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as president in his absence ; and, at every meeting of the council,in the absence of the president and -vice-president, some othermember, to be chosen by the council from the members thenpresent, shall be empowered to act as president."

This provision is truly typical of all that has gone before inrelation to the utter contempt in which the medical profession is

held by the promoters of the Bill. The poor devils of Councillorsare not to choose their own President, or their own messengers /and the SECRETARY OF STATE is empowered to nominate a

- Vice-President, to act for him in his absence. But pray notice

- from which of the three classes composing the Council the Vice-President is to be selected by the Ho:1IE SECRETARY. From

the REGius PROFESSORS, who are medical men ? No. From

the physicians and surgeons chosen by the Colleges ? No. But

from amongst the six nominees of SiR JAMES GRAHAM !

Thus, the Bill provides for a permanent president in the person- Of the SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTlIIENT, anda permanent Vice-president, chosen by the same hon. gentleman,apparently for no other purpose than to prevent a medical prac-titioner from ever occupying the presidential chair,-anotherstrong proof, we presume, of the " FRIENDLY FEELING"which the promoters of the Bill entertain towards the members

of our profession.CLAUSE 11.

,

" And be it enacted, that the said council shall be holden insuch places and at such times as the Secretary of State (SirJAMES GRAHAM) from time to time shall appoint; and that allacts of the council shall be decided by (Sir JAMES GRAHAM) thevotes of the majority of the members present at any meeting, thewhole number not being less than seven; and at all such meetings;the president for the time being (SirJAMES GRAHAM) shall havea second, or casting, vote in all cases of equality of votes."

In this clause it is undisguisedly provided that Sir JAMES

GRAHAM alone shall have power to determine when, and where,the Council shall meet; that in him shall be vested absolute

- authority as to the periods when the members shall assemble.Are we living under a representative system of government?The Home Secretary may determine whether the members ofthe Council shall be convened once a month, or only once in five

years, all the power, all the authority, in that respect, being ab-solutely vested in his will and judgment! It is suggested that theCouncil should occasionally meet in Edinburgh. The SECRETARY

OF STATE objects. There ends the proposal. The same with

respect to Dublin.It would be absurd to dwell on the fact that the President is to

have two votes in all cases where there is an equality of thenumbers; because we have already proved, beyond doubt, cavilor dispute, that ALL the power that such a Council can wieldis virtually lodged in the PRESIDENT. It would, therefore, beidle to attach any importance to so trivial a privilege as the oneto which the concluding portion of the clause refers.We have now quoted at length the NINE clauses which provide

for the constitution of the Council. In the first of them it is un.

obtrusively stated that one of her Majesty’s principal Secretariesof State shall be a " member of the Council,"-a very modestcommencement for that huge growth of authority which is dis-

coverable as the work of creation proceeds.Presently, it is perceived that all the officers, including the local

secretaries for Scotland and Ireland, the clerks, and downwards tothe very nzessengers of the Council, are to be appointed by SirJAnFEsGRAHAM. That all the ntembers of the Council, the secretaries, theclerks, and the messengers, shan be paid such safariesand travellingexpmses as shall be recommended by Sir JAlBIES GRAHAM.

Then is presented the repulsive and extraordinary provisionthat the SECRETARY OF STATE, as Plesident, shall be em-

powered to choose a Vice -P7,csident, always to act in his stead,when he is not present, with the additional odious stipulation,that such vice-president shall be selected by him from amongsthis own nominees. And, lastly, it is provided that whether thecouncil shall assemble at Jol3N O’GRoAT’S, or at the Land’s

End, every month, or only once in five years, shall be deter-

minable by the sole and absolute dictum of-Sir JAMBS

GRAHAM.

Such, then, is the constitution of the MONSTER to which the

promoters of the Bill have had the audacity to apply the dignifiedstyle and title of 11 THE COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL

EDUCATION ;" and, after having bestowed upon it an honest, care---ful, searching examination, we know not which it is that producesin our minds the strongest feelings of indignation and disgust,-that vicious and stupid scheme, or the silly and sycophanticRESOLUTIONS which have contained expressions in approval ofso odious and detestable a project.

Respecting the high functions which this Council is requiredto perform, we have not yet uttered a sentence. Our labours,this week, have been strictly confined to a development of thematerials of which that body is composed. And here let us for a

moment submit them to the view of the reader, in as animated a

representation as type will permit :-

THE COUNCIL OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL EDUCATION, .

