146 THE RISE OF MEDICAL SOCIETIES CHAP. 



admission as a member. The suit failed, but Lord Chief 

 Justice Mansfield took occasion to caution the college against 

 pursuing a narrow policy, which might even, so he said, exclude 

 a Boerhaave. 



The licentiates were now roused to action ; they met to 

 confer, and addressed the following letter to Sir Fletcher 

 Norton, an eminent barrister, afterwards Lord Grantley, who 

 had been counsel for Dr. Letch. 



SIR There seems no longer to be any doubt, but that the 

 physicians admitted to practise under the common seal of the 

 College of Physicians in London, are members of the college and 

 entitled to every privilege granted thereto by the legislature. 

 It therefore becomes our duty to embrace the present opportunity 

 to recover those privileges of which we think ourselves unjustly 

 deprived. 



That this may be effected in the most amicable manner, we 

 entreat you will be pleased to apply to Mr. Yorke, the standing 

 counsel of the college, to order to obtain by your joint endeavours, 

 the justice we expect, with all possible expedition. But, should 

 the college refuse to enter into such a negotiation, or proceed in 

 it in a way that shows a disposition to create unnecessary delays ; 

 we then, Sir, request that you will give us your advice in what 

 manner we can best proceed to obtain justice by law, and hope 

 from your attachment to so just a cause, that you will be pleased 

 to prosecute it with all the dispatch in your power. We are, Sir, 

 Your most obedient humble servants, 



JOHN FOTHERGILL. WIL. DUNCAN. 



CHARLES MORTON. ALEXR. RUSSELL. 



J. SILVESTER. MICHAEL MORRIS. 



W. WATSON. THOS. DICKSON. 



WILLIAM HUNTER. RD. HUCK. 

 At the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, May 15, 1767. 



The licentiate physicians who were concerned in this and 

 the subsequent proceedings numbered in all twenty-nine. 

 More than one-half of them had a Scottish degree, although 

 some of these were English by birth ; others held the degrees 

 of Leyden, Rheims, etc. Fothergill had been the first graduate 

 of Edinburgh to receive the college licence. Of the famous 

 Dr. William Hunter, M.D., of Glasgow and physician to the 

 queen, it is needless to speak. Dr., afterwards Sir William 

 Watson, was hardly less renowned as a man of science. Sil- 

 vester, with the scholarly Dickson, and Benjamin Alexander, 

 were physicians to the London Hospital. Sir William Duncan, 

 Bart., was later physician to the king. The learned and 

 upright Morton, afterwards Principal Librarian to the British 



