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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![F. Haivlcins, Esq. M. D. 25 July 1848. examined here, after conferring with your body, were aware of that intention?— I do not think that it has been thoroughly understood by all the witnesses. That is the reason why I am glad of this opportunity of explaining the plan of the conference committee, and of laying this view before the Committee. 5741. Have you any reason to suppose that the College of Physicians and the College of Surgeons in London and in Dublin would be satisfied with the arrange- ment you propose now, namely, that they should forego their power of granting- licences ?—In effect they are consenting parties, by adopting the plan laid down in the “Principles.” It is, at all events, my view that by adopting that plan, they have consented to the arrangement I have endeavoured to explain. 5742. Do you think that that point you have now thought it necessary to explain to the Committee, has been put already before those bodies?—It is my view that they have accepted it, by accepting the “ Principles.” The plan which has been called the “ Principles” they have, as I understand the matter, fully assented to. What I have been endeavouring to explain is the nature of those “ Principles.” 5743. Can you point out anything in the “ Principles,” or in the Bill, which bears out your interpretation ?—I would refer to those passages in the “ Prin- ciples ” which state what persons are in future to be registered in the three different capacities that have been alluded to. They are the persons who fulfil certain conditions, but it is the registration that is to give the right to practise according to the proposed plan.—I have only further to state, with regard to the conference committee, that having approved of such a plan as I have endeavoured to explain to this Committee, they agreed that there should be a new incor- poration, in England at all events, and that all the existing licensing bodies should be put upon the footing I have endeavoured to explain. They did not feel called upon to attempt to reconcile all persons of all classes practising as individuals, or any persons not representing any authorized body ; their only object was, hav- ing arrived at such a plan, to submit it to the Home Secretary, and to ask him whether he thought that it could be made the basis of a Bill for medical legis- lation. But in consequence of the appointment of this Committee, our plan, which was merely drawn up for his consideration, was referred to this Com- mittee. Then we received letters from Scotland, and we received letters from Ireland, asking for an opportunity of conferring with us upon these subjects, which we gladly acceded to ; and also an application was afterwards made by the Senate of the London University, and we received them also. But I think the conference committee ought not to be blamed for not inviting other parties, as it never was its object to do so. Its object was to prepare a plan and submit it to the Home Secretary. Some persons have blamed the conference committee for not inviting and calling into the discussion parties whom w'e did not think we had any power to call into the discussion. 5744. Chairman.'] Whatever may have been the misapprehension of any parties out of doors, the gentlemen of the conference may be perfectly assured that there was no impression on the part of the committee, except that they had discharged their duties to their professors in reference to this question in a just, liberal, and satisfactory manner ?—I would add, that they did not intend to draw a Bill, but only to lay down those principles ; but the attempt that was made was in compliance, as the conference committee -was led to believe, with the desire of this Committee that we should attempt to di'aw a sketch of a Bill in accordance with the principles that we had agreed to. 5745. And for the purpose of bringing the heads of the whole matter into immediate and practical discussion ?—It appeared to the conference committee that those principles were received with favour when first promulgated by numerous and large bodies of medical men.—I wrould wish further to remark, that I should be glad of an opportunity of stating the views of the College of Physi- cians with regard to the education and examination of physicians. It is the view of the College of Physicians upon that subject, and a view which I believe is entertained very widely in the medical profession, that to make physicians there ought to be added, generally speaking, to the university education a practical examination by a College of Physicians ; and I believe such a practical examina- tion is of very great value, as superadded to university examinations, because I believe that university examinations have always a tendency to be somewhat more theoretical than the examination by a College of Physicians. The exami- nation by a College of Physicians is conducted by men who are themselves engaged](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b24906803_0328.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