CHAMBERS OF THE FOOR-LAW COMMISSION OFFICE, SOMERSET HOUSE,

September, 18&5.

The first meeting of the members of this newly-constituted Council was held here this day. The reporters for the pressapplied for admission, but they were politely informed that no strangers could be suffered to enter the room. They were,however, enabled to learn that there were present-

Sir JAMES GRAHAM, President.Dr. KIDD,Dr. HAVILAND,Dr. WM. STOKES,Professor SYME,Dr. JOHN BURNS,

Dr. SEYMOUR,Mr. WELLBANK,Dr. ALISON,Sir GEORGE BALINTGALL,Dr. GRAVES,Dr. JACOB,

Lord HYDROPATHY, Vice-President.A POOR-LAW COMMISSIONER,Mr. EDWIN CHADWICK,Mr. PLACEHUNTER,Sir JOHN HERBALIST,Lord HOM(EOPATHY.

Dr. HASTINGS, (Principal.)

Secretaries.

Dr. MAUNSELL, (Ireland.) Dr. STREETEN, (Scotland.)

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We sincerely believe that the names here set down, indicate,with tolerable accuracy, what would be the intellectual and

scientific character of the Counei], if the Government Bill, as it

is now framed, were enacted into a law. Decapitate this body,-remove Sir JAMES GRAHAM, in whom all the power of the esta-blishment is to reside,-and what have we left, in the shape of amedical institution, which can obtain the confidence, or commandthe respect, of the profession ? What medical question is there

which the profession would refer to such a conclave ? The greatbody of the profession-the GENERAL PRACTITIONERS of theempire-are cut off from all connexion with, are utterly dis-severed from, such an institution. Between it and them there

can be no identity of interests, no influence of opinion, no reci-procity of feeling.Let us, then, leave this incongruous Council until next week,

when, in examining the other clauses of the Bill, we shall en-deavour to shew the highly-important national and professionalfunctions which such a defective and crazy piece of machinerywould be called upon to discharge if such a curse should ever

befal the profession as the enactment of the Government Bill intoa statute of the realm.

WE have seen the newspapers which contain reports of thelate proceedings at the GENERAL HOSPITAL, BIRMINGHAM. But

before writing any additional observations on the subject, weare anxious to learn in what character Messrs. J. W. and G.WHATELEY applied for, and obtained, the opinion of the ATTOr.-NEY-GENERAL respecting the legality of the election proceedingsin March, 1843. Were the Messrs. WHATELEY on that occasionthe professional advisers of Mr. CROMPTON? Was Mr. CROMP-

TON, in fact, their client, and did they apply to the ATTORNEY-GENERAL expressly and solely on his behalf? Or, had they,for clients, the weekly or the quarterly Board of Governors ?Did the Messrs. WHATELEY act professionally on the behalf ofone or both of these bodies? In a word, in what character,and for whom, did the Messrs. WHATELEY apply for, and obtain,the opinion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL?

IF a palpable and incontestible proof was needed to satisfy anyman of the necessity for new and more vigorous efforts to advancethe science of Chemistry, it was furnished by the late Meeting ofthe BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE,at York. The papers read at the meetings of the chemical sectionwere strikingly characteristic of the present state of the science inthis country, and the inference is irresistible, that chemistry is ata very low ebb amongst us. The following list of papers indicatesthe results of chemical investigations there made known :-

1. Mr. West, on the Mineral Springs of Yorkshire.2. Dr. Daubeny, on the Phosphorate of Estramadura, and the

Presence of Fluorine in Bones.3. Mr. Hunt, on the Influence of Light on Plants.4. Dr. Bateman, on the Detection of Adulteration in Tobacco.5. Dr. Tilley, on a peculiar Condition of Zinc, produced by long

continued exposure to a high temperature.6. A Report on a Hydrogen Furnace for Vitrifactlon.7. Professor Matteucci, on the Measure of Nervous Force pro-

duced by a Current of Electricity.8. The Rev. J. Exley, on the alternate Spheres of Attraction

and Repulsion observed by Newton and Boscovich.9. Mr. Lucas, on Yorkshire Limestones.

10. Mr. Hunt, on the Energiatype.11. Mr. Warrington, on Guano.12. Dr. Schunk, on some colouring Matters found in Lichens,

which may be useful to Dyers. ,

13. Dr. Bowring, on the Theory and Practice of the Amalga-mation of Silver.

14. Dr. Forchammer, on some Species of Sea-weeds.15. Mr. Ibbotson, on Electrotype.16. Mr. Muspratt, on a new Acid from Indigo, and Disproving

the Derivation of Valerianic Acid from that substance.,17. Sir John Herschel, on the Amphitype, a new Photographic

Process.18. Dr. Wood, on Photography.19. Mr. Jordan, on a Plan for Increasing the Intensity of the

Oxy-hydrogen Blowpipe.20. Mr. West, on Heating with Steam.

