The Sun.
London, England, 1830-10-09 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE. PUBLIC JOURNALS.

A Dublin newspaper, of the patriotic stamp,
makes a most pathetic lamentation about the dis-
missal of Earl O'Neill from the office of Postmasfer.
General of Ireland. Of what use the office was we
.hould like to know, as we believe all the arrange-
mews, with the exception of the patronage, and, in
fact, the whole working of the system was under the
active superintendence of the Secretary, Sir Edward
Lees. The salary of Postmester-General ix, there-
fore, in our opinion, well saved to the country." We
wish Government would evince as much decision in,
getting rid of all other sinecure offices, and their at..
lendant expenses. In so doing they should have
our warm support. There is a great den! too much
corrupt patronage in this country to allow efficient
and meritorious services, when unaccompanied with
the recommendation of the great and powerful, to
meet with their due reward. But the patronage of
Ireland is still less. The civil departments were,
not inaptly, compared by Lord Goderich, some
years ago, to the Augeatt stable, which nothing
short of the marvellous energies ofd Hercules enohl
cleanse ; and certainly it would retptire it riders'
reformer, having all the determination ant tibfir
verance of the fabled Alcides to put them in a ihie,
rable state of purification. We care not in Yd"'",
hand the besom of reformation Is placed, provides:
the person who undertakes the task will only
wield the useful implement with sweeping
im-
parti►rli,y. The Journal to which we have
alluded not only mourns over the untimely deltaa
tore of Lord O'Neill from official life, but has d
tear to spent for the ntnicipated extinction of Lord
Rosse as Joint President tif the " republit of let-
ters " The writer says, " The residuary itherest,
in the Post-office patent, we hear; detolves on tini
Earl of Bosse ; indeed it could not be tithoitiiet.
for, even if inclined, which we do not anti?! poP:
slide, the Duke of Wellington would scarcely (A?.
mit such an act of injustice as to deprive of an up-'
pointment a Nobleman who, for so many yearn 1,04
has contributed his gratuitous services as Joint Posts
master-General, without any reseed except the
mere patronage of the department ; and the More'
so as this last surviving branch of r fficial distinction
in Ireland is to be soon extinguished, under that
syttem of retrenchment recommended by the laat_
hamentary Commissioners, and which the Govern-
ment of Great Britain have determined to adopt ast
soon es the assembling of Parliament can permit:'
Now, we should like to know very much what
those services were which Lord Bosse thus grit
tuitously rendered to his country in the Post-office
department. His Lordship was, at one time; tt re.
Ruler Irish patriot, and be is now as regular en Irish
placeman, and, like one of that. class, seems deter:
mined to cling to office to the last. Ile will ton
take the " three warnings" of the approach of GC
clef death—First, the Report of the Parliamen-
tary Commissioners; secondly, the dismissal of
Lord O'Neill; thirdly, the withdrawal of his own
patronage. It is clear, after submitting to all
this, that he will take nothing short of tut
actual order to turn out, anti "110 mistake." But
if he had really any dutiex to perform, and no salary
.to compensate his labours, why is he so anxious to
continue to be burdened with the onerous obligations
of test unrequited service ? IS this the devotion of
the patriot, or the tenacity of the placemato ? If his
labours produce no salary, is the patronage, which
it is admitted he exercised, in any reopen biota
heist!? We have reason to believe that, in some la
the civil departments of Ireland, titled and Perlis'.
rneutary debtors are often enabled to relieve theta-
selves of troublesome duns by quartering their cre-
ditors upon the public finances. Lord Rosse is
a Nobleman who is not under the necessity of so
abusing patronage, for his means are good, and he
is not of extravagant habits ; but to provide for poor
relations, or even deserving domestic., by obtaining
for them situations in public offices, is perhaps more
acceptable than a salary to one who is not in want
of pecuniary assistance. We should be surprised
if Lord Roost had neglected either his relations or
his dependents, anti should like to see a list of all
persons appointed by each of the Postmasters, with
the qualifications and connections of the persons etr.
appointed, and some account of the manner in which,
they performed their official duties.-.--]Horse. Herald.
We have hitherto been prevented, by the preei
of foreign news or domestic discussions, from taking
notice of the improvements in the course of medical
studies, introduced this year by the Society of Apo-
hecaries' Hall, and printed in the shape of " Rep-

