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
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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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    different classes into which the medical profession has been divided in this country. But we were pressed upon this point by Sir George Grey, who, with the best intentions, said he w^as glad to hear of our meeting, but that he thought we had better add to it persons representing the general practitioners. We stated that we believed we did represent them, the Society of Apothecaries being represented there. It did not so appear to him, and in fact there was another body, not a licensing body, but quasi a licensing body, that had been recognised by Sir James Graham, and subsequently by Sir George Grey, as representing the general prac- titioners of this country. It was called the “ National Institution.” In that way they were added to our deliberations, and we met together with the desire to see how far, by some mutual concessions, we might lay the foundation for a liberal system which should be acceptable to the profession in this country at first, and be followed by the other divisions of the country if it seemed to them also an eligible plan. Our great difficulty regarded the general practitioners. The Com- mittee, I think, will well understand that that body has most advanced in modern times, and they most required some new plan to meet their existing state. They are, in fact, required by the public to act as surgeons and as apothecaries, and the old name for them was more expressive than the present one; it was that of surgeon-apothecary. But it was notorious that many were only examined as surgeons, and yet they practised medicine ; and others were examined only as a pothecaries, and yet they were required by their situation to act as surgeons. That was one great want required to be supplied, that persons who must act in this country as general practitioners should have their qualifications tested in both of those general divisions, and some plan was to be devised to effect this, and some plan that should be acceptable to those gentlemen themselves. There was great difficulty in effecting this object. Many wished to be joined only to the College of Surgeons; they said they were surgeons. It is clear that if they are to act as surgeons and apothecaries, they could not be admitted into the two principal bodies, the College of Physicians and College of Surgeons, exactly upon the same terms as those who originally belonged to those bodies, and who are commonly called pure physicians and pure surgeons ; and yet no other way than being admitted exactly upon terms of equality seemed likely to satisfy them, and they required to have a corporate body of their own. The Society of Apothe- caries had, to a certain extent, answered the required purpose. We understood the principal objection was their connexion with trade; hence the plan was pro- posed for a new incorporation of those who represented the general practitioners. The Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons felt that if such were the wish of the general practitioners to have a body of their own, it was not for them to oppose that wish. I know that it has been strongly urged against this new incorporation that it would be unlike the other incorporations, having no power to licence. I think this has been a mistake. According to the plan proposed, none of the existing bodies would have the pow'er to licence. It was to be deputed to the general council to superintend registration ; and the existing licensing bodies, the College of Physicians and the College of Surgeons, and either the Society of Apo- thecaries or that new incorporation would be all alike in that respect, that they would remain first as examining bodies, and next, according to the proposed plan, that they would be useful media for effecting reciprocity of practice; and thirdly, they would be made, if I may use the expression, instruments for maintaining dis- cipline in the profession; each would have to inquire into the conduct and cha- racter of those belonging to their own order, and might enforce discipline under the superintendence of the general council. I would observe, by the way, that this objects was, I think, first introduced into the second Bill brought forward by Mr.Wakley. The conference committee were in the right to take it from thence as part of their system. 5738. Mr. Hamilton.] Do you mean that it was intended to withdraw from the existing bodies who have now licensing powers, those powers, and to transfer them to the council ?—To the council that was to superintend the registration ; it is the registration that would give the licence ; those bodies would be only examining bodies. 5739. Colonel Mure.'] Are the Committee to understand that that view was adopted in the preliminary scheme, in what are called the “ Principles,” laid before the Committee ?—Undoubtedly that is the plan that is laid down in that scheme. 5740. Mr. Hamilton.] Do you suppose that the various witnesses who were 702. S S examined 7. H ivkins, Esr[. M. V.