, Thus it appears that during the last twelve months not a singlefact has been added to that department of the science in which weare more especially interested-namely, organic chemistry-thatis worthy of publication in Great Britain. If these papers afford

any trustworthy indication, it is apparent that the direction inwhich the efforts of our chemists are exerted, is towards improve-ments in the production of commercial articles, the means ofobtaining, by the shortest road and the easiest means, the end of

their labours-money. When any striking or valuable discoveryis made, if it be in any way susceptible of becoming profitable,it is patented and appropriated, whilst only the merest trifles areconceded to the science. But it may be asked, Is there no otherchannel, through which chemists publish their investigations, thanthe Meetings of the British Association ? Assuredly there is.Take the publications of the Chemical Society. Since the esta-

blishment of that Society in 1841, it has published 114 papers.If we except such of those papers as are from the pens of Germanchemists, and those written in the Giessen laboratory by pupils ofPROFESSOR LIEBIG, there is scarcely one which possesses any inte-rest for physiologists, pathologists, or medical practitioners. The

Chemical Society, indeed, seems to derive its chief value from itsmaking known in this country someu’hat of the progress of thescience on the Continent; but, unfortunately, at the same time itsupplies a pretty strong proof of its stagnation in England.

Since the device and perfection of that incomparable instru-ment, " The Apparatus for Organic Combustion," the study oforganic chemistry has been pursued in Germany with signal success.The objects to which it is applicable are, as we well know, innu-merable ; the results which must follow its employment by quali-fied hands, when a sufficient number of such persons is engagedin this field of research, are incalculable. What has already beendone cannot be a thousandth part, in importance, of that which willyet be accomplished. Already the most distinguished disciples ofLiEBIG are becoming the heads of numerous schools, wherein themeans and methods devised at Giessen are brought into operation.Miiller at Utrecht, Wohler at Gottingen, Redtenbacher at Prague,Bunsen at Marburg, Mitcherlich at Berlin, Fresenius at Erlangen,above all, Dr. Will, in the new Laboratory at Giessen, and Dr.W. A. Hofman, and many others in various parts of Germany,are working this mine by the hands of numerous pupils. As theseinquirers are more or less successful, that portion of the presswhich is devoted to chemistry makes known throughout theworld the names of those who succeed in their investigations,and stimulates them to further exertions, by a just appreciationof their labours.What physiologists and pathologists need, are accurate and re-

peated analyses of all organic substances, nervous matter, mus-cular fibre, bile, blood, &c., in their normal state, and in every con-dition of disease; we want to know the elements that are introducedinto the system in every article of food, the changes they un-dergo, the offices they subserve, and the state in which they arefinally eliminated, together with the part they perform in diseases.We want, too, to know of what our remedies consist, and whatchanges they pass through in their uses, the part they take as

, compounds, or what functions their components severally perform

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in the innumerable chemical processes, the decompositions and re-compositions of organic substances, incessantly going on within aliving organism. All this is almost, if not altogether, unknown.Now who can we expect will enter upon these investigations?Obviously, no individual can undertake a hundredth part of them.The metropolitan and provincial schools of medicine have pro-

; fessors of chemistry; but those professors discharge in them noduties but those of lecturing and demonstrating. The Collegeof Chemistry, to which we have before called the attention of ourreaders, was instituted expressly to supply the want that we haveindicated. It seeks pecuniary assistance from the landed proprietor,the merchant, the wealthy and benevolent, to promote a purelyscientific design, which, if pursued with any measure of success,will, amongst its best achievements, confer a great and importantboon on practical medicine.

ON Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, an interesting case, involving thedifficult question of homicidal insanity, was tried before the

Central Criminal Court. WILLIAM Ross TOUCHETT, aged 21,brother to Lord AUDLEY, was placed at the bar, on an indictmentcharging him with feloniously shooting at THOMAS SMITH, withintent to murder him.

.

