817

THE LANCET.

London, Salu1’day, September 29, 1827.

BEFORE the appearance of our next Num-

ber, the Theatre of St. Bartholomew’s Hos-

pital will have. opened, the performanceswill have commenced, the principal actors,Messrs. ABERNETHY and STANLEY, will

have made their entrée, and have receivedthe greetings of their assembled friends.

We hope, and confidently expect, that thosegreetings will fully com ey to these dis-

tinguished performers, the sense of the au-dience on their late exploits. We are sure

that the interests of the public, the honourof the surgical profession, and the futurecredit of the medical school of this Hospi-tal, imperiously require that the senti-

ments universally entertained by the publicand the profession, should be cordially and

unequivocally expressed on this occasion.

Nothing is wanting but a public demon-stration of the disgust and indignation everywhere so freely expressed in private, andno opportunity can be so appropriate as thatwhich the commencement of October will

afford. We speak of the medical school ofthis Hospital in compliance with custom,though we know that a school of medicine,in the proper sense of the term, hardlyexists in London, and is certainly not to befound at St. Hartholomew’s :-its medical

department has long been wrapped in a

deep sleep, which we are not inclined to

disturb, at least for the present. Rut this

Hospital is the first school of surgery in

London ; foreigners constantly resort to it,to see the state of the science in England :-its management, therefore, as a great centreof surgical instruction, is not only most

important to the community, but also in-

volves the honour of the profession in the

eyes of strangers. Hence it is that we have

lately devoted so much attention to the

subject, which we shall follow up steadily,

until all the intrigues and schemes of low

cunning, malignant envy, and sordid ava-rice, are laid open to the public scorn,

until light and air are let into all the dark

"holes and corners of a corrupt system,and until the reforms so loudly demandedby the unanimous voice of the profession,

shall be carried into full effect. In our last

six Numbers, nearly all parts of the subjectare txplained; but we think it right to givea short summary of the affair for the

guidance of the numerous students, whoare now flocking to London, to many of

whom the matter will be, in great measure,novel, and to whom, misled as they mightotherwise be, by the former reputation andcharacter of one of the parties, it is of con-sequence that recent discoveries should be

made known before they choose their

teachers.

Our accusation is, that for more than

thirty years Mr. ABERNETHY has engrossedin his own person the teaching of anatomy,physiology, pathology, and surgery-.that.in order to secure to himself this profitablearrangement, he has discouraged and keptdown those men of superior talent and know-ledge, who had a just claim to participatein the honour and advantages of the school,and to the benefit of whose exertions the

public were justly entitled :-that, with aview to the same end, he has brought for-ward men of inferior talent and character,whom he could employ for his own pur-poses, retaining them in a state of depend7ence on himself :-that he has clung to his

monopoly long after age, infirmity, and otherdisqualifications, had incapacitated him fromdischarging his duties effectually :-and,finally, after having kept Mr. LAWRENCEout of all share in the lectures, he hasendeavoured to perpet1Ulte the exclusion of

this celebrated surgeon, in order to securethe succession to his son, who was, at the

time, a boy at school. It would detain us

too long to go over again the intrigues, thecontrivances, the bonds, the pecuniary ob-

818

ligations, by which a " straight-forwardman" attempted to accomplish so tortuousa piece of avaricious iniquity, and to renderthe professorships recited above, hereditaryin the family of ABERNETHY. We refer tohis own letter, in THE LANCET of August 25,for a full confirmation of our represen-tations.

When Mr. ABERNETHY succeeded Mr.

PoTT as lecturer, his monopoly might havebeen justified by the absolute want of othersduly qualified to teach. We believe that he

performed his duty well for a long time, andemployed his powerful talents honestly andeffectively for the instruction of the pupilsand the advancement of science. His pub-lications evince an original turn of thinking,strong powers of observation, and great in-genuity. With these endowments, he mighthave rendered the greatest services to sur-

gery, and have entitled himself to the last-

ing gratitude and respect of his own profes-sion and the public ; but he has sacrificed

every thing to odious jealousy and indiscri-minating avarice. It is his natural eleva-

tion of character that renders his downfall

more signal and irretrievable ; his late con-duct, which strikes us as so contemptiblein him, would not have excited much atten-tion in an inferior man-

" Who would not laugh, if such a manthere be,

Who would not weep if Atticus were he !"

