— n^ 



PREFACE. xix 



tlien Mr. Burrowes, who had five hundred guineas presented to 

 him for his gratuitous services in this affair), providing, that a 

 fourth medical corporation of apothecaries and surgeon-apothe- 

 caries should be formed, the superior officers of which should be 

 chosen by the majority of votes of the practitioners in London 

 and its neighbourhood, with power to appoint subordinate cora- 

 nittees in the country ; that in future no person should practise 

 OS an apothecary, surgeon-apothecary, midwife, or dispensing 

 druggist, unless they were members of the College of Surgeons, 

 or Society of Apothecaries, without being examined by this body, 

 under a penalty for each offence ; that apothecaries and surgeon- 

 apothecaries should either serve an apprenticeship, or attend some 

 accredited school of medicine in England, Scotland, or Ireland, 

 and undergo an examination of their proficiency ; that if they 

 practise surgery, they should also take a diploma fi'om the Col- 

 lege of Surgeons. Besides certain fees for the certificate of this 

 xamination, all these persons, and even those now practising as 

 Lich, to pay certain sums for an annual licence, with power in the 

 uperintending body to refuse this licence in case of infamous or 

 111 nigral behaviour. In consequence of this superintendence, 

 apothecaries and surgeon-apothecaries to claim reasonable charges 

 for their attendances, visits, and journeys; the penalties for prac- 

 tising as an apothecary, surgeon-apothecary, midwife, or dispens- 

 ing druggist, to be recoverable by common informers, who were 

 to have half the penalty ; that apprentices should also pay a cer- 

 n sum, part of which should be applied to the giving of lectures 

 the hall of the corporation. 

 It is a singular instance of the delusion under which the mind 

 often labours, when self-interest is strongly excited, that the 

 associated apothecaries should imagine a bill of this kind to pass 

 without the strongest opposition from all classes, both of the pro- 

 fession and of the public in general. The College of Physicians 

 eould not see without jealousy the associated apothecaries placed 

 upon a better footing than themselves, and allowed to sue for their 

 ittendance, which neither physicians nor surgeons can do. The 

 'y of Apothecaries regulated their motions by those of the 

 icians, yet could not but be jealous of a new corporation, 

 '>nned upon a basis of contributions, and usurping their place. 

 The College of Surgeons were apparently to be benefited by this 



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