EONS, 



OF. 



SURGEONS, COLLEGE OF. 



:> ;r, 



second, angle* whose cosines are a', ff, y' ; the third, angled whose 

 eotines are a*, fl", 7'. The equation . 



t* v 



.r v,-0 



hai always three real root* ; let them be A, A'. A*. Then the directions 

 of the principal axe are to be determined from 



I 



ea-V 1 (e + oU + A 5 

 (A-A'MA-A') 



(A-A'MA-A') 



To find a' 3 , Ac., interchange A and A' in the above ; anil to find "'-', 

 Ac., interchange A and A*. The principal axes being thus determined, 

 the equation to the surface, referred to the principal axes, is 



.\.i-- + Ay* + A V -f w = 0, 



a form which is fully considered in all elementary works on the sub- 

 ject, and from which the principal properties are derived. (' Algebraic 

 Geometry,' in the Library of Useful Knowledge.) 



For the proofs of the preceding assertions, and their extension to 

 oblique co-ordinates, see a paper ' On the Genera! Equatiou of Surfaces 

 of the Second Degree,' in the ' Cambridge Philosophical Transaction*!,' 

 vol. v., part 1. Under the form of considering the surface of the 

 second degree, we have in fact been treating the general propertied of 

 the equation of the second degree, with three variables, and have 

 solved various other problems of geometry and mechanics. The 

 principles applied in this solution have been generalised in a paper 

 on ' Linear Transformations,' by Mr. Boole. ('Cambr. Math. Journ.,' 

 vol. iii., p. 1.) 



8UBGBON8, COLLEGE OF. The present College of Surgeons of 

 England had its origin in the Company of Barber-Surgeons, which 

 was incorporated by royal charter in the first year of Edward IV. By 

 this charter of 1 Edward IV., the barbers practising surgery in 

 London, who had before associated themselves in a company, were 

 legally incorporated as the Company of the Barbers in London. Their 

 authority extended to the right of examining all instruments and 

 remedies employed, and of bringing actions against whoever practised 

 illegally and ignorantly ; and none were allowed to practise who had 

 not been previously admitted and judged competent by the masters of 

 the company, 



This charter was several times confirmed by succeeding kings, but in 

 spite of it many persons practised surgery independently of the com- 

 pany, and at length associated themselves as members of a separate 

 body, and called themselves the surgeons of London. In the 3rd year 

 of Henry VIII. it was enacted "that no person within the city of 

 London, or within seven miles of the same, should take upon him to 

 exercise or occupy as a physician or surgeon, except be be first 

 examined, approved, and admitted by the bishop of London or by the 

 dean of St. Paul's for the time being, calling to him four doctors of 

 physic, and for surgery other expert persons in that faculty." All who 

 under this act obtained licence to practise were of course equally 

 qualified, whether members of the company of barbers or not ; and 

 in the 32nd year of Henry VIII. the members of the latter company, 

 and those who had incorporated themselves as the company of 

 surgeons, were united in one company, " by the name of masters or 

 governors of the mystery and commonalty of barbers and surgeons of 

 London." 



In the 18th year of George II. an act was passed by which the union 

 of the barbers and surgeons was dissolved, and the surgeons were con- 

 stituted a separate company; and in the 40th year of George III. a 

 charter was granted by which it was confirmed in all the privileges 

 which had been conferred upon it by the act of George II. By this 

 charter the title of the company was altered from that of the masters, 

 governors, and commonalty of the Art and Science of Surgeons to that 

 of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Under this charter it 

 was governed by a council or court of assistants, consisting of twenty- 

 one members, of whom ten composed the court of examiners. Of 

 these ten one was annually elected president, or principal master, and 

 two were annually chosen vice-presidents or governors. By the bye- 

 laws which the council were empowered by the charter to make, the 

 members of the council were to be chosen for life from those members 

 of the College whose practice was confined to surgery, and were to be 

 elected by ballot at a meeting of the council. The examiners were 

 generally chosen in order of seniority from the members of the council : 

 the presidents and vice-presidents were chosen in rotation from the 

 court of examiners, the president for the current year having been the 

 senior vice-president during the past year. 



