Report from the Select Committee on Medical Registration : together with the minutes of evidence, appendix, and index.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on Medical Registration.
Date:
[1847]
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report from the Select Committee on Medical Registration : together with the minutes of evidence, appendix, and index. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/306 page 4
    J. A. Paris, Esq. 44. Without mentioning names, will you state a case which recently occurred, M-D- where you summoned and admonished the party?—lean state that at this moment there is a fellow of the college who is desired never to enter the 4 June 1847. building, and who has not done so for two or three years. 45. Was that order not to enter the precincts of the college made in conse- quence of an inquiry instituted by the college ?—It was in consequence of unprofessional conduct. He was then summoned, and he did not attend ; he was summoned again, and told of the consequences if he did not attend. 46. He was contumacious, and did not appear ?—Yes, and he was then visited by the penalty that I have stated, that he was not to come within the precincts of the college till he thought proper to submit himself, as he was in duty bound, to the college. 47. You did not withdraw his licence ?—No. 48. You contented yourselves with telling him not to come within the precincts of the college, he refusing to appear ?—Yes; but I must be allowed to observe, that when we admit a licentiate there is a form ; the president admits him, and the president tells him at the same time, “ You hold this licence only so long as you conduct yourself with professional propriety.” 49. Are there instances of the withdrawal of the licence on account of mis- conduct?—Not in late years ; formerly there were; and at one time it was the practice to leave them out of the list of the college. 50. Has that power been exercised lately ?—The last instance of that I have fresh in my recollection from the absurdity connected with it; it was a licentiate of the college; amongst other absurd things which he did, he became the pro- prietor of a nostrum, which he called “ Water from the Pool of Bethesda,” and hearing of this we sent a person for a bottle of the water from that celebrated pool; and the directions with it were, that it was to be placed upon a shelf and after some time it would become turbid, and that was an intimation that the water was troubled and that it was to be then swallowed immediately ; but this water was kept by the gentleman for a considerable time, and it underwent no change ; a remonstrance was then made to this doctor, and the answer he made was, “ I will explain it to you directly; you bought a guinea bottle, and the quantity of water is so small that you cannot discover the change which it un- dergoes ; but if you will buy a five guinea bottle, you will find that it will be- come turbid to your utmost satisfaction.” That gentleman was suspended for some time, and his name left out of the list; that is the last instance that I remember, and that must have been 10 or 12 years ago. 51. Though some physicians may practise in London, and many in the country without your licence, and though some even resist your authority, are you of opinion that upon the whole the power exercised by your college has been conducive to sustain the literary attainments of the profession and their honourable and moral conduct ?—I am satisfied that it has. 52. Is that the result of your experience as a member of the College of Physicians, and as now presiding over it ?—Certainly, I have the strongest opinion upon that point. 53. Do you think that the abrogation of this power would be conducive to the welfare of the public or the character and advantage of the profession at large ?—It would destroy the profession, in my opinion ; the grade of physi- cians would no longer exist. 54. If the charter of the college were abrogated, and your powers at an end, you think that the profession to which you belong would not gain in public estimation, nor would the public gain from the lower standard of the qualifica- tion of physician ?—Certainly not; that is my decided opinion. 55. Have any complaints come within your knowledge, or have they been preferred to you, or are you cognizant of any complaint, of any abuse of power or authority, as exercised by the college ?—No. 56. No complaints have been addressed to the college of abuse of their power and authority ?—No ; I am not aware of any. 57. Are you aware, whether to Parliament, or to other constituted authorities, any representations have been made of the abuse of your power ?—I believe there have ; in the various attempts made to obtain reform, I have no doubt that statements against our college have found their way into various petitions. 58. You state in your petition that, by clauses 3, 10, and 31, in the Bill now before The House, taken in conjunction with Schedule B., all medical practitioners
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