xii LETTSOM FOUNDS A MEDICAL SOCIETY 153 



Ten persons met on May 19, 1773, to form the new society. 

 Edward Ford, a young surgeon of good repute and much 

 acceptance, was made secretary, Hulme librarian, and 

 Lettsom treasurer ; Dr. John Millar was the first president, 

 being followed by Lettsom in 1775. The meetings were held 

 at 7 P.M., generally once a fortnight, in Crane Court, Fleet 

 Street, with a small attendance. By August 10 nearly sixty 

 members had been enrolled, and a few of the younger men of 

 reputation, such as Garthshore, W. Saunders, Earle, Wadd, 

 Hewson, and Blizard, had given their countenance to the new 

 venture. The number of fellows was afterwards limited to 

 thirty physicians, thirty surgeons, and thirty apothecaries, 

 having proper qualifications, and including no proprietor of a 

 nostrum ; and committees of five were appointed in October 

 for each of the three sections. A catholicity, not found in the 

 earlier societies, thus marked this institution from its outset ; 

 the credit of this must be given to Lettsom. A fee of three 

 guineas was paid on admission, and one guinea annually. 

 In the rules it was enacted that " no person shall speak more 

 than thrice to the same question." A library was early 

 formed, Lettsom and others presenting many books, and 

 more were purchased. It came to be rich in early medical 

 works, also in Greek and other manuscripts ; some curious 

 English herbals, etc., of the mediaeval period, and many volumes 

 of notes of lectures are preserved amongst its treasures. 



Lettsom had no easy task in piloting his tender offspring 

 through the years that followed. The attendance at the 

 meetings often dropped to seven ; sometimes, in 1780, only 

 two or three were present. There were quarrels among the 

 members, and the society seemed at times on the verge of 

 extinction. Papers fell off ; in 1776 each member was ordered 

 by rule to produce one in rotation or to forfeit five shillings. 

 But Lettsom never gave way ; whoever deserted, he was 

 faithful ; when no paper was forthcoming, there always 

 seemed to be one in his pocket ; his purse aided the finances ; 

 he enriched the library, and he offered a gold medal to be 

 awarded every two years for a dissertation. He presented 

 in 1788 a good house in Bolt Court, Fleet Street, to the society 

 for its habitation. In the end he overcame all obstacles, and 

 saw the society firmly established. By the year 1789, when 

 the first volume of Transactions was issued, the number of 

 members, nominally at any rate, exceeded 250. How much 

 the society still owed to its indefatigable founder may be judged 

 from the fact, that almost one-half of the thirty-five articles 

 in this volume were either written or communicated by him. 