lotions to be observed by the Students intending to
qualify themselves to practise at Apothecaries in
Ergland and Wake," a copy of which has beget
lately sent us. As public opinion, acting through
the medium of the Press, has both stimulated anti
enabled the Society to employ the powers granted
them by Act of Parliament to advance medical edu-
cation, and to effect changes not less conducive to
the health of the community than to the honour of
the profession, it is but right that the Press should
from time to time record the victories which it has-
contributed to gain, as well as to provoke further
improvements. We need not remind the reader,
that under the name of " Apothecary," on which
OW great dramatic poet has poured such unsputing
ridicule, is now included the general practitioner, or,
in other words, the great bulk of the medical pre,
fession. Thennble and the wealthy may purchase
the privilege of dying by
.the aid of physicians or
surgeons who derive thew licence to kill or cure
from other corporations ; but the great body of the
people are placed at the mercy of the practitioners,
for whose qualifications they have at first no other
voucher then the certificate of the Society of Apo-
thecaries' Hall. It is, therefore, of the utmost im-
portance to the well-being of the community, that
the proceedings of the Court of Examiners should
be watched,—that the course of study which they
prescribe should include an extensive range of
medical scieocer—that the quilificutions required
in candidates for their certificates should he
high,—and that their exeminetions should be;
rigorous and ample. The greatest enemy of exclu-
sire privileges can never object to the powers con
furred by the legislature on such a body, if kithcionely exercised in raising the character of the pro-
fession, and giving security to the public egainst
empiricism and quackery. Were it not fur the
thorized interference of such corporation*, the health
and purses of the community would be at the mercy
of ignorant pretenders, and amulets end 'Haire would
still have maintained their ground in the medipal
dispensary. In the other liberal professiens, the
practitioner may be left to settle the extent of his
qualifications with his employers withoot occesiooitig.
to the latter any sudden or irreparable injury by his
ignorance or presumption. If our lawyer ditapptents
us in stating our rights or arguing our cause,
teat
OM change him, sad have a new trial; but if we trust
ourselves into the hands of a medical adviser ,who is
ignorant of his profession, our case may be hopeless.
No 'few trial" can be obtained, no " Writ of er-
ror" can lie against his pritieriptions, or einsble us
to reserve his ;operations. But as public bodies are
sometimes apt to abuts* powers given them for the
most laudable objects, It is always useful to inquire
whether they trespass either on the side of too
much lenity from carelessness, or too touch rigour
from a spirit of monopoly. The qttalification re-
quired in the candidates for licence has Undoubtedly
been raised with the last two or three years, but it
is now tar from being too high. 'floe regulutions of
the Society prescribe the length of time required
for preliminary study,--...the courses of lectures to he
attended, and the amount of hospital practice to be
seen, previous to examination, together with the
number of the branches of knowledge Oti,lne
ciency in which the student is to be tried.. The Om
is now two years of attendance on
.lcctaros
.and
hospital practice; the courses
of ItOttifei; are, tQ'tlo ‘r •
14, consisting of trot less than 44'400m:44
courses and the examinations are to iikilitalie.*4l4"
- •

ttIV

TO 5

of the sciences taught in these lectures. The fol-
lowing is a copy of the regulations to which we have
alluded :
" The candidate roust have attended the following
online* of lectures. The lectures required in each course
respectively, must be given on separate (lays.
se vatts.ray.—..;Two rourAes eseh course consisting
of not less then forty five lectures.
" MATistl,A 1111:DICA AND ToEnarrUTlCst-rr-Two
courses, each course consisting of not less than furty-five
lectures.
" ANATOMY, POYNIOI.OIIY, AND ANATOMICAL Dr.
MONSTAATION3.—Two courses ; of the same extort As re-
gaited by the Royal College of Surgeons of London.
" PAlNClrlais AND PltACTIcr Or IllenteiNs..—Two
courses : each CUUTIO COntsisting of not less than
turn, to be attended subsequently to the termination of the I
first course 'of lectures on chyinistry, 'nitwits medico, and
anatomy and physiology.
" BOTAN r.—Onts course.
" flifteswircav, AND TUE potash-iris or WOMEN AND
Cellt.nams.—Two courses; to be attended during the
second year.
" FORK/ sic MEnictux.—Ons course; to be attended
during the second year.
" Students are ,noreover recounts. nil'', diligently to
avail themselves of instruction in spotlit! anatomy."
The extent of study prescribed neeessurily shows
the course of examination to be undergone.
" THE !EXAMINATION or Tits cANDIDATX WILL BE As