At the beginning of July last, the prisoner entered a shooting-gallery, kept by Mr. SMITH, in Holborn, apparently with theview of trying his skill in pistol-shooting. After firing a fewshots, he deliberately discharged a pistol, which he had just re-ceived, at Mr. SMITH. The ball passed through the thoraciccavity. Mr. SMITH’S life was long despaired of, and he stillremains in a precarious state. Mr. SMITH exclaimed at the

time, "You rascal, you have shot me!" to which the prisoner re-plied, " I did it on purpose, for I wish to be hanged."

It was contended, for the defence, that the prisoner was ofunsound mind, and several witnesses were called to substantiatethe assertion. The most important evidence was given by the I,prisoner’s brother, and Dr. MONRO, from which we shall extractthe facts bearing most directly on the point at issue.

, " Lord AUDLEY, the prisoner’s brother, stated,—My fatherdied in 1837, and before his death the property of the family hadbeen subjected to a protracted litigation, which has gone on since.The result of the litigation has been particularly adverse to the.interests of the family. The prisoner from his youth has beenremarkable for a peculiar sensitiveness of mind, especially sincethe death of a companion named WESTON, who died abroad at theearly age of 16 years. The death of WESTOV made a strong im-pression upon the mind of my brother, the prisoner-a muchstronger impression than a person under such circumstanceswould generally exhibit. The prisoner has not been educatedwith a view to any profession, but was from time to time ac- ’,quainted with the embarrassed situation of the family, and thesecircumstances appeared to make a deep impression on the pri-soner’s mind. I was in Ireland during the whole of the year1843, and during that time I did not see my brother, nor until the ’,month of April last, when we lodged together in the same apart-.ments, but occupying different bed-rooms. The circumstancesof the family produced on the prisoner, who is of a peculiar tem-perament, a manifest depression of spirits. I have sat with himin the same room many hours, and he was invariably much re-served, and seldom spoke. When together, my brother alwayssat in a pensive manner; and in April I observed a manifestchange in his countenance; his eyes were very much suffused,and the general expression of his countenance was very muchdejected. The prisoner frequently complained to me that he was’the subject of observation by the neighbours. This, in reality,was not a fact. I have walked out with the prisoner, and havenoticed the heedless manner in which he walked through thestreets. He was in the habit of leaning his head upon myshoulder, and this habit went to such an extent as to become anannoyance to me. He seemed to desire to avoid observation, andbecame extremely restless if I stopped to look into a shop-windowor at anything that was exhibited in the street. The mother of i

the prisoner was a daughter of the late Admiral Sir Ross DoN- INELLY, who, unhappily, had become insane, and was so pronouncedupon proceedings which were taken by the late admiral’s family.Be died about two or three years ago, and the commission of

lunacy was executed at a time when he was between 75 and 80years of age. My brother, the prisoner, was aware of the cir-cumstance, and in conversation with me has alluded to it. Sincethe year 1841, I have noticed that his mind was disturbed. Whilein Dublin with me, the prisoner went to SHARPE’s auction-rooms,and he told me that he there met with a book relating to an an-cestor of our family, which had become the matter to his mind ofdeep reflection. On that occasion the prisoner spoke of the un-fortunate blood in his family, and that he felt it himself sometimes.He complained of a pain in his head, of giddiness, and that hepassed sleepless nights, and I advised him to consult a physician,but he iseemed indifferent about the matter. Since this unfortu-nate occurrence I have had occasion to examine a box belongingto the prisoner. It was locked, but on breaking it open I founda phial which had contained laudanum and a quantity of acetateof morphia. Formerly he was remarkably neat in his dress andperson; but latterly he has neglected his person, and allowed hisbeard to grow without shaving. I did not think it necessary toput any restraint upon him.

