ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES IN COURTS OF LAW.
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383 I think you will agree with me, that the assumption of a false address, in a circular otherwise calculated to mislead the unwary, should be held up to public reprehension, for the benefit of medical students who may this season arrive in London for the first time. I can fully understand why you have excluded the advertisements of the (so-called) " Char- lotte-street School of Medicine" from your columns, and re- main, Sir, yours respectfully, GEORGE SMITH BRENT. THE PROJECTED " NATIONAL INSTITUTE" OF MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—An experience of forty years in the profession has enabled me to become tolerably well acquainted with the feelings and opinions of my brother practitioners. Since the appearance of your publication, I have been what is called a medical reformer, although I do not hesitate to confess, that in what is called general politics, I am a tough, unflinching, old Tory. In my zeal for medical reform, I have contributed my mite to several Associations. The want of success amongst us has been owing to our want of unanimity. We have been divided, and have fallen. It is therefore with very great pain that I am witnessing the attempt to create a new division by raising up a new institution, which, for the most part, can only prove a source of convenience or amusement to some of the practitioners of London. I say this with great regret, because I entertain sincere respect for the promoters of the scheme, many of whom are old acquaintances of mine, and I feel for them both a professional and a social regard. I did not at all concur with you in your attacks on the Committee of the National Association, and at first I thought you were not only wrong but unjust. I should, however, be ashamed of myself if I did not now acknowledge that you were right, that the Committee perpetrated many sad blunders, and that the ruin of an Association of upwards of four thousand members had been the unhappy termination of a series of errors. I still believe, however, that the members of the Committee, for the most part, intended well,-that they erred in judgment, not in design. But I consider their last error-that of pro- posing to establish a newinstitution,a new chartered institution, with the present prospect of government support to a general law for improving the state of medical practitioners-is much to be lamented. It is a very serious error, and I perfectly agree with you in all that you wrote on the subject in THE LANCET, of the 19thofSeDtember.l846. Theannualsubscription is a new tax on the profession. My friends on the Com- mittee must know that the various items named by the proposers-comprising rooms, chambers, a library, a museum, and paid officers and servants-would require an outlay of very many thousands of pounds. And then, when the insti- tution exists, what is it to do ? Nothing, but add to the number of our already innumerable difficulties. I do indeed lament that such a scheme has been set on foot. It is not too late for the Committee to retrace their steps on this point. No Council is yet elected. Without, then, entirely abandoning the undertaking, if that would be painful to the honourable promoters of it, I most heartily concur with you in advising that the further prosecution of the plan should be postponed until we have an opportunity of knowing what the next Session of Parliament will produce. I will not say that two thousand pounds have already been uselessly spent; but it cannot be denied that that very large sum has been unwisely dissipated. The new proposal, if carried into effect, must cause the expense of additional thousands, without producing, so far as I can now discover, a single benefit. Country prac- titioners cannot see, in the establishment of the new institu- tion, how their condition will be improved by it. If it have a museum, of what use will that be to them? If a library be collected, can they read the books ? If a reading-room be hired, can they lounge and gossip there ? From what I can learn, the institution will really consist of only a very few members, upon whom will fall a vast expense, without their being enabled to exercise any useful influence. The Associa- tion, which has just closed its labours, embracing many thousands of members, promised much, and had it not been for the unhappy disputes and divisions which took place, it would have included nearly the whole of the profession. 11 that Association unfortunately failed, what can the new Society do for us ? It certainly is with pain that I say thai my sincere belief is, that it would soon become an injury instead of being a benefit. With unshaken respect, then, for many of the members o the Committee, I do entreat of them to postpone any further attempt to execute the plan, at least for twelve months; and in making this appeal to them, I believe I shall be joined by nine-tenths of the practitioners who take any interest in the subject.-I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, September, 1846. AN AGED SURGEON-APOTHECARY. DR. BRIGHT AND HIS QUACK HOLLOWAY. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SiR,—The profession is much indebted to you for your un- wearied efforts to exterminate quackery in all forms; but there are some who, unfortunately, think it a matter of small con- sequence whether their names are used to support the nefa- rious system or not; or they perhaps imagine that the public will not believe them capable of writing the letters made use of in quack advertisements. Such, one would think, must be Dr. Bright’s idea, judging from the profound silence with which he treats your frequent appeals to him. You, sir, may like to have a case wherewith to back up those appeals, and I therefore just send you, as nearly as I can recollect, a dia- logue which a chemist and druggist in my neighbourhood told me occurred between himself and a man the other day. Patient.