roLLows :--

" 1. In translating parts of Wane de Medicied, or
Gregory Conspectus Medicinte Thcoret;rer, Pharinuco,.
paia Londinensis, and Ph)sicians" Prescriptions)
" 2. In Chyrnistry.
" 3. In Materia Medics and Therapeutics.
" 4. In Botany.
" 5. In Anatomy and Physiology.
" In, the Practice of Medicine."
A higher demand is thus made on the time
labour, and purse of
;the studeot than in any pre-
vious year. In 1828, the courses of lectures which
the candidate was required to attend were isely
namely, one on chymistry, one on materia medics,
two on anatomy and physiology, and two on the
theory. and practice of physic, with six months of
hospital practice, and is certain knowledge,ef Latin.
In 1829, the prescribed testimonials of attendance
on lectures required ten courses, with the ewe ex-
perience of hospital practice, and the same extent of
acquaintance with Latin. In the present year, for
those students about to commence their career of
medical pursuits, attendance on fourteen courses of
lectures is required, The new courses are On botany,
two on midwifery, and one on forensic medicine.
The attendance on hospital 'practice has likewise
been raised to 12 months. In noticing the regu-
lations issued by the Society lust, year, we recoin-
mended the Additional courses of botany and mid-
wifery, and we are glad that the Court of Examiners
has evinced such a docile regard to the public vtice,
as not only to effect the object of thisrecommenda-
tion, but to add a branch of study for which almost
every medical examination before a Coroner's Jury
shows the necessity. We likewise took the liberty
of suggesting to the Society the propriety of re-
quiring from candidates some knowledge of Greek,
as an acquaintance with that languirge would not
only tend to liberalize their minds, but would give
them a key to the nomenclature of several of the
sciences which they are required to study end ac-
quire. To that extent the Court of Examiners
have not ventured, though in Latin they now require
a good deal more from the student then the ability
to translate aqua Tura. We are mare that there
»sly betiome difference of opiuiou on the propriety
of demanding attendance on so many courses of
lectures front all,sndmaking no exceptions in favour
of great. talents or great industry,, united to such
marrow circumstances as to reader the teeing of
professors oppressive. One man, it is,,said, can
learn as much in six months as others in six years,
and why restrict all to the same rules ? To this
the reply is easy,-7-that system of general educa-
tion must be made for average talent, and that it is
better some should he restrained tram using :their
skill as soon as they might with sidety, or be even
altogether prevented from pursuing the profession,
than that others imperfectly qualified should get
certificate to endanger the lives of hie Majesty's
subjects. Two years' attendance on the professor
of those branches of knowledge which ought to
guide their practice through life, cannot be regarded
as a great sacrifice of time by t most industrious
and ardent student, and to the doll or the indolent
it is scarcely oufficient. Though some men are horn
poets, we never heard of any man born an apethe..
eery ; and we are therefore glad, for the sake of the
public health, that the Court of Examiners of the
Society in our neighbourhood, pre resolved to eo,
force a proper course of study, instead of relying
upon the possession of arty intuitive or innate kitow-1
ledge of medicine.—'fitter.
Our news respecting the affairs of 'Belgium are
confined to one document, and two or three letters
from Brussels. The document is a proclamation
from the Prince of Orange to the inhohition. of the
southern provinces, announcing time consent of the
King to the separation of Holland and Ht igiorn—
the poignant regret which he experienced et the
troubled state of the latter—and his anxiety
remedy, by all desirable concessions—several of
which are mentioned—every thing in shape of
grievance which could be alleged. 'What may be,
the effect of this proclamation upon the inhabitants
of Belgium, it iii impottsible even to conjecture. De
Potter, and the republican party, who,it is said,
take for their motto, " Down with the House of
Orange," will, no doubt, endeavour to represent it
as a mere trick on the part of the Dutch Govern-
ment to get the Belgians into its power, tho Sigh this
too, considering the plain end straight-forward style
of the document in question, would be rather tin
impudent attempt; but we still hope, though we
Mytt our hopes are feeble, that the more prudent
and less prejudiced -part of the community will
as. in it • pledge that all former grievances are to
he redressed—that Belgium is to be ruled, not only
by Belgians, but in the spirit devired by the people
—sad that as every thing is to be lost, and nothing
to he gained by a separation from Holland, the beet
course to be pursued is, to take the Prince at his
word—s-to request him to implement his promises,
and when be has done so, to replace the country
under the dynasty of the House of Orange. In
expressing these wishes, we trust we shall not be
mistaken as 'advoceting the cause of Hollend
against Belgium, or being desirous of representing
the people of the latter country as having risen.
agthist the former without 5 cause. The-cause:of
the Belgians is a good cause I and if they wish to
Ovens themselves,- without the supremacy of the
Hoare of Orange, and under the form of a republic.,
there is no reason why they should be baulked.
They may be a fickle and chtmgesble, and not easily
satisfied people; but they had suffered not a little
from the half-and-half sort of constitution with
which it' :pleased 'the Allied to bless them some
fifteen years'ago; and if they see just Mounds for
apprehending 4 return of similar calamities, it is not
only their right and interest, but their first duty to
provide against them. An evening print talks of
the Belgians as rebels-of putting them down
es such, by fire And - sword!---aod of the right
of intervention, Ir':agg of u protracted 'contest,
which the great 14iia of Enrope may exercise,
lo then slitne way that they applied it to the case
err Greece , Turkey; but, to the first place,
the 110Itirtee are no snore rebels than the people
Of Switzerland were reheli, when they threw off
the Austrian yoke—in the second, the putting
of them dawn. by fire and sword, is a matter
which the Klog of Holland cannot so very
easily accompliah—und,„ in the third, the cases of
Greece and Turkey aro as dissimilar to those or
nalland,and Belgium, as can possibly be imagined.
In Greece it was the minority Which Protested
against the tyranny of the majority—in Belgiui mit
is the majority which has protested against- the m"
nority„ and which has proved It to ire; the by beating it. contest: In Greece wasLT; tOY.
longed foe years, and its trnioriKatiott led to an in.
terruption of time safe- corninerm!e of every., enuttry
trading to:the Eama—in Belgians the eontems4,4l, not
yet lasted for six. weeks; While any comparison be.
twee, the commerce carried on through the Medi.