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

(THIS DAY.)
(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
EPSOM TRIAL STAKES.

LaBcelles
Ephesus.

CITY AND SUBURBAN HANDICAP.
Dead heat between Ethelbert and Pancake.
Twenty-five ran.

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,
81101 at the Home
Office, for the purpose of entreating his lordship to take
immediate steps as might appear necessary to ob-
tain a new charter for the college.
Dr. PARIS, 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,
an d the evils of which they had to complain would be
seriously aggravated unless measures were at once taken
to place the college upon a better footing. Great incon-
venience was at present felt with regard to licences which
Were granted upon different conditions to persons prac
tising in London and others practising in the country—
andei tolinstance which created much unpleasant feeling,
was otherwise productive of bad consequences.
The body over which he (Dr. Paris) presided earnestly
T
his lordship to do what he could in removing
the difficulties of which they complained, and in bring-
Dabout some practical improvement.
his forßA.wKiisis, the registrar of the college, read to
purposeship a statement which bad been prepared for the
Principalof presentation. It informed his lordship that the
points of difference between the present charter
and a new charter which the members of the deputation
:Were desirous of obtaining were as follows :—The present
I.larter gave to the college the exclusive power of ex-
pi:Le,aring and licensing physicians in London. A similar
acc „,r,as to physicians in the country was given by the
lateory VIII., Confirming the charter, not to the
ege, but to a body chosen out of the college. Hence
Persons licensed for one district were not so for another,
and many dissensions and much inconvenience had arisen
from this distinction.
now asked his lordshi ,The
enew
licensing po p e ac
g of the colle
charter to which they
i
g e e t
os c etnhcee
wwhooulled
oefx
England
and Wales, l
and would change the title of the college to
that of the Royal Collge of Physicians of England, a
change having been recently made by charter in
/I,le title of the Royal College of Surgeons. The new
/hatter would provide for the admission into the college
Z4terms universally considered extremely liberal, of
i;;!3'0 physicians now Practising throughout the country
eiut the licence of the college, and by whom such a
re:Pre,,..as this had for many years been ardently de-
J.le • new charter made certain changes in the real Constitution of the college ;in particular, it
its nsferred to the college at large the power of choosing
siejeLcirebsitnt, Which was given by the old charter to a
It "c4Y3 called the " Elects," who were self-elected.
fellow to the college the power of expelling any future
heinous
or Member who should be convicted of certain
Doctor
offences ; also that of conferring the title of
T. of Medicine on persons who, being past the age
.40 years, were found worthy, from their general at-
t'llinients and long experience in the practice of medi-
Ine, to be licensed as physicians. Under other cireum-
ntances the college was to be empowered to hcensethose
Only who should have graduated at some university. The
nature of the enactments thus proposed, and the reasons
for them, had been explained more fully in a memorial
honour of submitting to Lord Palmerston. By referring
Italso to the preamble of the draft charter sent with that
eroorial, his lordship would perceive that the Act of
.:1-enrY VIII confirming the present charter, must be
eartially 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 in
laid
certain just read by the registrar. They had a
Certain suggestions before his lordship, the result of
much deliberation ; and they could assure him that no
°Pposition to their adoption was to be anticipated from any
,Tlarter. It was the general wish
..‘he college should be remodelled,of the profession that
be and made so effi-
neut as to enable it to meet the altered requirements of
the times. So far from any objection being made. to the
th Pos ed reforms, the greatest anxiety prevailed that ,
they should be speedily carried out, and
the members
o f
e college had actually been twitted with insincerity in
an°tellaa;Zing impressed the matter on the Government at
for the 'er opportunity. He believed that it would be
Would
•
,"en fit of the profession generally if his lordship
Dr —ke it into his favourable consideration.
Mited„lToni) reminded his lordship that a deputation •
hi~ea some time since from the Provincial,
hi th!' a
f,,lti- Surgical Association, and repesented to
rho se of the country upon measures similar to
stated 14 °w suuolitted to him, and he thought it was then
charter that
tth a bill would be introduced giving a new
Dr. e College.
Preeed 43VIIINS thought that some such measure might
professeioanlii. ore general measure for the regulation of the
Lord p
teiic ALIIERsTort said he had listened with great at,
ion to the representations which had been made to
should The subject was one of great importance, and it
The have his best consideration.
deputation then withdrew.