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21 The geniality with which his general intercourse with the fellows of the Society was marked will not be easily forgotten, and ia him the Society has sustained a great and irreparable loss. Ardently attached to his professional pursuits, he hardly allowed himself a recreation. During thirty years’ practice he scarcely took thirty days’ holiday; and it is, doubtless, to this mainly that his premature decease must be ascribed. For more than a year previous to his death he had suffered from irrita- bility of the bladder, for which there appeared to be no ade- quate cause. During the last autumn he, for the first time, took a complete holiday, and visited some relations in Russia. On his return, after six weeks’ absence, he was in some re- spects improved in health; but shortly afterwards a gradual declination of health and strength became apparent. On De- cember 22nd he became so much worse that there was from that time no hope of his recovery; and, on Dec. 27th, he ex- pired at his residence in Berkeley-square, consciousness having been preserved unimpaired almost to the last. The primary disease was found to be carcinoma of the bladder, the immediate cause of death being congestion of the lungs, and suppression of the renal secretion. His sufferings for the last few days were extreme; but his resolution and patience throughout were unflinching. Dr. Burrows and Mr. Skey, with several other medical friends, were unremitting in their attentions during his last moments. He leaves behind him three daughters, the fruit of two marriages. Dr. Rigby had attained to a position in public estimation which might well be envied, and on which, as it was the result of long-continued, self-denying efforts of his own, he had every reason to congratulate himself. He was most exact, regular, and conscientious in the fulfilment of his professional duties. It was a frequent saying of his, that a thing must be either right or wrong, and he never admitted anything in the shape of a compromise. In him his family have to regret the loss of one ever considerate and indulgent. With him friendship im- posed a sacred obligation, and those who were privileged to call themselves his friends will long remember his kindness of heart and his never-tiring disposition to serve them to the utmost of his ability. But we should do scant justice to Dr. Rigby if we were to limit our praise to his strictly professional merits. He was one of those men, rare in any profession, who have the honest courage on all occasions to act according to the suggestions of their sense of right, regardless of personal worldly interests. Such men should be held in especial honour, for their virtues benefit society, not themselves. Dr. Rigby acted in this spirit throughout the dispute which ended in his resignation of the office of physician to the Westminster Lying-in Hospital. He saw the institution ravaged by puerperal fever. Observation proved to him that this desolating disease was due to the neglect of ventilation. He urged his views with a clearness and force that must have carried conviction to any unprejudicec minds. The Committee was stubborn. ’Vomen who sough1 charity received death. Dr. Rigby called in the medica officer of health of the district. The report of this gentlernai confirmed the conclusions of the senior physician. But Dr Rigby had committed an offence unpardonable in the eyes of : Committee: an irreparable breach was created between them He resigned.* * Such was his conduct through life. Guileless yet resolute, his words were ever the true exponents of hi thoughts. Men trusted him, and never repented of their trust A great physician and a good man has passed from amongst us ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS, LONDON. DECEMBER 22ND, 1860. THE College will, under its Charter, grant Licences (which are not to extend to make the Licentiates members of the Cor- poration) to persons who shall conform to the following Bye- laws :- Every Candidate for the College licence (except in cases spe- cially exempted) is required to produce satisfactory evidence to the following effect:-1. Of having attained the age of twenty- one years. 2. Of moral character. 3. Of having passed a pre- liminary examination in the subjects of general education. 4. Of having been registered as a medical student by one of the Bodies named in Schedule (A) of the Medical Act. 5. Of having * For a history of this affair, see THE LANCET of the time. been engaged in professional studies during four years, of which at least three years shall have been passed at a recognised medical school or schools, and of having attended to medical practice at a recognised hospital or hospitals, during two years of that period; six months to the Surgical practice, and six months to the clinical study of the Diseases of Women: the two latter may be attended concurrently with the attendance on Medical prac- tice. 6. Of having studied the following subjects: Anatomy (with Dissections), during two winter sessions, of six months each; Physiology, ditto; Chemistry, six months; Practical Che- mistry, Materia Medica, Practical Pharmacy, and Botany, three months each; Principles and Practice of Medicine, two- winter sessions, of six months each-(it is desired that the- study of the Principles and Practice of Medicine should com- prise the study of the Principles of Public Health); Morbid Anatomy, six months, (or certified attendance in the post- mortem room during the period of clinical study); Clinical Me- dicine (by which is intended lectures on cases under observa- tion, or special instruction at the bed-side, certified by the teacher), one winter and one summer session, or nine months; Principles and Practice of Surgery, six months; Midwifery and the Diseases of Women, three months-a certificate must also be produced of having attended not less than twenty labours - Forensic Medicine, three months. 7. Of having passed the Professional Examination. THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION. 1. Every candidate for the College Licence (except in cases? specially exempted) is required to have passed an examination by Examiners appointed by the College, on the following sub- jects :-English, Latin, English History, Modern Geography, Mathematics, and Natural Philosophy, or he shall produce tes- timonials satisfactory to the Examiners of his proficiency in those branches of knowledge ; and he shall undergo an Exami- nation in regard to any subject to which his testimonials do- not extend. In the Preliminary Examination English will in- clude English Grammar and Composition; Latin will include selections from one or more of the Classical Authors ordinarily read in schools; Mathematics will include the ordinary rules of Arithmetic, Vulgar and Decimal Fractions, Simple Equa- tions, and the First Book of Euclid; Natural Philosophy will include Mechanics, Acoustics, Hydrostatics, Hydraulics, and Pneumatics, and Optics : such a knowledge of these subjects will be expected as may be obtained from attendance on a course of Lectures, or from Elementary Treatises on Physics, or Natural Philosophy. , 2. The Preliminary Examination must be passed previous to, ! or in the course of, the first year of medical study ; but in the ! case of candidates who shall have commenced the prescribed course of medical studies before the first day of October, 1861, the examination in General Education may be passed at any ; time before the examination for the licence. 3. Every candidate intending to present himself for the Preliminary Examination, must give 14 days’ notice in writing 1 to the Registrar of the College, and before he is admitted to the examination he must pay a fee of Two Guineas. Should . he fail to pass the examination, the fee will not be returned, but he may be admitted to a subsequent Preliminary Exami- , nation without the payment of an additional fee. 4. The Preliminary Examination will take place during the last week in September, April, and July of each year, and the . days and hours of the examination may be learnt on applica- tion at the College. 5. A candidate who shall fail to pass the examination will not be re-admitted to examination until after the lapse of six months. 6. Testimonials of proficiency granted by the National Edu- cational Bodies according to the following list, with such ad- ditions as may from time to time be made, will be accepted by the Examiners as satisfactory, in lieu of the Preliminary Ex- amination conducted at the College :-A Degree in Arts of any University of the United Kingdom, of the Colonies, or of such other Universities as may be specially recognised, from time to time, by the Medical Council ; Oxford Responsions or Modera- tions ; Cambridge Previous Examinations; Matriculation Ex- amination of the University of London ; Oxford Middle Class Examinations, Senior and Junior; Cambridge Middle Class Examinations, Senior and Junior ; Durham Middle Class Senior Examination ; Dublin University Entrance Examination; an Examination by any other University of the United Kingdom, equivalent to the Middle Class Examinations of Oxford or Cambridge ; an Examination established by any of the Bodies. named in Schedule (A) of the Medical Act, and approved by the Medical Council.
