El Dorado of women’s emancipation, there are only 23 ladies actually engaged in medical practice ; the others have left the profession. The Swiss university professors are of opinion that the female students come up to the average level, but that they hardly ever excel in either knowledge or dexterity. Women are not strong enough either for the fatigues of country practice or for the perform- ance of some surgical and gynaecological operations, so that female practitioners must necessarily fail in the struggle for existence. Their advocates say that the treatment of the diseases of women and children ought properly to be in the hands of female practitioners, and cases are quoted where women through bashfulness have deferred consulting a medical man until their condition became hopeless, but the fact is that the female gynaecologists in actual practice hardly ever undertake more than gynaecological examinations and minor operations and generally call in medical men for serious cases and important operations. Medical practice by women would therefore not be of any advantage to their own sex, whilst their admission as qualified practitioners would be injurious to the medical profession which already suffers greatly from overcrowding and from the competition of quacks. It seems strange, Professor Penzoldt said, that the medical profession should be the first to be thrown open to women, considering that the necessary course of study is more arduous and prolonged than is the case in the other learned professions. To give women a fair trial they should be allowed to enter the dental or the phar- maceutical professions, where technical ability is more wanted than scientific training. Midwifery practice would also be greatly improved if women of the better classes could be induced to enter on that career. Professor Penzoldt finally summed up his conclusions as follows. The admission of women to medical practice would be (1) of no advantage to the sick; would be (2) injurious rather than beneficial to the medical women themselves ; and would be (3) prejudicial to the universities and to the medical pro- fession. When women are admitted to the practice of medicine they must equally be allowed to engage in all the other academic careers. An animated discussion followed ’i Professor Penzoldt’s speech, the general result being that the delegates present agreed with his views. The other subjects considered at the meeting were of minor interest. The State Examination in Medicine. The Imperial Statistical Office has recently published the results of last year’s State examinations. There were 1295 I medical students admitted to the examination, of whom 1079 passed within the regular time. The greatest number (179) were examined in Munich, 152 in Wtirzburg, and 139 in Berlin. Berlin, although resorted to by the largest number of students, thus holds only the third place in numerical order, the explanation being that the Berlin State examina- tion is regarded as the most difficult in the empire. The highest commendation bestowed-sclar gnt, i.e., very good- was, in fact, not given to any of the candidates in Berlin, while in Munich and Leipzig 14 candidates obtained it. The State examination was passed by 23 foreigners, of whom one was an Englishman and two were Americans. July llth. ______________ AUSTRALIA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The Hospital Saturday Fund and the Sydney Hospitals. SEVERAL of the regular subscribers to the Hospital Saturday Fund in Sydney complained that on applying for admission to the hospitals assisted by the fund they were questioned as to their financial position and given to under- stand that payment was expected, notwithstanding that they presented a letter certifying that they were sub- scribers to the fund and were unable to pay for medical attendance. The committee of the Hospital Saturday Fund called a meeting of its members and dele- gates representing the regular subscribers to consider the complaints. The committee considered the complaints well founded and wrote to the governing bodies of the hospitals urging them to accede to the claims of the regular subscribers to the fund that they should be admitted to any of the charities assisted by the fund without being catechised as to their financial position or subjected to pressure for payment direct to the hospital. The committee, in recom- mending the claims of the subscribers, pointed out that the regular subscribers to this fund consist entirely of wage- earners, mostly of the artisan class, that they contribute per head as much as it is reasonable to expect from them in support of their hospitals, and that the aggregate contribu- tion is more than sufficient to pay the full cost and main- tenance and treatment of any proportion of the whole number likely to require hospital treatment. In proof of this, while the fund since its inception has distributed among the various local hospitals the sum of £12,500 it has been called upon to recommend only 125 applicants for admission to those hospitals, the contribution being equal to E100 for each case recommended." The matter was referred to a joint com- mittee of the Sydney Hospital and the Prince Alfred Hospital and this committee unanimously reported that the request of the subscribers should not be acceded to. This report was adopted by the hospitals. Tenure of Staff at Sydney Hospital. At a recent meeting of the board of directors of the Sydney Hospital it was proposed that in order to provide for an equitable system of promotion among the junior members of the honorary medical staff it was