514

There Preissnitz is raised to the dignity of a "practitioner."The cold-water quackery is the " Preissnitzian era." Claridge,Wilson, Lane, Johnson, and the other calumniators ofthe profession, are "Preissnitzian writers," while medicalmen are nicknamed " drug-doctors," and described with ahost of " drug diseases" in their train. Will the professiontamely submit to such degradation.

*..* We have no sympathy with " witty doctors" at theexpense of their profession. If this be a true account of the

practice of the reviewer in " chronic dyspepsy," and of itsresults, we have no surprise that his patients should flee tohydropathy; but we repudiate it altogether, in so far as it pre-tends to be a faithful picture of the practice or failure of theprofession generally in such cases.-ED. L.

THE PROFESSION TAKING THE LAW AGAINSTILLEGAL MEDICAL PRACTICE INTO ITS OWNHANDS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I beg to second the proposition of "Exterminator,"contained in the last number of THE LANCET, which, I doubtnot, would be carried nemine contradicente, if the whole bodyof legally-qualified medical practitioners will give to it theirattention. A very small sum from each would be necessaryfor the object if all the 20,000 performed this duty, and avery small sum indeed would suffice, if contributed annuallyuntil our object was accomplished. "Exterminator" says that" twelve months will do it;" probably it would; but havingonce

" exterminated" the vermin, it would still be necessaryto mount a constant guard against their re-appearance. Soundprophylactic treatment is unquestionably preferable to thenecessity for a cure, and a goodly sum " constantly on hand,"would be by far the most effectual threat to hang in terroreni,over their devoted heads, to drop upon and crush them themoment they" put in an appearance." As school-boys weread of the 11 retreat of the 10,000." As men, let us hear of theadvance of the 20,000; and such an array, headed by THELANCET, would, I will answer for it, speeedily lay open all theburrowing sinuses which these purulent vermin have estab-lished for the execution of their nefarious projects.

Will you, Sir, enlist recruits ? The ranks, I know, will fill;and, when disciplined by you, will boldly follow and liberallysupport you in every

" charge:’-I beg to subscribe myself,Sir, with great confidence,

A RECRUIT.

MORBID APPEARANCES IN THE PATHOLOGICALSOCIETY.

1’0 the -Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Only a fortnight since, you proclaimed, in humorousphrase, the first inspirations of the "Pathological Society ofLondon," and accompanied the announcement with some verypertinent suggestions on the wisdom (?) of that economy whichcontinues to provide, in a succession of hungry treasuries, suchnumerous receptacles for the scanty guineas of scientific men.Already, within a month,-" a little month,"-the council ofthis infant, but vigorous, Society has (perhaps with morehaste than prudence) resolved on taking a step, which, asopposed to the spirit of your recorded opinions, will assuredlymeet with some reprobation at your hands.The original subscription for the first year being a guinea,

the Society (though its respiration be yet puerile) has deter-mined, through its council, to demand of every future candi-date for admission a similar additional sum, as an entrancefee.

Now, Sir, it does seem to me, amongst others, that thiscapricious exercise of authority, by so immature a body, isunreasonable and impolitic, if not exclusive and extortionate,-unreasonable, as one cannot even pretend that, at so early aperiod, any commensurate benefit can be offered to justify

this supplemental demand; and impolitic, since it must offend,and press hardly upon, some, whose enrolment as originalmembers has been prevented by accident or other excusablecause; seemingly exclusive, inasmuch as it may repel manywho would otherwise have combined to promote and pro-mulgate thestudy of morbid anatomy; and possibly extortionate,because, breathing the expiring spirit of monopoly, and calcu-lating upon the common instinct of association felt by indi-viduals following a kindred pursuit, it arbitrarily imposes, forprecisely the same advantages, a greater tax upon the

secondary, than upon the first, contributors to the generalfund. Under all or any of these circumstances, the decisionof the council, restricting, as it probably will, the full develop-ment of their highly laudable plans, seems unworthy thepure and comprehensive principles of real science, whosepaths should be freely open to all, unobstructed by partialpecuniary limitations.

Finally, as practical pathologists, let the members of theSociety be advised, that the votaries of their own science,feebly manifesting the tendencies of the hæmorrhagic dia-

thesis, are but indifferently disposed to bleed: Your ex-sanguine servant, SILEX.November, 1846.

-

RAILWAY MEDICAL CLUBS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—A question has been mooted whether or not two-

pence per week, per man, ill or well, belonging to a railwayclub, is too small a sum for a medical practitioner to receivefor advice and medicine, &c. It is understood that the

patient is to wait upon the surgeon, if able. The labourerscoming from all parts of the kingdom to work at some rail-way, have been necessitated by the state of the law tosubscribe for their sick and wounded on the undertaking.The following instance came under my own notice. An ex-cavator arrived from a distance to obtain work; just as he wasabout to get it he became ill with English cholera. The first

question was, who must pay for a roof over him during thetreatment, and for the few necessaries that he would require?Upon applying to the relieving officer, the man was directlysent home, outside of a coach, sixteen miles distant. As hewould have been well, probably, in a few days, despite the ride,hewould then have his walk to make over again. It was to avoidsuch vexatious treatment as this that the men began at once,all over the country, (where railways were being constructed,)to deposit so much every pay-time for the " sick," a close imi-tation (excepting that government does not get a bite out of thecontributions) of the proceedings of those wealthier personswho insure their lives and property. Out of the money thusraised, the labourers were to bury their dead, and give some-thing to the widows and families. But, for many reasons, thisdid not do of itself; so they then agreed to pay a surgeon one-third of the whole money collected, the interest of that gentle-man being to get the men well as soon as possible, (much thesame as with the Celestial Emperor’s physicians;) for while thepatient is on hand, he is diminishing the doctor’s salary; thearrangement also presenting a check against lazy impostors,who would feign to be sick to get 12s. a week, unless somecompetent person had to decide on the truth. Twenty morereasons exist why a surgeon should be thus appointed, andalmost as many that his salary should be what it is. The menobtain, on an average, only 13s. or 14s. a week. These men,at home, in their parish, would be entitled to claim the Unionsurgeon’s attendance. In France, an English surgeon attendsfor exactly the same pay, although he cannot have any privatepractice as well. The Union surgeons are paid, I believe, inmany cases, only 1¼d. per head, per week, covering a surfaceof ground which obliges the surgeon to traverse twenty milesor more of hard road, for days in succession, and to pay turn-pikes, find medicine, &c. Innumerable clubs pay only 4s. ayear, per member, to the surgeon.

After considering the amount of pay received by manyhonourable men for attending the sick, under government, inunions, in mines, in manufactories, and in sick clubs, am I,under existing circumstances, doing anything that I ought tobe ashamed of, or which is likely more deeply to disgrace theprofession, by accepting the 2d. per man, per week, or about8s. 6d. a year each 1-1 am, Sir, your obedient servant,

October, 1846. H. N. R.