A corrected report of the speeches delivered by Mr. Lawrence, as chairman, at two meetings of members of the Royal College of Surgeons, held at the Freemasons' Tavern : With an appendix, containing the resolutions agreed to at the first meeting, and some illustrative documents.

  • Sir William Lawrence, 1st Baronet
Date:
1826
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A corrected report of the speeches delivered by Mr. Lawrence, as chairman, at two meetings of members of the Royal College of Surgeons, held at the Freemasons' Tavern : With an appendix, containing the resolutions agreed to at the first meeting, and some illustrative documents. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    11 4thly. Of having performed dissections during two or more winter courses. “ 5thly. And of having diligently attended, during the term of at least one year, the chirurgical practice of an hospital.” Here, Gentlemen, is the bill of fare presented to us by the College: here we have a description of the branches of knowledge, which they deem requisite to qualify a person for practising the art of surgery. We know that the six years, which they require to be devoted to the acquisition of professional knowledge, are chiefly spent in the state of apprenticeship, and consequently that the greater portion of that long period will be occupied in compounding medicines. Dismissing, then, from our consideration, this general statement about six years, let us consider the particular studies prescribed in the rest of the regulation, and see what time these studies will occupy.—Three winter courses of anatomical lectures; one or more winter courses of chirurgical lectures; [is not the or more an unmeaning expletive?] two winter courses of dissections; and twelve months’ attendance on the chirurgical practice of an hospital. This is indeed a most scanty list of studies: instead of compre- hending the various branches of knowledge necessary to constitute an accomplished surgeon, we should rather have deemed it an attempt to shew the smallest amount of scientific acquirement, with which it might be possible to carry on the trade of surgery. Can you conceive, Gentlemen, that the minds capable of drawing up that list, and of exhibiting it to the public as a fit guide for surgical students, are qualified to direct the important business of education, and worthy of presiding over the profession of surgery? Although the Examiners have shewn themselves so particular in determining the season