desirable that members of the staff holding the rank of honorary medical officers should hold office for a limited number of years and that the number of years during which full honorary medical officers may hold office should not exceed 12, divided into two periods of 6 years. After discussion the motion was negatived by a large majority. Position of the Staff at the Launceston Hospital. The hospital at Launceston is a growing institution. Originally founded as a cottage hospital it has gradually increased in scope. The medical control of the hospital has, however, remained the same in the hands of paid officers-a medical superintendent and a resident medical officer. For a long time the medical practitioners in the city have been agitating for an alteration and for the appointment of an honorary staff. Some time ago an honorary staff was appointed, but it proved to be such in name only, the work being still done by the paid officers. The local branch of the British Medical Association recently sent a deputation to the hospital board, asking for a change in the system of medical supervision so as to bring it into harmony with the practice obtaining in other countries. The chairman of the board, in reply, pointed out that the hospital was worked under an Act of Parliament
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179
BERLIN.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The German Medical Praetitioners’ Association.THE delegates of the German Medical Practitioners’ Asso-
ciation (Deutscher Aerztevereins Bund) held their annualmeeting on June 28th and 29th at Wiesbaden. The principalsubject of discussion was the admission of women into themedical profession. Medical women are very rare in
Germany, as they are not permitted to take a German
qualification. The few that there are have obtained theirqualifications abroad, principally in Switzerland, and aretherefore regarded by the laws of Germany as unqualifiedpractitioners. Lawyers are divided in opinion as to the
possibility of women becoming qualified under the presentlaws. A very serious obstacle is, or at least has been, causedby the regulation that German medical students must passthe Abiturienten-Examen at a German gymnasium beforebeginning their medical curriculum and there has hithertobeen no gymnasium where women were admitted, but thisstate of things is now altered as a women’s gymnasium hasbeen founded by private means in Berlin. The discussion atthe Practitioners’ Association was opened by ProfessorPenzoldt of Erlangen, who first of all described the positionof medical practice by females in countries where theyare legally recognised as qualified. America, he said,affords no precedent for Germany, owing to the greatdifference in the social conditions of both countries. In
England female practitioners are wanted for the native
population in India, where religious prejudices often preventnative women from consulting medical men. In Russia the
relatively small number of medical men, especially in thevast country districts, has induced the Government to lookfor medical aid wherever it may be obtainable, and on thisaccount medical women have been encouraged. In Switzer-land, the El Dorado of women’s emancipation, there are
only 23 ladies actually engaged in medical practice ; theothers have left the profession. The Swiss universityprofessors are of opinion that the female students come upto the average level, but that they hardly ever excel in eitherknowledge or dexterity. Women are not strong enougheither for the fatigues of country practice or for the perform-ance of some surgical and gynaecological operations, so thatfemale practitioners must necessarily fail in the struggle forexistence. Their advocates say that the treatment of thediseases of women and children ought properly to be in thehands of female practitioners, and cases are quoted wherewomen through bashfulness have deferred consulting a
medical man until their condition became hopeless, but thefact is that the female gynaecologists in actual practicehardly ever undertake more than gynaecological examinationsand minor operations and generally call in medical men forserious cases and important operations. Medical practiceby women would therefore not be of any advantage to theirown sex, whilst their admission as qualified practitionerswould be injurious to the medical profession which alreadysuffers greatly from overcrowding and from the competitionof quacks. It seems strange, Professor Penzoldt said, thatthe medical profession should be the first to be thrown opento women, considering that the necessary course of study ismore arduous and prolonged than is the case in theother learned professions. To give women a fair trial
they should be allowed to enter the dental or the phar-maceutical professions, where technical ability is more
wanted than scientific training. Midwifery practice wouldalso be greatly improved if women of the better classescould be induced to enter on that career. ProfessorPenzoldt finally summed up his conclusions as follows. Theadmission of women to medical practice would be (1) ofno advantage to the sick; would be (2) injurious rather thanbeneficial to the medical women themselves ; and would be(3) prejudicial to the universities and to the medical pro- fession. When women are admitted to the practice ofmedicine they must equally be allowed to engage in all theother academic careers. An animated discussion followed ’iProfessor Penzoldt’s speech, the general result being that thedelegates present agreed with his views. The other subjectsconsidered at the meeting were of minor interest.
