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consideration the refusal of the council to receive a

deputation from its members, and also with a view to

any proceedings which it may be deemed necessary toadopt relative to the power of enfranchisement whichthe council can exercise till the 14th of September."

After this resolution was read to the meetingspeeches, severely condemnatory of the proceedings ofthe council, were made by Mr. Wakley, Mr. Davis, Mr.’Carpue, Mr. Brady, and other gentlemen.

It was then moved by Mr. HILLES, and seconded byMr. HUNTER,—" That a meeting of the members of theCollege of Surgeons of England be convened at Exeter

Hall, on Tuesday, September 3rd, at seven for eight,p.m., for the purpose of taking into consideration thepowers of enfranchisement which can be exercised bythe council until, and no longer than, the 14th day ofSeptember next."-Carried.

In the remarks which were made by various gentlemenon the conduct of the college council, the insults heapedon the members were spoken of with much bitterness,particularly the refusal of the council to receive a depu-tation of their members, carrying a remonstrance signedby twelve hundred of that body. The meeting after-wards resolved itself into a committee to take into con-sideration the new Bill relating to the practice of medi-cine, brought forward in the House of Commons by SirJames Graham.

, After the reading of the first clause Mr. WAELEY de-

nounced it as a virtual sacrifice of the GENERAL PRACTI-TIONERS of this country, who would be subject to thecompetition of every ignorant and impudent pretender toa knowledge of medicine. He drew a frightful picture ofthe condition of the profession before 18 < 5, and spokewith admiration of the great benefits which had beenconferred on medical practitioners by the carrying out ofthe Apothecaries’ Act by the company during the lastfew years. He congratulated the meeting on the advo-eacy of the rights of the profession by that powerfulorgan The Times newspaper, and exhorted the meeting toa firm and moderate perseverance in the course they hadundertaken to pursue. He showed, by referring to theclauses of the Bill, that it gave the entire control of thecouncil of health to the Home Secretary.Other gentlemen addressed the meeting, all avowing

their determination to resist to the utmost the destructivemeasure of Sir J. Graham. Thanks having been votedto the chairman the assembly adjourned until seven,p.m.,the 30th of September.

MEETING OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION ATLEAMINGTON.

ON Thursday last, August 22nd, a meeting was held atthe Warneford Hospital, Leamington, Dr. Middleton inthe chair, at which a series of resolutions were adopted.The meeting was attended by between forty and fiftymedical gentlemen of the place and neighbourhood,whose signatures were appended to the petition agreedupon, among whom were-Dr. Jephson, Dr. Luard, andfifteen other resident practitioners, of Leamington ; Dr.Bourne, Mr. Bury, Mr. Smith, Mr. Overton, and Mr.Barton, from Coventry ; Dr. Thomson and Mr. Rice, fromfrom Stratford ; Dr. Burman, from Henley ; Mr. H. L.Smith and Mr. Welchman, from Southam; Messrs.

Kimble, from Knowle; Mr. England, from Welles-

bourne ; Dr. Montgomery, from Southam, &c., &c. Theform of petition is subjoined :- ’

To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain andIreland ’in Parliament assembled.

The Petition of the undersigned Physicians, Surgeons,and Apothecaries of Leamington, Warwick, and thesurrounding districts,-Humbly sheweth-

That your petitioners, whilst they hail with satisfac-tion those portions of Sir James Graham’s proposed114 Medical Reform Bill" which they believe will tend toexalt the character of their profession, have read withdeep regret and one feeling of disappointment that clausein the Bill which, by repealing existing protective enact-ments, and removing all restrictions from the practice of

medicine, would open the profession to any individual,however uneducated or unqualified.That your petitioners recognise, in the legal qualifica-

tion at present required in those who would practisemedicine or surgery, a necessary guarantee to the publicthat such practitioners are competent to undertake thehighly responsible and arduous duties of their profession,and a just protection to those who, by diligent study,and at a very great expense, have thus qualified them-selves.

That, as in framing the proposed Bill, it has been con-sidered expedient that certain qualifications shall berequired in those few members of the profession who maybe appointed to any public situations, your petitionerswould humbly submit to the consideration of yourhonourable house, the more urgent necessity of affordingto the public in general, in the far more extensive fieldof private practice, the same protection which has been,very wisely, thought necessary for the inmates of hospitalsand workhouses.That a result, which your practitioners feel assured

would be deeply deplored by your honourable house,would inevitably follow the passing of the Bill in its

present form, viz., a retrograde movement in medicalscience in this country, and the ultimate destruction ofthe respectability of the profession.Your petitioners, therefore, now appeal to your honour-

able house, in the confidence that their interests and thepublic good will be duly considered at your hands, andthey respectfully, but earnestly, entreat that, if it bedeemed expedient to repeal the Act of 18)5, your honour-able house will see the justice of enacting some other lawwhereby the public may be protected, and the interestsand honour of the medical profession efficiently main-tained.And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.