Mr. ABERNETHY had great power of con- veying information orally, and his surgicallectures were excellent as long as he choseto take pains with them. He would have

been a good physiologist, perhaps, had henot neglected anatomy, which he alwaystaught imperfectly, and of late years so

badly, that his lectures could only havetended to discourage students, -and disgustthem with the pursuit. Subsequently, his

surgical lectures have partaken of the sameindolence and indifference, and he has notblushed openly to avow, in the last course,that he pays little or no attention to modern

improvements, and makes no effort to keeppace with the progress of science in foreigncountries : his lectures, in truth, belong tothe last century ; their genuine antique cha-racter is not spoiled by the introduction ofany traits derived from the discoveries of

the present age.Having been sole monarch for thirty-five

years; having ruled his little territory withabsolute authority, admitting or excluding,selecting or rejecting whom he pleased,without any interference of Governors, or

responsibility to them or any one else, wecannot wonder that he came at last to re-

gard the establishment as his own, and

coolly took measures for transmitting it,like an estate, or any other piece of pro.perty, to his son. We have learned this

week, from an Irish correspondent, thatDr. Macartney, the professor of anatomy at

Trinity College, Dublin, gave the anatomi-cal demonstrations at St. Bartholomew’s

many years ago, and would have gladly lentthe aid of his powerful talents and great in-

dustry to the school; but the triple-headedprofessor guarded the entrance with such

jealous vigilance, that he could not gain ad-mission, and was obliged to retreat. Mr.

LAWRENCE succeeded him as demonstrator,and filled the laborious office about twelve

years, when he was glad to escape from a

routine of drudgery unrelieved by any pros-pect of advancement. We are at a loss to

conceive what excuse Mr. ABERNETHY can

offer for continuing his monopoly at this

period, and depriving the pupils of the in-valuable services of Mr. LAWRENCE. Gifted

with a strong, capacious, and clear head,eextraordinary perseverance, command of

language and -talent for public speaking,possessing an unequalled store of profes.sional knowledge, and being at the age

when the thirst after information and the

desire of distinction are most active, this

gentleman was eminently qualified for a

, lecturer, and might have occupied the pro-fessor’s chair for the last ten or fifteen years,

819

with incalculable advantage to the establish-ment, and to the increase of his own repu-tation. That he has not done so, seems to

be owing solely to the jealous and avaricious

disposition of one who can bear no brothernear the throne, nor admit any one to share

the spoil. When shut out from this ave-

nue, Mr. Lawrence, undismayed, took otherpaths to distinction, and with completesuccess. He has appeared before the pub-lic as a surgical writer and hospital surgeon,and has shown himsself as a lecturer at the

College of Surgeons, the Eye Infirmary, andthe new theatre in Aldersgate-street. If,therefore, the aid of Dr. MACARTNEY andMr. LAWRENCE has been lost to the medi-

cal school; if the school from this and

other causes has sunk to the lowest ebb in

credit, and if there should be no means of

setting it afloat again, it is all owing tohim, who has had the entire control and

management of the helm. Some have fan-

cied that great credit is due to him for

CANT.

Thus even would physiological re-

searches enforce the belief which I may sayis natural to man ; that in addition to his

bodily frame, he possesses a sensitive, in-

telligent and independent mind : an opi-nion which tends in an eminent degree to

produce virtuous, honourable, and useful

actions."—Inquiry into the Probability of Mr. ,Hunter’s Theory rf Life. p. 79.

" I know that the opinions I allude toare productive of nothing but good to hu-manity, individually and collectively. I ad-mit, that the belief that man is a machinedoes not tend to alter his natural and esta-blished motions, and consequently, thatthere have been many good and moral scep-tics. But I also know, that the good dis-positions will want that excitement andenergy which the opposite sentiments pro-duce, whilst the bad will be left withoutcontrol. It is equally apparent that thebelief of the distinct and independent na-ture of mind, incites us to act rightly fromprinciple ; to relieve distress, to repel ag-gression, and defend those who are incapa-ble of protecting themselves ; to practiseand extol whatever is virtuous, excellent,and honourable ; to shun and condemn what-ever is vicious and base ; regardless also ofour own personal feelings and interest, when

raising the school ; in all probability he willbalance the account by sinking it again.But the most odious trait in Mr. Aberne-

thy’s conduct, is one which we have hadlittle time to advert to, and which we reallydid not understand clearly, until the late

exposures had led us to look again into someof his writings: we mean his cowardly at-

tempt in the physiological controversy withMr. LAWRENCE, to destroy that gentleman,by arming against him religious bigotryand ignorant fanaticism ; if we couple withthis the recommendation of his own opi-nions on the ground of their admirable moraltendency, the nauseous cant which he ad-dressed to the pupils in "the war" of lastseason, and the despicable system of in-

trigue, bargain, and bond, lately brought to

light, the measure of disgust will be full tooverflowing. We must resort again to ourantagonised statements, putting cant on oneside and conduct on the other.