The State Examination in Medicine.The Imperial Statistical Office has recently published the
results of last year’s State examinations. There were 1295 I
medical students admitted to the examination, of whom 1079passed within the regular time. The greatest number (179)were examined in Munich, 152 in Wtirzburg, and 139 inBerlin. Berlin, although resorted to by the largest numberof students, thus holds only the third place in numericalorder, the explanation being that the Berlin State examina-tion is regarded as the most difficult in the empire. The
highest commendation bestowed-sclar gnt, i.e., very good-was, in fact, not given to any of the candidates in Berlin,while in Munich and Leipzig 14 candidates obtained it.The State examination was passed by 23 foreigners, of whomone was an Englishman and two were Americans.July llth.
______________
AUSTRALIA.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The Hospital Saturday Fund and the Sydney Hospitals.SEVERAL of the regular subscribers to the Hospital
Saturday Fund in Sydney complained that on applying foradmission to the hospitals assisted by the fund they werequestioned as to their financial position and given to under-stand that payment was expected, notwithstanding thatthey presented a letter certifying that they were sub-scribers to the fund and were unable to pay for medicalattendance. The committee of the Hospital SaturdayFund called a meeting of its members and dele-gates representing the regular subscribers to considerthe complaints. The committee considered the complaintswell founded and wrote to the governing bodies of thehospitals urging them to accede to the claims of the regularsubscribers to the fund that they should be admitted to anyof the charities assisted by the fund without being catechisedas to their financial position or subjected to pressure forpayment direct to the hospital. The committee, in recom-mending the claims of the subscribers, pointed out that theregular subscribers to this fund consist entirely of wage-earners, mostly of the artisan class, that they contribute perhead as much as it is reasonable to expect from them insupport of their hospitals, and that the aggregate contribu-tion is more than sufficient to pay the full cost and main-tenance and treatment of any proportion of the whole numberlikely to require hospital treatment. In proof of this, whilethe fund since its inception has distributed among the variouslocal hospitals the sum of £12,500 it has been called upon torecommend only 125 applicants for admission to thosehospitals, the contribution being equal to E100 for each caserecommended." The matter was referred to a joint com-mittee of the Sydney Hospital and the Prince AlfredHospital and this committee unanimously reported that therequest of the subscribers should not be acceded to. Thisreport was adopted by the hospitals.
Tenure of Staff at Sydney Hospital.At a recent meeting of the board of directors of the
Sydney Hospital it was proposed that in order to provide foran equitable system of promotion among the junior membersof the honorary medical staff it was desirable that membersof the staff holding the rank of honorary medical officersshould hold office for a limited number of years and thatthe number of years during which full honorary medicalofficers may hold office should not exceed 12, divided intotwo periods of 6 years. After discussion the motion wasnegatived by a large majority.
Position of the Staff at the Launceston Hospital.The hospital at Launceston is a growing institution.
Originally founded as a cottage hospital it has graduallyincreased in scope. The medical control of the hospital has,however, remained the same in the hands of paid officers-amedical superintendent and a resident medical officer. For a
long time the medical practitioners in the city have beenagitating for an alteration and for the appointment of anhonorary staff. Some time ago an honorary staff was
appointed, but it proved to be such in name only,the work being still done by the paid officers. Thelocal branch of the British Medical Association recentlysent a deputation to the hospital board, asking fora change in the system of medical supervision so as to
bring it into harmony with the practice obtaining in othercountries. The chairman of the board, in reply, pointed outthat the hospital was worked under an Act of Parliament
180
and the board had no power to alter the arrangements, butit could recommend changes to be made by Parliament.The board would give every consideration to the views of the(leputation, but the present system had worked well for thehospital in the past. The board was responsible for theexpenditure and had control of the medical staff, and it didnot care to retain the responsibility without the control.It does not seem probable that any change in the manage-ment will be made.
Site for Infectious Diseases Hospital, Melbourne.It is almost certain that the site at the Yarra Bend Asylum
Reserve will be adopted for the new Infectious DiseasesHospital, Melbourne. The neighbouring municipalities havewithdrawn their opposition and the Board of Health hasapproved of the site.
Thirlrrtere Home for Consumptives, New South T6’ales.The Committee of the Queen Victoria Consumptive Homes
Fund in Sydney decided on May 5th that the ExecutiveCommittee should take over the Thirlmere Home and part ofthe grounds on a lease of two years as a temporary hospitalfor phthisical patients. The hospital will be maintainedby subscriptions, by the interest accruing on the amount inhand, and the aid expected from the Government payingcEl for every £1 subscribed by the public.