THE RESOLUTIONS.

Ist.-Proposed by Dr. LUARD, seconded by Mr.

PRICHARD," That this meeting, having had their attention called

to the provisions of a Bill which has been submitted tothe House of Commons, by Sir James Graham, on thesubject of medical reform ; is of opinion that the uncon-ditioned repeal of the Apothecaries’ Act of 18t5, wouldbe productive of great evil, both to the medical profes-sion and the public, by throwing open the practice ofmedicine and surgery to unqualified persons."2nd.-Proposed by Mr. JoNES, seconded by Mr.

RICE," That, therefore, this meeting do agree that a peti-

tion shall be presented to the House of Commons, signedby members of’ the medical profession of Leamington,Warwick, and the immediate neighbourhood, prayingthat, if it be deemed expedient in the proposed Bill torepeal to the Act of 1815, such legislative enactmentsmay be introduced as shall prevent all unqualified per-sons from engaging in the practice of medicine andsurgery."3rd.-Proposed by Mr. PRICHARD, seconded by Dr.

HOMER,11 That it is expedient that every member of the pro-

fession should exert all the influence he may have with

any members of Parliament, for the furtherance of theprayer of this petition."4th.-Proposed by Dr. BOURNE, seconded by Dr.

JEPHSON,11 That the county members be respectfully requested

to take charge of this petition, and to use their best exer-tions for its success."5th.-Proposed by Mr. BOULTON, seconded by Mr.

BURTON,11 That this meeting is desirous of expressing to the

editor of the Times’ newspaper, their sense of the

powerful advocacy of the interests of the medical profes-sion, which has been exhibited in several leading articlesof that paper."6th.-Proposed by Mr. H. L. SMITH, seconded by Mr.

WATSON," That the proceedings of this meeting be published in

the Times’ newspaper, THE LANCET, and Medical

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Gazette,’ the journal of the Medical and SurgicalProvincial Association, the Birmingham Herald,’ andthe Leamington Spa Courier.’

"

7th.-Proposed by Dr. JEPHSON, seconded by Mr.PRICHARD," That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the

chairman for his efficient conduct in the chair."

MEETING OF THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERSOF SURREY.

ON Thursday, the 22nd of August, 1844, the medicalpractitioners of the county of Surrey assembled at theCoffee House at Epsom, for the purpose of taking intoconsideration 11 A Bill for the better regulation of Medi-cal Practice throughout the United Kingdom," whichthe Right Honourable the Secretary of State for theHome Department had lately presented to the House ofCommons: THOMAS MARTIN, Esq., of Reigate, in thechair. Whereupon, after mature deliberation, it was

proposed by J. ST.EDMAN, Esq., of Guildford, andseconded by W. CHALDECOTT, Esq., of Dorking, andresolved unanimously,-

" That this meeting views with disapprobation theproposed constitution of the Council of Health andMedical Education,’ as not being likely to possess theconfidence of the profession ; and that this meetingcannot refrain from expressing its surprise and regretthat no general practitioner is, by this Bill, proposed tobe appointed on the Council of Health and MedicalEducation ; thereby withholding from that most im-portant and numerous body a voice in the councilwhence it is proposed should emanate all the laws and

regulations which will have so important, so vital, aneffect on the future condition of the great body of themedical practitioners throughout the United Kingdom."

Proposed by G. FLETCHER, Esq., of Croydon, andseconded by P. MARTIN, Esq., of Reigate, and resolvedunanimously,-" That greatly prejudicial to the interests of the pro-

fession and to the public welfare would be the removal ofall restrictions and penalties from unlicensed practi-tioners of medicine, which the repeal of the Act of the55th of George III. would effect."