" Dr. MONRO stated,-On the 8th of July last I was called uponto pronounce an opinion upon the prisoner’s state of mind, and Ivisited him in Clerkenwell Prison. I have visited him ten ortwelve times since then, and yesterday I saw him in Newgate.On five or six occasions I was accompanied by Dr. WARBURTON.I was aware that the prisoner was the grandson of the late SirRoss DONNELLY, whom I had attended professionally for severalweeks previous to his death. I also gave evidence on the occa-sion of the commission of lunacy issued against Sir R. DONNELLYfive years ago. The late admiral was most decidedly of an un-sound state of mind, but that unsoundness was not the result ofold age and imbecility. He laboured under delusions, whichremained with him until his death, from dropsy. I have heardthe testimony which has been adduced to-day, and from it, aswell as from the interviews I have had with the prisoner, I amclearly of opinion that the prisoner is of an unsound state ofmind. On the 8th of July I saw the prisoner in a small cell fornearly an hour. The prisoner said he had no knowledge of Mr.SMITH, the prosecutor, that he wished to be hanged, and thathe had been brooding over suicide for some years. He added,that he had taken laudanum-that he had also taken morphine-that he had no occupation or companions, and that he had beenbrooding over melancholy subjects for years. He also statedthat every event of a horrible description occupied his attention,and that he cut out of the newspapers all the horrible events ofwhich the narrative was recorded; and he mentioned the case ofa policeman who had been killed at Brighton. He further stated,that these events struck his mind, and that he should do some-thing of the same kind, in order to get himself hanged. Theprisoner also stated to me, that he was watched, not only by hisfamily, but by the neighbours, and that the clock at his lodgingshad several times said to him not to attempt it. He also told meon one occasion, that if he had a pistol he would shoot any per-son who came near him. He further added, that he had soughtcomfort in religion, but had found none; and I am clearly ofopinion that the prisoner is now, and was at the time this occur-rence took place, labouring under mental derangement. In myexperience I have seen cases in which insanity has been simu-lated, but the whole history of the life of the unhappy younggentleman at the bar gives the lie to any such supposition. Theprisoner is a downright melancholic, and ought not to be trustedat liberty for a single hour. My opinion is, that if set at libertyhe would commit a similar act again. I think he understandswhat is now going on, but he is in a state of apathy, and whollyindifferent. With reference to the state of mind of the late SirRoss DONNELLY, it is notoriously known the madness washereditary."Mr. Justice MAULE summed up the case to the jury, who, after

a short deliberation, acquitted the prisoner on the ground ofinsanity."

In this instance, as well as in several others which we havelatterly noticed, the criterion fixed upon by the assembled judgesevidently fails, or at least has not been acted upon by the jury.There was nothing in the evidence to prove that the prisoner wasnot conscious, when he perpetrated the crime, of the differencebetween right and wrong. He had for some time determined on

committing suicide, and had even purchased poison with thatintent. Not having, however, the courage to destroy himself, hehit upon the expedient of killing another person, in order that thelaws of his country might put an end to his own existence.Such conduct shews, no doubt, a strange perversion of the moraland religious feelings; but it does not shew that the prisoner had

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lost sight of the distinction between right and wrong. This

being the case, according to the judge’s interpretation, he oughtto have been considered guilty, and hanged. It becomes, there-

fore, of considerable importance to determine whether or not thejury were right in acquitting the prisoner, the more so, as it maybe thought possible that the persons who composed it were un-consciously influenced by his rank and social position.

After maturely weighing the facts of the case, and the evi-

dence, we believe that in this instance the plain common senseof the jury has again triumphed over the difficulties with whichit had to contend, and that a verdict was given perfectlyconsistent with the present state of science on the one hand,and with the interests of society on the other. The labours

of modern pathologists have much improved our knowledge ofinsanity, and more especially of its incipient stages. It is truethat we cannot point out the precise limit which separatesa healthy from a diseased action of the brain, but we havearrived at a much clearer notion of the conditions which con-stitute the one and the other. Those disorders of the moral

feelings which, when they are unaccompanied by hallucinations,or incoherence of the ideas, were considered by writers evenof the last century not so much to constitute insanity as to

lead to it, and were generally designated under the head of"melancholia," are now universally allowed to form one ofthe most important species of insanity. Described by PiNEL andEsQpiROL as forms of monomania, this- kind of insanity hasbeen still more carefully investigated by Dr. PRICHARD, who hastermed it, moral insanity. The range of moral insanity is verygreat, as it extends from mere eccentricity to complete perversionof all the moral feelings and sentiments. Great difficulty, there-fore, will always be felt in legislating for those who are labouringunder this disorder. There can be no difference of opinion as tothe " legal irresponsibility" of those who become a prey to hallu-einations, to acute mania, and of those whose ideas and words areincoherent; they must be considered as completely irresponsible;they are lunatics. This is not the case with reference to thosewhose moral feelings only are perverted; we cannot considerthem as always and necessarily irresponsible ; the degree of in-sanity may be so slight as to be scarcely recognisable, or the crimemay have been committed under the influence of well-founded

anger, revenge, jealousy, or any other passion. In doubtful cases

of this kind, we believe that much must be left to the jury, andto a common-sense view of the individual facts of the case ; the

jury must weigh all the circumstances which transpire, considerhow far the criminal can be assimilated with an ordinary offender,and act accordingly. It is, however, of the greatest importance,that, in the exercise of their common sense, the members whocompose the jury should not be fettered or led astray by any suchextraordinary doctrine as that lately laid down by the judges.There can be no doubt but that for a considerable time Mr.