New Out-patient Department for the Melbourne Hospital.The committee of the Melbourne Hospital has definitely
decided to erect a new out-patient department and recentlywaited on the treasurer to ask for Government assistance.The treasurer would not give a definite promise, but thecommittee is going on with the work. Meanwhile it isinvolved in a dispute with the Board of Health as to theplans, the board insisting on certain fire-escapes and otheralterations involving a large additional expenditure.
Austin Hospital for Ineurables, Melbourne.Matters have not been working smoothly at the Austin
Hospital for Incurable Disease (Melbourne) for some timepast. The medical officer is in supreme control over thenurses, domestic and general arrangements, as well as thepatients. This arrangement has not worked well and thecommittee has determined on a change. It has been decidedto appoint a medical officer at a lower salary, whose dutieswill be confined to the patients ; to appoint a matron witlfull control of the domestic arrangements, and a super-intendent of nurses to be responsible for the nursing depart-ment. The resignation of the present medical superintendent,1Ir. W. B. Norcott, has been accepted and he will begranted three months’ leave of absence on full pay inrecognition of his excellent services to the hospital duringhis six years’ tenure, which the committee fully acknow-ledges.
St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.Some changes have been recently made in the honorary
staff of this hospital. Dr. David Grant, M.A., has beenappointed honorary physician to in-patients in place ofllr. P. Moloney, resigned ; and Dr. Eustace Keogh has beenpromoted from the post of out-patient to in-patient physicianin place of Dr. Riordan, resigned. Dr. Frank Newman hasbeen appointed to Dr. Keogh’s position and an additionalout-patient physician has been appointed-Dr. J. H. McGee.June 4th.
SOUTH WALES UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.-A meet-ing of the council of the South Wales and MonmouthshireUniversity College was held on July 6th. A communicationwas read from the committee of the Glamorganshire andMonmouthshire Infirmary asking whether it was the inten-tion of the College to complete at an early date the curricu-lum of the medical school. The council, although feelingthat this was desirable, thought that owing to their financialposition an endowment of at least .625.000 ought to be pro-vided before they could establish a complete medical schoolon a sound basis. Professor Andrew Francis Dixon. B.A.,M.B.. B.Ch. (Trinity College, Dublin). was appointed deanof the medical faculty, and Mr. George Arbour Stephens,M.D.. B.S., B.Sc. Lond., wa appointed teacher in hygieneand physiology in the technical school.
Medical News.EXAMINING BOARD IN ENGLAND BY THE ROYAL
COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS.-The follow.
ing gentlemen have passed the Second Examination of theBoard in the subjects indicated :-
Wednesday, July 6th :-Anatomy and Physiology. -Philip Lansdown Hickes, University
College, Bristol, and Gay’s Hospital; Hugh Dorsett Kempthorne,Ricardo Luis Jimenez, and Percy James Nash, Guy’s Hospital;Richard Griffith, Cambridge University, London Hospital, and Mr.Cooke’s School of Anatomy and Physiology; Edward NewburyThornton, Philip Anthony Green, and Christian Parker, LondonHospital; George Dewick, St. Thomas’s Hospital and Mr. Cooke’sSchool of Anatomy and Physiology; Charles Woolmer
’
Davies, Archibald Edward Hill, and Robert H.’William Garle,St. Thomas’s Hospital; Francis Grey Bennett, Cambridge Uni-versity and University College, London; Gordon Herbert Hackney,University College, London ; Percy Reginald Fort and HenryTregellas Doble, St. Mary’s Hospital; Edward Lister Martin,Henry E. Gaskin Boyle, Maitland Bodley Scott, and GeorgeHarvey Low, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Alfred Mason andFred Bailey Penfold, Middlesex Hospital.
, 14 gentlemen were referred in both subjects.
Thursday, July 7th:-Anatomy and Physiology. - Alfred Sheppard Grimwade, Mel-bourne University and St. Thomas’s Hospital; Thomas W.Hardwick Downes and John Walker, St. Thomas’s Hospital;William Morton Robson, Stanley S. Howard Shannon, ReginaldPrynne Marshall, G. Brooke Forbes Churchill, and Francis M.Maxwell Ommanney, Guy’s Hospital; Alfred John Courzens,Charles Leonard Traylen and Francis Inman Trimmer, LondonHospital; Waiter Gray Paget, George Mervyn Seagrove, CyrilEvelyn Hogan, Leslie Edward Hughes. and Verner GeorgeHeseltine. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; George William Curtis,Godfrey Faussett Rugg, and Frank Elliott Bolton, UniversityCollege, London; James MacBain Ross, Melbourne University andSt. Mary’s Hospital; John Conrad G. Kunhardt, St. Mary’sHospital; Adrian R. Fortescue Hubbard, Charing-cross Hospital;Lancelot Walter Shadwell, St. George’s Hospital; and GrahamPallister Young, King’s College, London.
