A letter to the President and Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians, London / by Edwin Lankester.

  • Ray Lankester
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the President and Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians, London / by Edwin Lankester. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    in the habit of treating such subjects in a systematic manner. It was under these circumstances that I presented my¬ self at the Censors’ board, and now bearing my testimony to what I believe to be their gentlemanly manner and con¬ scientious conclusion on that occasion, I ask if there be no power in the College by which a case like my own may be reconsidered? The College has for the first time in its history rejected one of its own licentiates—-has given its diploma-—granted its license—and countenanced, by the authority of its President and Elects, an individual to practise on Her Majesty’s subjects, in all and every part of the United Kingdom with this exception, that no sooner do these same subjects come within the magic circle of seven miles round London, than they are refused the benefit of his advice, at least with the sanction of the College. 1 think it will be admitted by all who take an interest in the welfare of the College that it has placed itself in a false position—a position that no other institution of a similar kind in this or any other country ever attempted to assume; for it must be recollected that this is not a ques¬ tion of degrees of honour, but one of license to practise; the examination of the College is not one to ascertain the relative merit of candidates, but their ability to practise; the standard to be raised is not the highest possible for the honour of the College, but the lowest possible consistent with the welfare of humanity and the public good. Had I presented myself for honour or for honours at the College, I should have felt that I stood in an entirely different po¬ sition, and should have done as I have always done pre¬ viously—as my standing in the classes of University Col¬ lege will prove—have prepared myself to take a respectable
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