CONDUCT.

Having pledged myself to resign theoffice of surgeon when I should attain theage of 60, it became (as that period ap-proached) a subject of consideration whetherI should relinquish my lectures in yourtheatre at the same time; and if I did so,whom I should recommend as my successor.Mr. Stanley appeared to me to be the ONLY

person educated in yourschool, WILLING andCOMPETENT to undertake the task. At thesame time it also became a question with meto what profession I should educate MY SON,who, at the time 0/’ my intended resignation,would be seventeen years of age.—Mr. -4ber-nethy’s Letter, LANCET, Vol. XII. p. 6,iT.

" To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—In THE LANCET of this day, I find

it asserted by your Correspondent, Alr. E.F. Smith, whom I have not the pleasure ofbeing acquainted with, that the lectures atSt. Bartholomew’s Hospital had been offeredto me before they were given to JBIr. Stan-ley, and that I had most positively declinedthem. There is not a particle oj’tz-uth in thisstatement ; NO SUCII OFFER WAS EX-EltMADE TO INIE ; no opportuititti has ever

been afforded me of lecturing at the Hospital,but, on the contrary, ALL MEANS HAVE BEENEMPLOYED, UP TO THE LAST MOMENT, TO

PREVENT MY HAVING SUCH OPPORTUNITY

820

put in competition with our duty.—Phy-siological Lectures. p. 49, 50.[Much sermonising, equally sincere, and

equally edifying, will be found in the samework, p. 36 to 54, and p. 320 to the end.]

11 Now I am a straight forward charac-ter,’ and the public know it. There’s nothingthat can be said to defame me WILL HAVEANY AVAIL. I say I am a straight-forwardcharacter. I never let feelings disturb myconduct. I look to what is reasonable andright to be done under certain circum-stances, and I do it."-Mr. Abernethy to theClass, LANCET, Vol. XI. p. 210.

" It is my duty that you should be as-sisted in your studies by the best men, andif they are not the best men we must findyou others.Ibid.

" I say to the Class, if it were the case ofMY OWN SON, and I thought that he wasdeficient in knowledge, thought that he wasdeficient in industry, or thought that he wasdeficient in powers of explanation, or ofcommunicating his information, I would bethe first man to blackball him.- Ibid.

MONEY is not my object; it is known, itis not my object. If there is any gentlemanin the class who is capable of supposing thatI could act disingenuously, or in any otherway than this, which I call a straight-forwaI’dmanner, I should be very happy to return

him every farthing," &c.-Ibid.

Excellent opinions ! Admirable moral

tendency ! ! Honourable conduct!! !

The Governors of the Hospital acted veryrationally in determining, that the Lecturersshould be chosen from the medical officers.

The scientific principles of surgery are un-folded in the LECTURE ROOM, and the sur-

geon in his practice exhibits their applica-tion to the actual treatment of disease;

I may add, that I SHOULD HAVEEAGERLY EMBRACED THE OPPOR-TUNITY OF LECTURING HAD ITBEEN OFFERED TO ME."—Mr. Law-rence’s Letter, Lancet, Vol. XI[. p. 7:23.

" Over and over again has Mr. Aber-nethy expressed his belief in theincompetencyof Mr. Skey. Nay, more than that, I domaintain, that within the last nine monthshas Mr. Abernethy pronounced his incompe-tency pitblicly Mr. Abernethy came out ofthe theatre, called him A FOOL.-Stanley’sSpeech in The Lancet.

Mr..4be),nethy to Mr. Skey.°° DEAR SIR,—If any report be in circu-

lation that I, in speaking of you, made useof language which might be construed intoan expression of an opinion unfavourable toyour professional reputation, I have no hesi-tation of assuring you, that the language re-ferred to was made use of merely in allusionto the COMPARATIVE OPULENCE OFMR. WORMALD’S FAMILY WITHRESPECT TO YOUR OWN. I am, &c.John Abernethy."—Lancet, Vol. XII.p. 694.

