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Schools for the Sons of Medical MenSource: Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal (1844-1852), Vol. 9, No. 6 (Feb. 5, 1845), pp. 92-93Published by: BMJStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25498394 .

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92 --SCHOOLS FOR THE USNS O$t MDICAL MEN.

firm and deliberate opinion that it would prove to the

best interests of the public generally, and most con

ducive to the advancement of medical science, and

be also a measure most serviceable to the profession, if

the general practitioners were incorporated by charter into an independent college, with a governing council,

power to frame bye-laws, and provide for the future education of the general practitioner, and placed, as

respects the management of their own affairs, in every

respect on a footing of equality with the existing Col

leges of Physicians and Surgeons. That all legislation for the medical profession as a

whole, so long as the anomaly of a tripartite subdi

vision of its members with only two ostensible heads

exists, must end in disappointment, and the benevolent

intentions of the Government be from this cause alone

most materially frustrated.

Your memorialists, in conclusion, have only to

draw the serious attention of the Right Honourable

the Secretary of State to this their earnest memorial, in the full confidence that due consideration will be

given to a matter of such high importance to the

interests of the profession and the public; and respect

fully to request, that an opportunity may be afforded

of giving, as they are prepared to give, the fullest ex

planation that can be required by a deputation of their

body, or otherwise, as may be most convenient.

(Signed) &c. &c.

III. Sir,

I have had under consideration the memorial of

the President and other Members of the Association

of General Practitioners in medicine, surgery, and

midwifery, instituted at a public meeting, held at the Hanover Square Rooms, on December 7th, 1844, addressed to me, and signed by yourself as President, and several other gentlemen as members of the Pro

visional Committee of the Association. The aim of the memorial is to induce me to advise her Majesty to

incorporate the general pracltioners by 4' charter into an independent college, with a governing council and power to frame bye-laws, and provide for the future

education of the general practitioners, and tio place them as respects the management of their own affairs

in every respect on a footing of equality with the

existing Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons." This subject was recently brought to my notice by a

letter signed by the Master of the Society of Apothe caries of the city of London, expressing the opinion of the Society, that " the desire for an independent

organization of the general practitioners, by an incor

poration of a collegiate character, has been of late so

generally and unequivocally expressed at public meet ings of these practitioners, and through other chan

nels, that the Society think themselves warranted in believing, that'a very large proportion of the general practitioners "of this country have declared their

wishes in favour of such incorporation." In answer to this letter, I directed the Master of the

Society to be informed, that I was ready to receive any matured plan for incorporating a new body of general practitioners but that before ] could form an. opinion, & even eoiiderz a project,- aBthe details of thE scheme

tuslbe hid before tne, aid the names of the leading personwho promote, and who are parties to thb Bry posed orgaizaten, mast be deihtdf . Y ourw mtrinal

does not sufficiently comply with either of these

requisite conditions. The names appended to it, although of great respec

tability, and deserving of high consideration, belong

exclusively to metropolitan practitioners, and the sub

scribers do not profess to have any authority to repre sent the wishes of their provincial brethren.

The memorial neither explains the proposed or ganization of the intended corporation, nor furnishes

the names of those to whom the charter is to be granted,

who, as is usual in such cases, would be naded as the

first office-bearers in the corporation. As soon as you can supply these deficiences, and

satisfy me that the expressed wish of your association is felt also by a large number of country practitioners, I shall examine the draft of your proposed charter with

every disposition to promote the usefulness and respec tability of the important branch of the profession to

which you belong. I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant, JAMES GRAHAM.

Whitehall, January 27, 1845.

SCHOOLS FOR THE SONS OF MEDICAL MEN.

[The following extracts from a reply by Dr. Forbes, to certain remarks made by a contemporary on the report

of the Committee," appointed to consider the establish

ment and organization of schools for the sons of medical

men," are inserted in compliance with the request of

some of the members of the committee.]

"In your remarks on the report of the Committee, I

think you have misapprehended the position and views of its members in one or two particulars.

"1. The committee was certainly appointed at a

meeting of the Provincial Medical Association, and was requested to send in a report of its proceedings to the Association; but it never was intended that the

projected schools should have any special conexion

with, or be in any way subordinate to4 this society. The committee has,.throughout, acted on this under

standing; amdd it 'i Report' is addressed ' to the pro fession generally,' as well as the members of the Pro.

tinmiai Association. The committee would be sorry to

believe that the projected schools should not always

possess the patronage of the members of so important an Association but neither in their organization, nor

in their future management, will these schools be Et

any way. under its control. That the members of the

committee considered themselves as acting provisionally for the future subscribers to the schools, and for them

alone, is -manifest from the Report, wherein it -i

Stated, that ' o soon as a sufficient amount of casptal has been engaged for, the committee will feel Utho

rised to call a meeting of the subscribers for theipatbjo of elieting the officers of the institution, wh]o will -tIh

be prepared to fulfil the wishes and inteftiofis of the

supporters of the plan with the least possible delay.' P. 7.

"2. In regard to your second charge, of' infoleice' in the exclusion of Dissenters from the schools, I t60ul9 stibmit the fallowing brief eplanafions :-

'

('n lthe first place, it is to be retiembent d -tht ti

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PLYMOUTH MEETING. 93

schools in question are BOARDING-SCHOOLS, at which

boys are to remain for six or eight years. " In such schools, (unlike DAr SCHOOLS,) it will be

admitted that it would be no easy task, to say the

least, to impart good practical religious instruction to

boys of various religious sects.