Proposed by G. HARCOURT, Esq., of Chertsey, andseconded by G. BOTTOMLEY, Esq., of Croydon, andresolved unanimously,-" That so satisfactorily and efficiently have the court

of examiners of the Society of Apothecaries exercisedtheir powers, under the Act of 1815, in gradually raisingthe scale of required attainment on the part of candidatesfor examination, and of which the good effects on the

great body of general practitioners is manifest to thewhole world, that the present meeting is of opinion thatan Act to amend the Act of 1815, by which the power ofexamining and licensing the general practitioner shouldbe retained to members of his own grade, with protectionto the public and the profession from the evils and mis-chiefs to be apprehended from the intrusion of unqualifiedpractitioners, might be so constructed as to meet everypresent difficulty and attain all the objects sought for bythe profession in general in a wise and prudent law onthe subject."

Proposed by J. ALLAN, Esq., of Epsom, and secondedby H. TAYLOR, Esq., of Guildford, and resolved unani-mously,-

41 That in the opinion of this meeting the aforesaidBill is of so injurious a tendency towards the medicalprofession, as well as to the whole population of thecountry, that every legitimate means should be used tooppose its further progress through Parliament."

Proposed by E. WALLACE, Esq., of Carshalton, andseconded by G. STILWELL, Esq., of Epsom, and resolvedunanimously,-

" That under present circumstances, every member ofthe profession here present pledges himself to endeavourto impress the minds of members of both houses ofParliament, with whom they may come into communica-tion, with a correct knowledge of the erroneous and

dangerous nature of this Bill, and to solicit their opposi-tion to it."

Proposed by W. CHALDECOTT, Esq., of Dorking,seconded by J. ALLAN, Esq., of Epsom, and unani-mously resolved,-" That this meeting, feeling assured that the time has

arrived when it behoves every professional man-everygeneral practitioner, more especially-to enter upon aserious examination of his present position and of thedangers which await him, if the projected measure of theHome Secretary should become a law, earnestly requeststhe attention of their professional brethren to the follow-ing observations: -" It is well known to many, perhaps forgotten by some,

and little thought of by others, that before the year 1815the medical profession was in a very unsatisfactory stateas to education and attainment. With the greater num-ber of its then practitioners it was more or less of thenature of a trade. Much ignorance prevailed, althoughsome acute, able, and talented men, supported the creditand maintained the science and usefulness of the pro-fession.

&laquo; two a proper sense of these great defects, the in-creasing knowledge and necessities of the times arousedthe profession, and led to the Act of 1815.

11 If we contrast the present state of medicine as ascience with its practical results,-the knowledge andacquirements of practitioners,-the safety and curativeadvantages on the score of health, relieved suffering, andprolongation of life, now enjoyed by the public,-with thegeneral state of the profession previously, the beneficialchanges and improvement which have ensued must bemanifest to all who are old enough to remember theformer state of the profession and capable of appre-ciating the change.

11 These great improvements, there can be no doubt,have been in a great measure effected by the Act ofParliament, which, with all its acknowledged imperfec-tions, has been brought to bear most usefully on thepreviously imperfect qualifications of medical men, andon the less apparent but more important interests of the

public.11 Who, then, are the parties that have, through good

and evil report, from 1815 to the present time, carried outthe provisions of that important and beneficial act in sogradual, but judicious and efiectual, a manner? These

parties are the Society of Apothecaries. To them we arebound in honour and good feeling, and from a sense ofjustice, to accord the meed of praise, and to acknowledgeour deep and lasting obligations.

11 To the efficient working of that Act by their court ofexaminers, the medical men now in practice owe theirsuperiority to their predecessors,-their improved andmore extensive education and professional acquirement,and their increased estimation in public opinion and

regard.* * * * *

two repeal, therefore, an Act of Parliament which,with all its imperfections, has such acknowledgedmerits,-which affords the only protection, and that verysmall, at present enjoyed by the legally-recognisedgeneral practitioner and by the public,-appears to beabsurd as well as mischievous.

* * * * *

&deg;&deg; Believing, as we do, that advantageous results mightfairly be expected from an amendment of the Act of1815, by an extension of the powers of the court ofexaminers, and such other improvements as might besuggested, we would, on this important occasion, supportthe Society of Apothecaries, and offer them our strenuous

! aid in resistance to the measure now in contemplation,I and in furtherance of all improvements of which the

present Act might be susceptible.l " We would, therefore, strongly recommend immediatel co-operation with that society, on the grounds of

prudence and good policy, as well as from the higherf principle of gratitude for past services, until lately too’ little appreciated and too grudgingly acknowledged.r 11 The members of the profession should, therefore,. endeavour to impress on the minds of members of botht houses of Parliament the important bearings of this