" As a BARGAIN between Mr. Stanleyand myself, I considered it A VERY FAIRONE."—Mr. Abernethy’s Letter, Vol. XII.

p.658.

11 Whilst I have superintended the medi-cal school, I have, WITHOUT ANY RE-FERENCE TO MY OWN INTEREST,endeavoured to engage those persons whomight afterwards become surgeons to the

Hospital in anatomical and physiologicalpursuits. "-Ibid.

11 As the time of my resignation ap.proached, I began to perceive that I had noassurance of Mr. Stanley’s performing his

engagement, EXCEPT BY PECUNIARYOBLIGATION. Between him and methere was a contract or bargain ; I gave up tohim a considerable income, and he in returnwas PLEDGED to promote the interests ofMY SON."-Ibid.

thus the precept and example correspond,coming from the same quarter. Mr. Aber-

nethy is no longer surgeon of the establish-ment, and he consequently ought to resignthe lectureship. His continuance in the

chair is most unfortunate for the pupils,inasmuch as his principles do not harmonisewith any other person’s practice. We feel

confident at least, that Messrs. Lawrence,

821

Viucent, and Eaile, do not treat a singlecase in the manner directed by Mr. Aber-

nethy. How the unfortunate pupils mustbe puzzled by this discrepance ! The prin-ciples of the treatment which they see, arenot explained; and the doctrines which theyreceive from the lecturer, are not practicallyillustrated, as no one except the father ofthe iNFAxr ANATOMIST, can cure all dis-

eases by blue pill and decoction of sarsa-parilla.The Governors of the Hospital, who can-

not be supposed to understand these sub-

jects, and have their own affairs to attendto-who have, not uùnaturally, confided ina person so long attached to the medicalschool, though, since detecting his man-ceuvres they have given him a sharp rap II .

an the knuckles, and will soon probablystrike much harder, seem not inclined to

interfere, but leave the appointment, whichthey made in ignorance of the damningfacts lately disclosed, undisturbed, and ap-parently wait for that total dissolution

which the working of events is bringing onat no slow rate, and which will leave them

a clear ground for future operations. In

the mean time, we hear with the greatestsatisfaction that the best spirit prevailsamong the pupils ; that they have expe-rienced all the disgust which such an ex-

posure of avaricious schemes, low intrigue,and mean bargaining, of envy, jealousy, and

malignity, could not fail to excite in youngand honest minds ; that they feel the pro-fession degraded by the late scandalous dis-closures, and their own just expectationsand reasonable demands of the most effi-

cient instruction which the institution could

afford, disappointed by the present dis-

jointed and discordant state of’ the esta-

blishment to which they had entered. Of

course we speak of the old pupils, not be-

lieving it possible that a single new onewill intrust himself to this medical chaos,- will pay money to men who at this very

moment are engaged in bickering and hos-

tile correspondence (see Skey’s letter), andwho will in all probability break out intoirreconcileable animosity, when they at-

tempt to act together. To the old pupils,then, we can only recommend the coursewhich their own good sense has alreadytaken, that of firmly but respectfully main-

taining their claim to a proper system ofprofessional instruction. We caution them

against the attempts which will be made bya consummate master in the art of cant-

ing, coaxing, and deluding-against sacri-ficing their own just claims and the honourof the profession, to a few honied sentencesand insincere compliments. If they aretempted by a flattering and wheedlingtongue, let them balance facts againstphrases, designs against words, and remem-ber well the monkish rhymes-

Mel in ore, verba lactis,Fel in corde, fraus in factis.

Let them remember, that the respectabilityof the class, the honour of the school, andthe credit of the profession are compro-mised by these base intrigues, these filthybargains, this sordid and mercenary sacri-fice of public interests to private advantage;which inflict the deeper stain on account ofthe previous character and professional rankof the guilty parties. All these considera-

tions require that the students should ex-

press in a marked and unequivocal mannertheir sense of such foul proceedings. The

opinion of the profession and of the publicis decided and unanimous ; it rests with thestudents of Bartholomew’s to give it utter-ance in that place, where it can be pro-nounced with effect, and thus to rescue the

medical school and the profession at largefrom the stigma of participating in or sanc-tioning a course of conduct, which has beenmarked by peculiar reprobation. Finally,we exhort them not to forget, even for amoment, that this infamous system has

been the means of oppressing their favour-ite surgeon during many years past, and of

depriving them of the value of his inesti-I

822

mable services,—that the same injustice itsstill in active operation, and still thrusts

the door of the Theatre in the face of Mr. ]