," Secondly, the present report refers to ONE school

only, out of several intended to be formed; and it was

thought better on many accounts by the committee, that in the first school, at least, the religion of the

majority should be the only one professedly recognized;

although there is nothing in the rules promulgated by the committee that would necessarily exclude a dis.

senter from the school.

"Thirdly, the committee always contemplated the

establishment of another school, or of other schools, in which there should be no exclusiveness on the

score of religion, or any exclusiveness in favour of

dissent. " But whether the committee was right or wrong in

entertaining and actingon these views, I am certain

they were not influenced by any illiberal or bigoted

feelings; and this, my assertion,will receive the readiest

credence, when it is understood that there is more than one dissenter on our committee, and that one of the

most active members of the sub-committee which drew

up the report, is well known to be no less uncompromis ing in his principles and practice as a dissenter, than :ealous and indefatigable in his exertions to benefit the whole human kind."

SIR JAMES GRAHAM'S MEDICAL BILL.

PLYMOUTH MEETING.

A meeting of the members of the medical pro fession of Plymouth and its neighbourhood, convened

by circular, was held on Friday, January 3rd, at the

Royal Eye Infirmary, Plymouth, for the purpose of

taking into consideration Sir James Graham's Medical

Bill; Dr. Butter, in the chair.- Among the gentle man present were - Drs. Yonge, Soltau, Bulteel, Moore, and Cocks,-Messrs. ,Square, Hicks, Hull, Andrews, Freeman, Harper, Whipple, Fuge, Wells, Smith, Perry, and Kelsall, of Plymouth; Messrs. D.

Little, H. Little, Kerswill, May, Laity, Swain, and

Crossing, of Devonport; Messrs. Perry, Burrows, and Bennett, of Stonehouse; Mr. Langworthy, of. Plympton; Mr. Winchester, of Tamerton.

The following resolutions were unanimously car rid :

iMoved by Mr. Square, and seconded by Dr. Bulteel:

-,:' That this meeting views with interest the bill now

pending in Parliment, entitled ' A Bill for the better

regulation of medical practice throughout the United

Kingdom/' and expresses its satisfaction at the ample time afforded the profession for the consideration and

discussion of its several clauses." Moved by Mr. Wells, arnd seconded by Mr. Hicks:

-", That whilst this meeting approves of the creation of a ' Council of Health and Medical Education,' it cannot but regret that the interests of the general practitioners are inadequately represented in the said Council."

Moved by Mr. S. Derry, and seconded by Dr.

69ltau -" That this meeting is of opiiaon that a

general registration of qualified practitioners is most desirable, but regrets thathno provision is made in the aforesaid bill to render such registration compulsory; and that the method proposed in the present measure will be unsatisfactory to the general practitioners, inasmuch as it degrades him from the position of a

member of the College of Surgeons to a licentiate in

surgery; and it considers that some stringent and

summary process should be adopted to prevent unqua lified persons from tampering with the public health."

Moved by Mr. Fuge and seconded by Dr. Moore:

"That a copy of the resolutions be forwarded to Sir

James Graham, accompanied with the thanks of this

meeting for the interest he has evinced in the welfare

of the medical profession, by bringing its present anomalous and conflicting state under the consideration

of Parliament."

Moved by Dr. Cocks, and seconded by Mr. Perry: " That petitions, embodying the sense of the foregoing resolutions, be presented to the House of Commons

by the borough members, and that the members of the

county be requested to support the prayer thereof; and that the Chairman do sign the same in behalf of

this meeting." The President having quitted the chair, Mr. Fuge

was requested to take it, who proposed a vote of thanks

to Dr. Butter for the able manner in which he had got

up this meeting, and for his judicious conduct in the

chair, which was carried by acclamation, and the

meeting separated.

HERTFORD MEETING. A meeting of the Medical Men of the county of

Hertford, was held at Hatfield, on Wednesday, January 8th, 1845, for the purpose of taking into consideration

the proposed Medical Reform Bill of Sir James

Graham. Present :- Dr. Davies, Messrs. Ward,

Thomas, Betts, Pidcock, Lipscombe, sen. and jun., Dickens, Shillitoe, Woodhouse, Phillips,: Clifton, Asbury, Butcher, Whately, and Ringrose; Thomas Abel Ward, Esq., of Watford, in the chair.

.A number of letters having been read from gentle men residing at a distance, expressing their approval of

the Bill, the following resolutions were adopted and ordered to be advertised in the local papers:

"That this meeting is fully sensible of the defects

in the laws which now regulate the practice of

medicine and surgery in the United Kingdom, and of

the unsudcessful attempts which have been made to

improve them; it therefore views with much satisfac

tion an endeavour on the part of Her Majesty's Government to bring about their reform.

"That this meeting is of opinion that the uncondi

tional repeal of the Apothecaries' Act of 1815, contem

plated in Sir James Graham's Bill, would be produc tive of great mischief to the medical profession, by throwing open the practice of medicine to unqualified persons.

"That this meeting approves of the uniformity of qualification and of fees to be required-by the several examining colleges; of the registration of duly licensed practitioners; of the exclusion of unregistered persons from all public medical appointments; of the Ais

qualification of unregistered persons togive medical evidence in courts of law, ad. to grant medical -ei

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