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sides, of so little real value, as a test of pro-fessional attainment, is their licence, in anhonorary point of view, that I have never.yet met with any licentiate of the Apothe-caries’ Company who ever uses it as an

honorary degree, but simply as one of neces-sity, when seeking some appointment whereits production is considered necessary.Though with every wish to have not onlya general but also perfect registration of themedical profession, I would still cautionnon-licentiates of the hall to be careful howthey comply with this request of the councilof the Royal College of Surgeons, lest bythese means they may suddenly find them-selves served with a notice either to presentthemselves for examination at Rhubarb Hall,or incur the risk of an action for penaltiesfor practising without a licence from thatmost scientific, learned, and worshipfulsociety.

A NON-LICENTIATE OF THE HALL.June 14, 1841.

LIFE-ASSURANCE COMPANIES.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR:—A gentleman lately called to in-

form me that he intended insuring his life,and asked permission to refer the companyto me. Of course there was no objection,and the application soon arrived, with allthe paraphernalia of the usual interrogato-ries. But in addition to these was a dis-tinct paragraph, informing me "that all

persons proposing to effect assurances withthis society, are required to furnish the usualcertificates of health, &c., free of charge, orfee of any kind." To this I added the marks! ! ! stating that being responsible to thecompany the fee must come from them, notdirectly from the patient, and thus returnedtheir communication. The gentleman beinginformed of the circumstance soon made hisappearance, and offered me any fee Ipleased if I would answer the questions, ashe was anxious to complete his arl’ange-ment. I told him that a fee from him wasnot my object, but that a contention existedbetween the medical profession and some ofthe assurance companies, upon what we con-sidered a want of rectitude on their part, sothat the point at issue was not one of moneybut of principle. After hearing the explana.tion he fully coincided in the justice of myproceeding, but rather reproached me fornot having informed him of the difficultywhen he first mentioned the subject; for hehad already, he said, given a deposit, andhad been examined by the professional gen-tlemen belonging to the institution. Hisremarks had their weight, and I was atlength induced to consent, although reluc-tantly, to fill up the paper which was againto be forwarded for that purpose. Now,

sir, I do regret having been foiled in this in-stance ; and as true repentance necessarilyincludes reformation as to future conduct, Ihave firmly resolved never to commit thesame error again. But I find some assist-ance is requisite, and that is a printed listof those assurance companies that haveyielded to reason, and now treat medicalmen with that respect which is due to theirstation. When persons are about to insurethey generally acquaint the medical attend-ant with their design, and with the nameof the company, and with such a list veryfew words would, in the hurry of practice,be necessary. If the name referred to werewanting, I would show them the list, andsay, you must excuse me, these are theonly assurance companies I can at present cor-respond with. Now, sir, perhaps you, or

some of your readers, will kindly suggest aplan for supplying the profession with suchlist, which I think should be renewed everytwo or three months, for the convenienceand admission of new converts, for I findthat many of those institutions are still op-posed to the " golden rule," and possesssuch a rock of assurance that they will notlisten to any reasoning on the subject; thesooner, therefore, they are subjected to whatGoldsmith calls the most cruel of all treat-ment-" neglect," the better. I am, Sir,yours truly,

MEDICUS SUBURBANICUS.June 18, 1841.

*** We do not recommend that such a listas our correspondent suggests should be

supplied, having been from the first agita-tion of this question of opinion, that theposition which many medical gentlemenhave adopted in their intercourse with theassurance companies is altogether wrong,and one which is always liable, as with ourcorrespondent, to foil them in the end,-the fate of wrong principles. The fee wasdue to the surgeou by the party who asked

the company to insure his life. The compa-nies always refuse to assure unless suppliedwith a proof of health ; which proof passesdirect from the surgeon to the company, in-stead of going through the hands of theassurer, only to afford the company an addi-tional guarantee against fraud. The com-

pany does not, by that course of proceeding,become the debtor of the surgeon.

HAND-BILL FOR PATIENTS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR:—I have taken the liberty to submit

the inclosed certificate to your notice, 1000copies of which I have circulated in theparish of Bethnal-green to-day. I annex