11 gentlemen were referred in both subjects.
Friday, July 8th :-Anatomy and Physiology.-Francis Curthbert Jobson, WestminsterHospital; Robert Markham Carter, William Edward Houlbrook,Keppel Hart-Reeds, John W. Smyth Seccombe. St. George’sHospital; Thomas Scarbrough Dudding, London Hospital; John
, Henry Wroughton, Victor John Duigan, St. Bartholomew’sHospital ; Sidney H. Charles Bent and Frank Wybourne Smith,Guy’s Hospital; Ernest Edward Semmence, Edinburgh Universityand St. Thomas’s Hospital; Walter F. Hamilton Vaugham, GenrgeRalph Cox, and Eric Craiger Lindsey, St. Mary’s Hospital ; andEdwin Augustus Houchin, Middlesex Hospital.
15 gentlemen were referred in both subjects.
SOCIETY OF APOTHECARIES OF LONDON.-Thefollowing candidates at the primary examination have passedin the subjects indicated:-
PART I.
Biology.-A. B. Gosse; E. M. Handley, Royal Free Hospital; andM. S. Jevons.
Chemistry.-G. M. Crockett and K. A. Dawson, Royal Free Hospital cA. B. Gosse ; M. E. Martin and F. Murray, Royal Free Hospital;W. A. C. Biven ; A. U. Parkhurst, Cardiff ; T. G. Prosser and L. G.Simpson, Royal Free Hospital; and A Whitby, Dublin.
Materia Medica and Pharmacy.-K. A. Dawson, Royal Free Hospital; L. Demergue, Paris; L. Denny, Royal Free Hospital; P. T. Good-man, St. Thomas’s Hospital; R. A. Lyster and F. H. Maberly,Birmingham; C. J. Marsh, University College Hospital; C. G.Meade, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; H. R. Miller, Guy’s Hospital;F. Murray, Royal Free Hospital; A. U. Parkhurst, Cardiff ; L. K.Tickner, Durham; and A. Whitby, Dublin.
PART II.
Anatomy.-H. H. Beale, St. Mary’s Hospital; A. E. Brown, Royal .
Free Hospital; P. J. R. Bucknill, Manchester; P. C. Burgess,Middlesex Hospital; T. M. Burton, Royal Free Hospital; E. N. deV. Dawson, St. Thomas’s Hospital; S. de Carteret and C. D. A.Dowman, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; E. A. Dunn, Royal FreeHospital; J. C. Furness, Charing-cross Hospital; A. E. Gilford,R. Gillett, H. M. 0. Jones, and D. E. Lockwood, Royal FreeHospital ; C. L. Mandl, Edinburgh; L. S. Molony and F. M. Payne,Royal Free Hospital; W. Roper, Edinburgh; P. G. Sheppard,
Cambridge and Liverpool; A. D. Sibree, Royal Free Hospital; P. S.Stokes, Sheffield; M. E. Unwin, Royal Free Hospital; and G. H.Watson, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.
Physiology.-J. M. Anderson, Aberdeen; A. E. Brown, Royal FreeHospital: P. J. R. Bucknill, Manchester; T. M. Burton and E.Courtauld, Royal Free Hospital; E. N. de V. Dawson, St. Thomas’sHospital; S. de Carteret and C. D. A. Dowman, St. Bartholo-mew’s Hospital; E. A. Dunn, Royal Free Hospital; B. M.Dunstan, St. Thomas’s Hospital; A. B. Edwards. St. Bartholo-mew’s Hospital; J. C. Furness, Charing-cross Hospital; A. E.Gilford, R. Gillett, H. M. 0. Jones, and D. E. Lockwood,Royal Free Hospital; C. L. Mandl, Edinburgh; L. S. Molonyand F. M. Payne, Royal Free Hospital; A. F. Reardon,St. Thomas’s Hospital; W. Roper, Edinburgh ; P. G. Sheppard,Cambridge and Liverpool; A. D. Sibree, Royal Free Hospital!
