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Gazette,’ the journal of the Medical and SurgicalProvincial Association, the Birmingham Herald,’ andthe Leamington Spa Courier.’

"

7th.-Proposed by Dr. JEPHSON, seconded by Mr.PRICHARD," That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the

chairman for his efficient conduct in the chair."

MEETING OF THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERSOF SURREY.

ON Thursday, the 22nd of August, 1844, the medicalpractitioners of the county of Surrey assembled at theCoffee House at Epsom, for the purpose of taking intoconsideration 11 A Bill for the better regulation of Medi-cal Practice throughout the United Kingdom," whichthe Right Honourable the Secretary of State for theHome Department had lately presented to the House ofCommons: THOMAS MARTIN, Esq., of Reigate, in thechair. Whereupon, after mature deliberation, it was

proposed by J. ST.EDMAN, Esq., of Guildford, andseconded by W. CHALDECOTT, Esq., of Dorking, andresolved unanimously,-

" That this meeting views with disapprobation theproposed constitution of the Council of Health andMedical Education,’ as not being likely to possess theconfidence of the profession ; and that this meetingcannot refrain from expressing its surprise and regretthat no general practitioner is, by this Bill, proposed tobe appointed on the Council of Health and MedicalEducation ; thereby withholding from that most im-portant and numerous body a voice in the councilwhence it is proposed should emanate all the laws and

regulations which will have so important, so vital, aneffect on the future condition of the great body of themedical practitioners throughout the United Kingdom."

Proposed by G. FLETCHER, Esq., of Croydon, andseconded by P. MARTIN, Esq., of Reigate, and resolvedunanimously,-" That greatly prejudicial to the interests of the pro-

fession and to the public welfare would be the removal ofall restrictions and penalties from unlicensed practi-tioners of medicine, which the repeal of the Act of the55th of George III. would effect."

Proposed by G. HARCOURT, Esq., of Chertsey, andseconded by G. BOTTOMLEY, Esq., of Croydon, andresolved unanimously,-" That so satisfactorily and efficiently have the court

of examiners of the Society of Apothecaries exercisedtheir powers, under the Act of 1815, in gradually raisingthe scale of required attainment on the part of candidatesfor examination, and of which the good effects on the

great body of general practitioners is manifest to thewhole world, that the present meeting is of opinion thatan Act to amend the Act of 1815, by which the power ofexamining and licensing the general practitioner shouldbe retained to members of his own grade, with protectionto the public and the profession from the evils and mis-chiefs to be apprehended from the intrusion of unqualifiedpractitioners, might be so constructed as to meet everypresent difficulty and attain all the objects sought for bythe profession in general in a wise and prudent law onthe subject."

Proposed by J. ALLAN, Esq., of Epsom, and secondedby H. TAYLOR, Esq., of Guildford, and resolved unani-mously,-

41 That in the opinion of this meeting the aforesaidBill is of so injurious a tendency towards the medicalprofession, as well as to the whole population of thecountry, that every legitimate means should be used tooppose its further progress through Parliament."

Proposed by E. WALLACE, Esq., of Carshalton, andseconded by G. STILWELL, Esq., of Epsom, and resolvedunanimously,-

" That under present circumstances, every member ofthe profession here present pledges himself to endeavourto impress the minds of members of both houses ofParliament, with whom they may come into communica-tion, with a correct knowledge of the erroneous and

dangerous nature of this Bill, and to solicit their opposi-tion to it."

Proposed by W. CHALDECOTT, Esq., of Dorking,seconded by J. ALLAN, Esq., of Epsom, and unani-mously resolved,-" That this meeting, feeling assured that the time has

arrived when it behoves every professional man-everygeneral practitioner, more especially-to enter upon aserious examination of his present position and of thedangers which await him, if the projected measure of theHome Secretary should become a law, earnestly requeststhe attention of their professional brethren to the follow-ing observations: -" It is well known to many, perhaps forgotten by some,

and little thought of by others, that before the year 1815the medical profession was in a very unsatisfactory stateas to education and attainment. With the greater num-ber of its then practitioners it was more or less of thenature of a trade. Much ignorance prevailed, althoughsome acute, able, and talented men, supported the creditand maintained the science and usefulness of the pro-fession.