—Do you know anything of Dr. Bright, sir ? Chemist.—I have heard of such a gentleman. Do you wish to consult him ? Patient.—Oh no! but I have had a bad leg, and went to a doctor, who gave me a lotion which has done it no good, and I saw in a paper, the other day, a wonderful cure of a bad leg of thirty years’ standing. He then went on to say how Dr. Bright had given the man half-a-sovereign to buy Holloway’s medicines with, &c., and in the end bought a box of Holloway’s pills of my acquaint- ance, the chemist, upon the strength of Dr. Bright’s recom- mendation. Of course the chemist was not a little amused, and ought to have been grateful to the doctor for thus " putting money in his purse." I am, Sir, yours, &c., September, 1846. ANTI-QUACKERY. The writer of this communication has forwarded to us his name and address. ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES IN COURTS OF LAW. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—At last Spring Assizes, held fourteen miles off, I re- ceived a subpcena to attend as medical witness in a case of assault. The subpoena, inclosed a sovereign. I attended for two entire days, to the total neglect of my practice. I was (in addition to the £1 with the subpoena) paid £2 12s. 4d. The assault case was postponed till the Summer Assizes, and I was bound over to attend. I did so,-fourteen miles off,- and my remuneration has been fifteen shillings. I beg to ask you if that small sum is the remuneration allowed by law for a medical gentleman who goes fourteen miles off, at very great inconvenience to himself and patients, to give evidence in court.-Your obedient servant, A PHYSICIAN. September, 1846. P.S.-I enclose the note received from the solicitors, in- closing the fifteen shillings. " DEAR SIR,—We hoped that the court would allow the sum of 1:1 we paid you with your st.bpcena, in addition to the regu- lated allowance, but although we made a hard fight for it, it was refused. We have therefore only fifteen shillings to hand over to you, which we enclose.-We are, dear Sir, your most obedient servants." IS COAGULATION OF THE BLOOD A PROOF OF ITS VITALITY? To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—In THE LANCET of September 12th, there are some observations by Dr. Letheby concerning the judgment to be formed, in a medico-legal point of view, from blood-spots on the clothes. The subject is so important, that I will take the liberty of pointing out what appears to me to be an inference not warranted by the present state of our knowledge; and if I am right in this opinion, it is surely better to confess our ignorance, than to form conclusions upon insufficient data, which may some day afford an occasion for the lawyers to sneer, as we well know they are disposed to do, at our useful and laborious profession.
Transcript of ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES IN COURTS OF LAW.
383
I think you will agree with me, that the assumption of afalse address, in a circular otherwise calculated to misleadthe unwary, should be held up to public reprehension, forthe benefit of medical students who may this season arrive inLondon for the first time. I can fully understand why youhave excluded the advertisements of the (so-called) " Char-lotte-street School of Medicine" from your columns, and re-main, Sir, yours respectfully, GEORGE SMITH BRENT.
THE PROJECTED " NATIONAL INSTITUTE" OFMEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.
To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,—An experience of forty years in the profession hasenabled me to become tolerably well acquainted with thefeelings and opinions of my brother practitioners. Since the
appearance of your publication, I have been what is called amedical reformer, although I do not hesitate to confess, that inwhat is called general politics, I am a tough, unflinching, oldTory. In my zeal for medical reform, I have contributed mymite to several Associations. The want of success amongst ushas been owing to our want of unanimity. We have beendivided, and have fallen. It is therefore with very greatpain that I am witnessing the attempt to create a new divisionby raising up a new institution, which, for the most part, canonly prove a source of convenience or amusement to some ofthe practitioners of London. I say this with great regret,because I entertain sincere respect for the promoters of thescheme, many of whom are old acquaintances of mine, and Ifeel for them both a professional and a social regard. I didnot at all concur with you in your attacks on the Committeeof the National Association, and at first I thought you werenot only wrong but unjust. I should, however, be ashamed ofmyself if I did not now acknowledge that you were right, thatthe Committee perpetrated many sad blunders, and that theruin of an Association of upwards of four thousand membershad been the unhappy termination of a series of errors. Istill believe, however, that the members of the Committee,for the most part, intended well,-that they erred in judgment,not in design. But I consider their last error-that of pro-posing to establish a newinstitution,a new chartered institution,with the present prospect of government support to a generallaw for improving the state of medical practitioners-is muchto be lamented. It is a very serious error, and I perfectlyagree with you in all that you wrote on the subject in THELANCET, of the 19thofSeDtember.l846. Theannualsubscriptionis a new tax on the profession. My friends on the Com-mittee must know that the various items named by theproposers-comprising rooms, chambers, a library, a museum,and paid officers and servants-would require an outlay