Plan of medical reform and reorganization of the profession, without subverting the existing colleges of physic and surgery : addressed to the Right Hon. Sir R. Peel, bart. / by Richard Carmichael.

Date:
1841
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Plan of medical reform and reorganization of the profession, without subverting the existing colleges of physic and surgery : addressed to the Right Hon. Sir R. Peel, bart. / by Richard Carmichael. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    training ? Not one word of the sort. He is asked one question, and one only, ‘ wherels your money ?’ perhaps, ‘where are your certificates ?’ may be added, and that very day he is dubbed ‘ surgeon the worthy dispensers of such medical honours never having seen his face before, and never wishing or earing to see his face again. Is this an exaggerated picture ? we defy any one to say so. It is literally true. And well may they who practise such proceedings, boast of the tens of thousands it brings into their coffers! well may they chuckle at the share of the spoil, which they, as individuals, enjoy 1 But let them look to it,” &c. &c. Dublin Medical Press for November 24th, 1841. No. XXI. “ But let them [the apothecaries] beware of the consequences of thus neglecting their own department, while making an onslaught on that of others. The chemists, druggists, and even grocers, observing the open gap thus left, have occupied the vacant place, and now not only compound medicines, but prescribe them also. Witness the petitions of the chemists and drug- gists, agreed on at a meeting held at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in February last, against Mr. Hawes’ bill, because it contained some clauses calculated to injure their trade, as compounders and prescribers of medi- cine 1 and Mr. Hawes, who, no doubt, has many learned individuals of these aspiring professions amongst his constituents, was graciously pleased to insert ‘ a protective and explanatory clause, ivliicli should render the bill totally inoperative upon the interests of chemists and dmiggists !’ Heavens ! To what a state is the medical profession reduced amongst the most think- ing people in the world! But we may fondly hope that when ministers are less engaged than they are at present, they will find a little more leisure to consider matters which deeply concern the health of the people of this mighty empire; when, possibly they may themselves bring in some minis- terial measure, calculated to reduce the chaotic mass into which all branches of the medical profession have fallen, into something like a regular orga- nised institution.” Extract from Mr Address to the Medical Association of Ireland, in May last. The fate of the two bills introduced into parliament, as well as Mi-. Hawes’ reply to the druggists and chemists, marked in the foregoing quo- tation in italics, indicate the absolute necessity, whenever a bill is again brought forward to regulate the medical profession, that it should be