The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-07 00:00:00

VYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.--DEPUTA

TION TO LORD PALMERSTON.

Yesterday afternoon a deputation, consisting of the
president, fellows, and members of the Royal College of
'Physicians, waited upon Lord Palmerston, at the Home
Oflice, for the purpose of entreating his lordship to take
Such immediate steps as might appear necessary to
ob-
tain a new charter for the college.
Dr. Penis, the president, stated to his lordship that
the college, the
medical prefession, and the public gene-
rally, suffered severely from the present state of affairs,
e
and the evils of which they had to complain would b
seriously aggravated unless measures were at once taken
to place the college upon a better footing. Great inc n-
venience was at present felt with regard to licences which Were granted upon different conditions to persons prac-
tiBing in London and others practising in the country—
a circumstance which created much unpleasant feeling,
and was otherwise productive of bad consequences.
The body over which he (Dr. Paris) presided earnestly
entreated his lordship to do what he could in removing
the difficulties of which they complained, and in bring-
his about some practical improvement.
P. IlAwKixs, the registrar of the college, read to
hiplords a statement which had been prepared for the
Purpose presentation. It informed his lordship that the
Principal points of difference between the present charter
Wre a new charter which the members of the deputation
ellarter desirous of obtaining were as follows :—The present
ga,„
to the college the exclusive power of ex-
'training and licensing physicians in London. A similar
tc.7e1;,8 to physicians in the country was given by the
coueQenry VIII., confirming the charter, not to the
Persons ge, but to a body chosen out of the college. Hence
zrouniitahnusy dsensidistinction,ns
licensed for one district were not so for another,
hONV asked hi lrdship's
anTdlimeuneehwinceonvenience had arisen
charter to which they
licensing awould extend the
and NValePacquiescence
Power of the college to the whole of England
that ofths'e andnowoluld change the title of the college to
Ya- Collge of Physicians of England, a
similar change having been recently made by charter in
the title of the Royal college of Surgeons. The new
charter would provide the admission into the college
tounartiertns universally considered extremely liberal, of
Witj Physicians now Practising throughout the country
rae out the licence of the college, and by whom such a
aireare as this had for many years been ardently de-
.transfea
inter, inn new • charter made certain changes in the
ntsotitution of the college ; in particular, it
rrec.d°
Its pre,id the college at large the power of choosing
select hod ent, which was given by the old charter to a
It gave y, called the " Elects," who were self-elected.
fellow to the college the power of expelling any future
Ile• Iv °I. Member who should be convicted of certain
..._ mons offences ; also that of conferring the title of
;4.octor
eof Medicine on persons who, being past the age
4° Yars, were found worthy, from their general ',lamentsat-
and long experience in the practice of medi-
cine, to be licensed as physicians. Under other circum-
stances the college was to be empowered to licensethose
Only who should have graduated at some university. The
Only who
the enactments thus proposed, and the reasons
for thein, had been explained more fully in a memorial
Which the president of the college had already had the
honour of submitting to Lord Palmerston. By referring
also to the preamble of the draft charter sent with that
Memorial, his lordship would perceive that the Act of
IlenrY
iall VIII., confirming the present charter, must be
Party repealed, and a new but short act passed to
effect the proposed alterations.
Dr. BURROWS begged leave to impress upon his lord-
Ship one fact, which had not been adverted to
and the ; in the
Statement just read by the registrar. They had laido
certain suggestions before his lordship, the result
f
331uch deliberation y
could assure him that no
opposition to their adoption was.
to be anticipated from any
quarter. It was the general h theof p rofession that
was
the college should be remodelled, and be made so effi-
lient as to enable it to meet the altered requirements of
the times. So far from any objection
being made to the
proposed reforms, the greatest anxiety prevailed that
members of
they should be speedily carried. out, and the . .
th
with insincerity in
e college had actually been twitted
llot h • •
matter on the Government at
avnig impressed the
would be
an earlier opportunity.He believed that it
for the be .
generally if his lordship
wow. nefit of the profession
Dr ~,ake it into his favourable consideration.
1-1
-1-'313 ' his lordship that a deputation
Waited n reminded .
Medicalll Pon him some time since from the Provincial,
Association,and repesented to
him the' alid
f. , Surgical
to
those no -eell3R of the country upon measures similar
stated f submitted to him, and he thought it was then
ch that a bill would be introduced giving a new
arter to th
Dr. If e College.
Precede
might
43v1Ilviii thought that some such measure
a Mor. rai measure for the regulation of the
Profession - gone
Lord p • ,
tent. ALMERSTON said he had listened with great at-
him,iwa to the representations which had been made to
4 The subject was one of great importance, and it
should have his best consideration.
The deputation then withdrew.
____