« two a proper sense of these great defects, the in-creasing knowledge and necessities of the times arousedthe profession, and led to the Act of 1815.

11 If we contrast the present state of medicine as ascience with its practical results,-the knowledge andacquirements of practitioners,-the safety and curativeadvantages on the score of health, relieved suffering, andprolongation of life, now enjoyed by the public,-with thegeneral state of the profession previously, the beneficialchanges and improvement which have ensued must bemanifest to all who are old enough to remember theformer state of the profession and capable of appre-ciating the change.

11 These great improvements, there can be no doubt,have been in a great measure effected by the Act ofParliament, which, with all its acknowledged imperfec-tions, has been brought to bear most usefully on thepreviously imperfect qualifications of medical men, andon the less apparent but more important interests of the

public.11 Who, then, are the parties that have, through good

and evil report, from 1815 to the present time, carried outthe provisions of that important and beneficial act in sogradual, but judicious and efiectual, a manner? These

parties are the Society of Apothecaries. To them we arebound in honour and good feeling, and from a sense ofjustice, to accord the meed of praise, and to acknowledgeour deep and lasting obligations.

11 To the efficient working of that Act by their court ofexaminers, the medical men now in practice owe theirsuperiority to their predecessors,-their improved andmore extensive education and professional acquirement,and their increased estimation in public opinion and

regard.* * * * *

two repeal, therefore, an Act of Parliament which,with all its imperfections, has such acknowledgedmerits,-which affords the only protection, and that verysmall, at present enjoyed by the legally-recognisedgeneral practitioner and by the public,-appears to beabsurd as well as mischievous.

* * * * *

°° Believing, as we do, that advantageous results mightfairly be expected from an amendment of the Act of1815, by an extension of the powers of the court ofexaminers, and such other improvements as might besuggested, we would, on this important occasion, supportthe Society of Apothecaries, and offer them our strenuous

! aid in resistance to the measure now in contemplation,I and in furtherance of all improvements of which the

present Act might be susceptible.l " We would, therefore, strongly recommend immediatel co-operation with that society, on the grounds of

prudence and good policy, as well as from the higherf principle of gratitude for past services, until lately too’ little appreciated and too grudgingly acknowledged.r 11 The members of the profession should, therefore,. endeavour to impress on the minds of members of botht houses of Parliament the important bearings of this

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medical question on the best interests of the wholepeople ; to instruct them on the danger and impolicy oftampering, injudiciously, with the education and theinterests of the great body of medical practitioners ; toshow them on what principles medical legislation shouldproceed so as to be advantageous to the public as well asto the profession ; and earnestly to entreat them to be-ware how they open the door to dangerous and unprin-cipled empirics, whose unopposed entrance would be soinjurious to the true interests of the legitimate and well-qualified practitioner, and so incalculably dangerous tothe health and well being of the public."The meeting then adjourned.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.

THE following circular was written by the committeesitting at Exeter Hall, for the purpose of being forwardedto every member of the College who resides in Londonand its suburbs. As it is probable that, from the inaccu-racies in the addresses of members, or from the neglectof the persons who may be appointed to deliver these

circulars, or from other causes, that some of the membersof the College may not receive them, the committee haverequested that we would place a copy of it in the columnsof our Journal :-

" Committee-Room, Exeter Hall," August 28, 1844.

" At a meeting of members of the medical profession,held at Exeter Hall, August 26th, it was unanimouslyresolved,-

" That as the power which has been placed at thedisposal of the College of Surgeons, as regards the elec-tion of members to the fellowship, will terminate on the

14th day of September, 1844, a public meeting of themembers of the College be convened for Tuesday eveningnext, September 3rd, at seven for eight o’clock, for thepurpose of taking into consideration the late proceedingsof the Council, as well as the power of enfranchisementwhich can still be exercised by the Council under theprovisions of the new Charter. As the right of thepresent members of the College to be chosen as fellows,without examination, will terminate on the 14th of

September, the committee earnestly entreat the favourof your attendance at Exeter Hall, on Tuesday eveningnext, September 3rd, at eight o’clock precisely.

