Third report from the Select Committee on Medical Registration and Medical Law amendment : together with the minutes of evidence and appendix.
- Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Medical Registration and Medical Law Amendment.
- Date:
- 1848
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Third report from the Select Committee on Medical Registration and Medical Law amendment : together with the minutes of evidence and appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.
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![Sir D. Bretvster, K.H., LL.D.,F.R.SS.L.&E. 25 July 1848. candidates were examined by the Chandos Professor. It is not a respectable thing for a university to grant a diploma, which, in the case mentioned, asserted what was not true ; and 1 consider it illegal to permit individuals to sign a diploma who are not members of the university. [ The Diploma was handed in, and is as follows:] Quandoquidem sequum est et rationi congruens, ut qui magno studio bonas didicerunt artes, iidem referant pisemium studiis suis diguum, ac prse inerti hominum vulgo propriis quibusdam fulgeant honoribus et privilegiis, unde et ipsis bene sit atque aliorum provo- cetur industria. Quando etiam eo praesertim spectant amplissima ilia jura Universitati Andreanae antiquitus concessa, ut quoties res postulat, idoneos quosque in quavis facultate viros vel summis qui ad earn facultatem pertinent honoribus amplificare queat. Quumque ornatissimus Vir diligenti sua opera medicinse aliquot annos navata tantam sibi in omnibus medicinse partibus peritiam conciliaverit, ut examine a professore nostra Candossensi [aliisque examinatoribus et nobis nominatis et nobiscum subscribentibus] in conventu professorum habito, nobis compertumsit eum supremum in ista arte doctoratus scilicet gradum promereri. Hisce adducti, Magistro , supra nominato liberam ple- namque, profitendi, docendi, exercendi quovisque modo excolendi medicinse artem, potes- tatem indulsimus, eaque omnia faciendi quse ad istam omnino facultatem spectant, atque, ut ipsi rata habeantur cuncta et singula privilegia, commoda, emolumenta, honoraria, quse quidem medicinae doctoribus uspiam gentium competunt, cum titulo, graduque doctoris in medicina cohonestandum et ab universis dehinc pro adepto et doctore dignissitno haben- dum volumus. In quarum rerum fidem hasce nostras privilegii hteras, chirographis nostris eonfirmatas et communi Almae Universitatis sigillo nutnitas. Dedimus Andreapoli die mensis , a. d. 5730. Mr. Hamilton.] The published regulations state that the examinations shall be conducted by the professors of anatomy and chemistry, in conjunction with the resident fellows of the Society of Physicians and Surgeons in London ?—Yes, 5731. Are those the forms?—Yes, those are the parties that sign the diploma. 5732. How are the assistant examiners selected, and by whom ?—They are selected by the Chandos Professor of Anatomy, and of course the university trusts to him as qualified to recommend the best examiners. 5733. Are they distinguished members of the medical profession, as set forth in the regulations?—Yes, they are. The wish of the university is always to get the best men that can be obtained. 5734. Colonel Mure.'] In giving this opinion relative to the merits or demerits of the St. Andrew’s system, do you think you represent the opinion of the university? —No, I do not represent the opinion of anybody in the university; my colleagues are of the opposite opinion, and they sent up as the representative of their opinions Dr. Alexander, who was examined here the other day, and gave the best defence that can be given of the system. 5735. I ought rather to have asked, whether you represent any portion of the opinion of the university?—No, I have stated my own individual opinions, which I have reason to think are very generally entertained by the public. Francis Hawkins, Esq. m. d. ; further Examined. F. HatuMns, Esq. 5736. Chairman.] THE Committee understand that there are one or two m. d. points on which you wish to give explanations, in addition to your former evidence; will you be so good as to state to the Committee what those points are?—I should be glad to have an opportunity of explaining to the Committee what were the objects of the gentlemen who met at the College of Physicians, and whose meeting has obtained the name of the Conference Committee, because they have sometimes, I believe, been blamed for not doing that which lay beyond the scope of their functions. I must remind the Committee that the principal objects of medical reform appeared to be: First, the attainment of what has been called reciprocity of practice; secondly, the establishment of a good sys- tem of registration of medical practitioners; and thirdly, the appointment ot a superintending council. Those who met at the College of Physicians repre- sented the three bodies which have generally granted licences in this country; they represented the College of Physicians, the College of Surgeons, and the Society of Apothecaries, and they met together, considering that those bodies were in the first place, and in the greatest degree, interested us to the attainment ol those three important objects of medical reform. 5737- Being the only licensing bodies?—Yes, being the only licensing bodies in this country. We thought it right to state to the Home Secretary the purpose lor which we had met, and to inform him that we thought we represented the different](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24906803_0326.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
