A sketch of the medical monopolies, with a plan of reform. Addressed to the Right Hon. Lord John Russell / [James Kennedy].

  • Kennedy, James, 1803-1868
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A sketch of the medical monopolies, with a plan of reform. Addressed to the Right Hon. Lord John Russell / [James Kennedy]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    any subject so expansive in its character as Medical Reform, in which the parties immediately interested have yielded so much to angry feeling, and have displayed so small a degree of mutual toleration. And why are signs of illiberality towards each other so often remarked among men of education and social disposi¬ tions ? To volunteer an answer, in the spirit of frankness, may be hazardous—yet as its application will be general, and not restricted to a section or to individuals, I shall make the attempt—premising that I yield to none in attachment to my profession, or in respect for those gentlemen of the present day who have succeeded in elevating its character by theii energy and talent. The circle of Medical practice in this country embraces three corporate bodies—namely, the College of Physicians, the College of Surgeons, and the Company of Apothecaries; which bodies claim respectively various rights and privileges under their charters or acts of Parliament. The legal distinc¬ tions and demarcations not being wisely devised or laid down in the first instance, the members of the different corporations have been constantly encroaching upon what were considered to be their respective chartered walks, and from the clash of rival interests and pretensions have sprung much bad feeling, jealousy, and litigation. Nor is this the whole ground of discontent and disunion. There is another ample source of confusion and discord in the relations which exist between the individual corporations and their own members. As the Medical Colleges* aie, in their present constitution, close corporations, in which all power and authority are possessed by a few, who nominate their suc- * Although these corporations are called “ Colleges,' they have nothing to do in their corporate capacity with the active duties of medical education. At present, the public purpose for which they exist is, to form practical Boards of Examination, before which the graduates of the universities, and other students of medicine, who have completed their course of study, are expected to appear for examination and ap¬ proval previous to commencing practice. It is the further duty of these Colleges of the Faculty to determine the extent to which students of Medicine shall prosecute their practical studies, at the universities or other schools, before they are examined by the practical Boards for their respective testimonials.
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