LAWRENCE, whose talents are admired, and Swhose name is respected on every spot of jthe globe where surgery is known as a

science ; and to whose worth, both publicand private, the following tribute has beenrecently dedicated by Professor Casper, ofthe University of Berlin, in a work exhibit-

ing & comparative sketch of the state of )medicine in this country and France. Hav-

ing given an account of the New BethlemHospital, Professor Casper proceeds to de- <

scribe the characters of the medical officers *

of that institution,* and of Mr. LAWRENCEhe thus speaks- j

;" A man who, by a reputation extended

throughout Europe, has anticipated theusual result of years, since he is even nowlittle more than forty. That German phy’sician who may go to London, and only be-come acquainted with WILLIAM LAWRENCE,has a pass to see every where that which ismost important in our art, since Lawrenceis a personification of politeness and of thereadiness to serve (dienstfertigkeit). I tookhim only a verbal introduction from Albersof Bremen, which proved to me of fargreater and of more real use, than manywritten recommendations at other places.I relate such details for the purpose of dis-

sipating that disgraceful prejudice whichprevails against the distinguished Englishphysicians, as being cold, proud, and indif-ferent towards those who venture to cross

the Channel. The French, for the most

part, are uncommonly polite, in appearanceexceedingly friendly, and promise much ;but blunted by the number of strangersdaily swarming about them, they soon be-come careless of, and neglect, travellers ;the English are less formal, and apparentlymore forbidding, but more hearty ; a pledgeonce given is with them holy, and thestranger can safely build upon their promise.Lawrence once wrote me a note at mid-

night, before he went to a patient to whomhe was called, residing out of town, apolo-gising for his not being able to meet me thenext day at the Hospital as he had pro-mised ! A Parisian physician would hardlyhave done this, and Mr. Lawrence must here

* See his Charakteristik der franzosis-chen Medicin, mit vergleichenden Hinblir-ken auf die Englische, fol. 476, et sequentia.

allow me publicly to acknowledge this small,butloud-speaking trait of his honest sinceritybefore my countrymen, who prize him noless than he does them. It is perhaps lessgenerally known, that LAWRENCE studiesand is intimately acquainted with Germanliterature and science, being indeed ac-

quainted with our poets, and that he is thetranslator of Blumenbach’s ComparativeAnatomy. He also speaks German (arura aviswith London Physicians), and understandsit perfectly, as he also does French. Hisother literary labours are more generallyknown ; his classical work on Hernia istranslated into German, French, and Italian,and does not require my praise. His for-mer opinions respecting materialism appearto have given such offence to his orthodoxcountrymen, that his opponents strongly ex-erted themselves to deprive him of his situa-tion ; so that a scientific or philosophicalinquiry dares not to be published in that

free country with impunity, in whose capital,in almost every picture shop, the most

humiliating representations of the King andGovernment are ostentatiously displayed! !*Many, possessing the consciousness of thereputation which LAWRENCE enjoys. abroadas well as in London, where he has an ex.tensive practice, would be insufferably proudand insolent to their juniors; but no mancan be more different from this, than themodest, cheerful, amiable, and social man,before whom these lines may one day come,and may serve to express to him the true

feelings of their author."

LONDON MEDICAL SOCIETY.

DR. HASLAM. President, in the Chair.THE Society resumed its meetings for the

season on Monday last; the attendance waslarge, and the discussions, which were ofan animated character, turned principallyon the causes of the hour-glass contractionof the uterus, in consequence of the recitalof a case of that kind by Dr. WALSHMAN ;and on the treatment of fractures in which

bony union is not effected by the usual

plan. Mr. AmzESSUnv read an account ofthree cases, in which he had succeeded in

procuring ossific union by means of his

apparatus, after many other contrivanceshad been resorted to in vain ; but as we

disposed of this matter last season, therecan be no necessity for resuming it.

* 11 Und eine wissenschaftliche, natur-philosophische untersuchung durfte in je-nem freien Lande nicht ungestraft bekanntgemacht werden, in dessen Hauptstadt manin jedem Bilderladen die scbmiiebliclistenZerrbilder auf Konig und Obrigkeit prangen’ sieht ! !" p. 473. I