TOUCHETT had been 11 morally" insane. He thought his friendshad turned against him; he was gloomy, miserable, and unhappy,without a sufficient cause; he had latterly neglected his person,and had long entertained ideas of suicide. The evidence of hisbrother also shews that he had once or twice laboured under hallu-cination. Another important point is, that there had been insanityin his family. At last, he coolly assassinates a man against whomhe entertains no enmity whatever, and whom he knows not, inorder that he may be hanged, as he said at the time. Such aman could not be made responsible for his actions; his death by thelaw would have been a judicial murder, from which society wouldhave derived no benefit. It must always be kept in mind that theobject of criminal law is not to punish the culprit, but to deterothers from committing the like offence, or to separate him fromsociety, where his presence might be a continual source of danger.If Mr. TOUCHETT had been condemned, he would have obtainedwhat he, in his insanity, wished - death. So far from his

punishment deterring others, it would have shewn to those whoseminds may now be deranged, perhaps without their friends beingaware of the fact, and who may be pursued by the same ideas ofsuicide and murder, that-unprovoked assassination was a means of

gratifying their wishes, through the medium of the law. Thatthe details of Mr. TOUCHETT’S case will meet the eye of some

such persons is far from improbable, when we recollect how fondindividuals thus affected are of reading horrible trials, as evi-denced by Mr. TOUCHETT himself. If so, his confinement forlife in a lunatic asylum will certainly tend to prevent them fromattempting to imitate his tragical conduct.

THE GOVERNMENT MEDICAL BILL.

MEETINGS OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.

MEDICAL PROTECTION ASSEMBLY.EXETER HALL, NOV. 11.—MR. GEORGE ROSS IN THE CHAIR.

THE committee was numerously attended. We have not space toreport the discussion.

It was moved by Mr. WAKLEY, and carried unanimously, thatDr. LYNCH be requested to open a communication, immediately,with the presidents, or secretaries, of some of the chief medicalassociations, requesting to be informed whether they are desirousthat there should be a meeting of medical delegates in London,and at what period they consider that it would be most conve-nient and most useful for them to assemble.

Dr. LYNCH stated that he would at once set to work for thedischarge of the duty which the committee had assigned to him.The adjournment stands for Monday evening next, at 8 o’clock.

RESOLUTIONS RELATIVE TO THE BILL FOR THEBETTER REGULATION OF MEDICAL PRACTICE,

Adopted by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, atan Extraordinary Meeting, held on llth October, 1844.

1. That the College testify their satisfaction that the bill forthe better regulation of medical education and practice, so longexpected, has at length been laid before the House of Commons,and has had a first reading.

2. That this satisfaction has been increased by the knowledge,that the two great principles of the measure-viz., a uniformstandard of education and qualification, and the abolition of alllocal privileges, are those, for the recognition of which theCollege have on various occasions contended, and expressed thesame opinion in petition to the legislature.

3. That the principles now specified, if carried fully into effect,would confer a great benefit on the profession and the public, andwould remove the evils and remedy the abuses now existing, andof which, for a long time past, there has been too good reason tocomplain.4. That in thus providing the public with a supply of fully-

qualified general practitioners, the College are of opinion thatGovernment is undertaking all that can be properly attempted bylegislative interference.

5. That the College have, with regret, observed that the partof the bill which proposes to abolish the practice of prosecutingunlicensed and unqualified practitioners, has given rise to greatalarm and a good deal of opposition. The College are inclinedto doubt the practicability of restraining unlicensed practice bypenal enactments, or the expediency of attempting to do so bysuch means, and in this view they are strengthened by the fact,that such powers, although vested in some of the public bodiesin Scotland, have for many years been allowed to lie dormantwithout any practical inconvenience. But notwithstanding thatthese are the sentiments of the College, yet, if it shall appear thatit is the desire of a large proportion of the intelligent membersof the profession to attempt to restrain such practitioners bypenal enactments,-rather than endanger the final success of ameasure otherwise so beneficial, the College are disposed not tourge strongly their own opinions on this head. -

, 6. That while the College approve most cordially of the generalspirit and principles of the bill, they allow that in various detailsit may be desirable to introduce certain changes and modifica-tions not affecting its principles or leading details, and which, sofar from impairing the efficacy of the measure, would tend ma-terially to facilitate its practical application.

;