A new charter was granted to the College of Surgeons in the 7th 

 year of Victoria, by which it is declared, that the name of the college 

 shall henceforth be The Royal College of Surgeons of England ; and 

 that a portion of the members of the said college shall lie fellows 

 thereof, by the name of The Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons 

 of England. The charter declares that the present president and two 



-M.ni- ami all other the present membars of the council of the 

 said college, and also such other persons, not being less than 250 nor 

 more than 300, and being members of the said college, as the council 

 of the college, at any time before the expiration of three calendar 

 months from the date of the charter, shall elect and declare to be 

 fellows in manner by the charter directed; together with any such 

 other persons as the council of the said college, after the expirai 

 the said three calendar mouths and within one year from the date of 

 the charter, shall appoint in manner by the charter authorised, shall be 

 fellows of the said college. But no person, except as hereinbefore 

 named, is to become a fellow, unless he shall have attained the age of 

 twenty-five years, and complied with such rules as the council <>i tin: 

 college shall think fit, and by a bye-law or bye-laws direct; nor unless 

 he shall have passed a special examination by the examiners of the said 

 college. Every person admitted as a fellow, as last mentioned, is to 

 become a member of the College by such admission, if he is not already 

 a member. Henceforth, no member of the College, who is not a 

 fellow, is to be eligible as a member of the council. There a: 

 (10) some other restrictions as to eligibility. The present members of 

 the council are to continue life members as heretofore; and the 

 number of members of council is to be increased from t-\ -enty-one to 

 twenty-four, and all future members are to be elective, and to !>< 

 elected periodically, in the manner prescribed by the ei inter (1'2) 

 when the number of elective members of the council shall l> 

 pleted and made up to twenty-four. Three members shall go out 

 annually, but they may be re-elected immediately. The members of 

 council are to be elected by the fellows, including the m-mbers of the 

 council as such, in the manner prescribed by the charter (15) ; ami tin; 

 election is to be by ballot (17). There are various special provisions as 

 to the eligibility of fellows, for which we refer to the charter. Tin-re 

 are to be ten examiners of surgeons for the college, and the ] > 

 examiners are to continue for life ; and all future examiners are to be 

 elected by the council, either from the members of the council, or 

 from the other fellows of the college, or from both of them ; ami all 

 future examiners of the college shall hold their office during tin- 

 pleasure of the council. The charter contains other regulation 

 confirms the powers of the college and the council, except s< 

 they are altered by the charter ; and it declares that no bye-law or 

 ordinance hereafter to be made by the council shall be of any force 

 until the crown shall have signified its approval thereof to the college 

 under the hand of one of the principal secretaries of state, or other- 

 wise as in the charter stated (22). " The Bye-Laws and Ordinances of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons of England" contain the regulations as 

 to the candidates for the fellowship (sect. 1), for the examination of 

 candidates for the fellowship (2), admission of fellows (3), election of 

 members of council (5). By section 1, it is required that every 

 candidate for the fellowship, among other certificates, shall produce a 

 certificate, satisfactory to the court of examiners, that he has attained 

 a competent knowledge of the Greek, Latin, and French languages, and 

 of the elements of mathematics. The subjects of examination for the 

 fellowship are Anatomy and Physiology on the first day, and Pathology 

 and Therapeutics and Surgery on the second day. The examination is 

 to be by written answers to written or printed questions; but any 

 candidate may be interrogated by the examiners, on any matter con- 

 nected with, the questions or answers. In the anatomical examination 

 the candidate must also perform dissections and operations on the 

 dead body in the presence of the examiners. 



By a recent bye-law members are eligible to the fellowship by 

 election. Any member of the College, of fifteen years' standing, who was 

 a member on the 14th of September, 1843, desirous of admission to the 

 fellowship otherwise than by examination, must sign a declaration of 

 not selling or supplying drugs or medicines, which must be accom- 

 panied by a certificate recommending him to the fellowship, signed by 

 six fellows of the college. The signing of the certificate is subject to 

 some alterations for surgeons in the army and navy, and in the British 

 colonies. 



Persona are admitted to examination for the membership of the 

 College on producing certificates of being twenty-one years of age ; of 

 having been engaged four years in the acquirement of professional 

 knowledge, and of having attended lectures on anatomy,surgery, and other 

 branches of professional knowledge for four years ; of having di- 

 and attended hospital practice during three winter and two summer 

 sessions. 



The examination for the diploma of member is divided into two 

 parts, the first relating to anatomy and physiology, the second relating 

 to pathology, surgery, and surgical anatomy. The latter cxamii 

 is partly written and partly oral. The examination on anatomy is on 

 the recently dissected-subject. Students who have completed their 

 second session of anatomical studies are eligible for undergoing the 

 first part of this examination. 



The College also gives an especial certificate of qualification for the 

 practice of midwifery. Members or fellows of the College previous to 

 the 1st of January 1853, are eligible to this examination at once. 

 Members or fellows admitted since 1853 have to produce a certificate of 

 having attended at least twenty labours. Members of other Colleges of 

 Surgeons, or graduates of universities, are also admitted to examination 

 for this certificate. Persons not having any diploma, but producing 

 evidence of having completed their professional education, and of 