ofvery many thousands of pounds. And then, when the insti-tution exists, what is it to do ? Nothing, but add to thenumber of our already innumerable difficulties. I do indeedlament that such a scheme has been set on foot. It is nottoo late for the Committee to retrace their steps on this point.No Council is yet elected. Without, then, entirely abandoningthe undertaking, if that would be painful to the honourablepromoters of it, I most heartily concur with you in advisingthat the further prosecution of the plan should be postponeduntil we have an opportunity of knowing what the nextSession of Parliament will produce. I will not say that twothousand pounds have already been uselessly spent; but itcannot be denied that that very large sum has been unwiselydissipated. The new proposal, if carried into effect, mustcause the expense of additional thousands, without producing,so far as I can now discover, a single benefit. Country prac-titioners cannot see, in the establishment of the new institu-tion, how their condition will be improved by it. If it havea museum, of what use will that be to them? If a library becollected, can they read the books ? If a reading-room behired, can they lounge and gossip there ? From what I canlearn, the institution will really consist of only a very fewmembers, upon whom will fall a vast expense, without theirbeing enabled to exercise any useful influence. The Associa-tion, which has just closed its labours, embracing manythousands of members, promised much, and had it not beenfor the unhappy disputes and divisions which took place, itwould have included nearly the whole of the profession. 11that Association unfortunately failed, what can the newSociety do for us ? It certainly is with pain that I say thaimy sincere belief is, that it would soon become an injuryinstead of being a benefit.With unshaken respect, then, for many of the members o
the Committee, I do entreat of them to postpone any furtherattempt to execute the plan, at least for twelve months; andin making this appeal to them, I believe I shall be joined bynine-tenths of the practitioners who take any interest in thesubject.-I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,
September, 1846. AN AGED SURGEON-APOTHECARY.
DR. BRIGHT AND HIS QUACK HOLLOWAY.To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SiR,—The profession is much indebted to you for your un-wearied efforts to exterminate quackery in all forms; but thereare some who, unfortunately, think it a matter of small con-sequence whether their names are used to support the nefa-rious system or not; or they perhaps imagine that the publicwill not believe them capable of writing the letters made useof in quack advertisements. Such, one would think, must beDr. Bright’s idea, judging from the profound silence withwhich he treats your frequent appeals to him. You, sir, maylike to have a case wherewith to back up those appeals, andI therefore just send you, as nearly as I can recollect, a dia-logue which a chemist and druggist in my neighbourhood toldme occurred between himself and a man the other day.
Patient.—Do you know anything of Dr. Bright, sir ?Chemist.—I have heard of such a gentleman. Do you wish
to consult him ?Patient.—Oh no! but I have had a bad leg, and went to a
doctor, who gave me a lotion which has done it no good, andI saw in a paper, the other day, a wonderful cure of a bad legof thirty years’ standing.He then went on to say how Dr. Bright had given the man
half-a-sovereign to buy Holloway’s medicines with, &c., and inthe end bought a box of Holloway’s pills of my acquaint-ance, the chemist, upon the strength of Dr. Bright’s recom-mendation.Of course the chemist was not a little amused, and ought
to have been grateful to the doctor for thus " putting moneyin his purse." I am, Sir, yours, &c.,September, 1846. ANTI-QUACKERY.The writer of this communication has forwarded to us
his name and address.
ILL-PAYMENT OF MEDICAL WITNESSES INCOURTS OF LAW.
To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—At last Spring Assizes, held fourteen miles off, I re-
ceived a subpcena to attend as medical witness in a case ofassault. The subpoena, inclosed a sovereign. I attended fortwo entire days, to the total neglect of my practice. I was(in addition to the £1 with the subpoena) paid £2 12s. 4d.The assault case was postponed till the Summer Assizes, andI was bound over to attend. I did so,-fourteen miles off,-and my remuneration has been fifteen shillings. I beg to askyou if that small sum is the remuneration allowed by law fora medical gentleman who goes fourteen miles off, at very greatinconvenience to himself and patients, to give evidence incourt.-Your obedient servant, A PHYSICIAN.
September, 1846.
P.S.-I enclose the note received from the solicitors, in-closing the fifteen shillings." DEAR SIR,—We hoped that the court would allow the sum
of 1:1 we paid you with your st.bpcena, in addition to the regu-lated allowance, but although we made a hard fight for it, itwas refused. We have therefore only fifteen shillings tohand over to you, which we enclose.-We are, dear Sir, yourmost obedient servants."
IS COAGULATION OF THE BLOOD A PROOF OFITS VITALITY?
To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—In THE LANCET of September 12th, there are some
observations by Dr. Letheby concerning the judgment to beformed, in a medico-legal point of view, from blood-spots onthe clothes. The subject is so important, that I will take theliberty of pointing out what appears to me to be an inferencenot warranted by the present state of our knowledge; and ifI am right in this opinion, it is surely better to confess ourignorance, than to form conclusions upon insufficient data,which may some day afford an occasion for the lawyers tosneer, as we well know they are disposed to do, at our usefuland laborious profession.