11 As the occasion is one of great importance, and ifthe members of the College do not, at this crisis, manifestthe utmost zeal, and make the most strenuous exertions,in their own cause, an important professional right maybe for ever lost to them. I am, Sir, your obedient

servant,"HENRY DIMSDALE, Secretary.

" By order of the committee." Exeter Hall, August 28th, I84."

SOCIETY OF APOTHECARIES.

AT a court of assistants of the Society of Apothecariesof London, held at their hall on Wednesday, the 28thAugust, " A Bill for the better Regulation of MedicalPractice throughout the United Kingdom," introducedinto Parliament on the 7th instant, by the Secretary ofState for the Home Department, was taken into couside-ration, when

It was resolved,-" That the Society of Apothecariesdeeply regret to find that the provisions of the proposedmeasure fully realise the apprehensions expressed by thesociety in their recently published statement,’ inas-much as its scope and tendency is to degrade, if not todestroy, the class of medical practitioners more immedi-ately connected with the society, first, by taking away

from the general practitioner the control over the educa-tion and examination of his own class, and, secondly, byrepealing the existing checks upon the practice of igno-rant and unqualified persons, and substituting no provi-sions by which such persons may be prevented frompractising in future."And it was resolved,-" That the society, although

aware that there are some provisions in the Act of 1815which require amendment, and others which are un-

suited to the present time, are of opinion that theextensive changes in the laws regulating the medical

profession, contemplated by the present Bill, are uncalledfor by the public or the profession, but that whateverchanges it may be thought desirable to make, thesociety, having no exclusive interests to advocate, seekonly to promote what they deem to be the interests of theprofession, and especially of their own licentiates. Ac-tuated by this motive they desire to secure the control ofthe education and examination of the general practitionerto his own class, and to protect the public and the profes-sion against the intrusion of ignorant and unqualifiedpractitioners." "And it was resolved,-" That the further consideration

of the proposed Bill be referred to a committee, with in-structions deliberately to examine its provisions, and ata proper season to offer an opinion upon the whole mea-sure in a more detailed form, and that the society willbe happy in the meantime to receive from medical asso-ciations and individuals any communications which theymay feel disposed to forward to them, in order that thesociety may not only ascertain the feelings of the greatbody of practitioners whose interests are affected by theproposed measure, but also profit by any suggestionswhich may be offered to them in relation to this most im-

portant subject."By order of the Court,

ROBERT B. UPTON, Clerk to the Society.

THE

FELLOWSHIP OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS,AND THE

SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE.

SiR,-Unwilling as I am at any time, or on any occa-sion, to intrude myself upon the notice of my professionalbrethren, I cannot resist the impulse by which I amactuated, by what I consider a sense of duty, to lay be-fore your readers the following statement, about which, asfar as relates to the humble individual who addresses you,I care not a straw, but I presume to think that the animusso conspicuously pourtrayed deserves the serious atten-tion of our profession.

Desirous of ascertaining how far the Royal Collegeof Surgeons of England was disposed to confer upon itsmembers the honorary title of " FEnow," which thenew charter empowered them to grant, I addressed a

respectful memorial to the council of the royal college,stating my claims, viz., "That I have been a member ofthat body thirty-seven years, that I have practised as apure surgeon (!) for the last six years (I certainly saidnothing on the disgusting (?) subject of midldjery), andsolicited the honour of a’ FELLOWSHIP."’ To which I re-ceived in reply a printed circular ; the llst paragraph of thatcelebrated document I transcribe, rerbatim et literatim,for the information and edification of all aspirants to thehonour of being a 6’ FELLOW" of the Royal College ofSurgeons in England !" In conclusion, the council take the liberty of observ-

ing, that no alteration in the charter, nor any legislativeenactment, can materially change the condition of thosewho have been for some time established in practice. Inthe medical profession each individual makes his ownplace in society, intellect, knowledge, and integrity beingequally appreciated and respected in every grade andstation. If the changes introduced by the present charterhave the effect of elevating the character of the surgicalprofession generally, it will in the next rather than inthe present generation ; and if the elder class of practi-tioners are interested in these changes, it is less on theirown account than on that of their sons and successors."