NOTES 517 



The Society of Members of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 



This Society was founded in 1894 as the successor of an 

 Association which, started in 1884, was financially wrecked by 

 a legal trial of strength with the Council of the College in the 

 action, "Steel v. Savory," when in 1892 judgment was given in 

 favour of the Council by Mr. Justice Romer. The want of 

 funds unfortunately prevented an appeal being made to a higher 

 court of justice. 



The objects of the Society are : 



(a) To arouse and maintain amongst Members a permanent 

 interest in their College by obtaining for them a share in its 

 management. 



(b) To promote an amendment of the charters of the College, 

 which will permit the Members to take part in the election 

 of the governing body. 



(c) Whilst seeking primarily to further the interests of the 

 Members, to co-operate with the Fellows in obtaining such 

 reforms as are possible under the present charters. 



{d) Generally, to promote the true welfare of the Corporation 

 by bringing the Council, the Fellows, and Members into har- 

 monious action. 



As regards (c) it should be noted that the cause of the 

 Members has been advocated by many eminent Fellows, such 

 as Paul Swain, Timothy Holmes, W. Rivington, Oliver Pember- 

 ton, Jonathan Hutchinson, Howard Marsh, Sir John Tweedy, 

 and Sir Victor Horsley. Fellows have always figured amongst 

 the subscribers and life-members of this Society. 



The exclusion of Members from any share in the adminis- 

 tration of the College affairs is a grievance of old standing, but 

 it reached its fulminating point when the Charter of 1843 was 

 secured by the Council, which enabled them, suddenly and 

 without consultation with the general body of Members, to elect 

 542 Members {including themselves and their friends) to what they 

 described as "a new class of Members," or Fellows of the 

 College, and this was done without any qualifying examination 

 whatever. More grievous still — in future the eligibility to a seat 

 on the Council and power to vote were restricted to the said 

 Fellows, and the Members were thus deprived of an important 

 and ancient right. 



When the terms of the Charter of 1843 became known, great 



