The Sun.
London, England, 1836-10-05 00:00:00

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION AND

CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.

( Abridged from a Morning Contemporary.)

On Monday evening at eight o'clock, a numerous meeting
of physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries, residirr, in and
near the metropolis, was held in the Hunterian fiecture-
room, Great Windmill-street, for the purpose of giving
Mr. Pettigrew, late senior surgeon to the Charing-cross
Hospital, and Dr. Sigmond, late physician to the same, an
opportunity of vindicating themselves from certain charges
involving their private and professional characters, and of
making certain extraordinary statements relative to the go-
vernment and administration of the above-named institu-
tion ; as also for the purpose of pronouncing a public opi-
nion upon these subjects.
Dr. BIRKBECK, the oldest practitioner present, took the
ehair.

Mr. PETTIGREW, who was received with considerable ap-
plause, said, that though so deeply concerned in the state-
ment he was about to lay before his brethren of the profes-
sion, he would abstain from personalities, and confine him-
self to the general principles connected with the ques-
tion. He should, in order to be fully understood, briefly
notice the history of this important charitable institution.
Charing-cross Hospital took its rise from an ordinary
dispensary principally through the interest and exertions
of one individual—Dr. Golding. When Dr. Golding
came into general practice in St. Martin's-lane, a num-
ber of poor persons used to apply to him for medical
assistance. Dr. Golding having registered their cases, set
about collecting subscriptions to procure medicines and open
a dispensary. A house for that purpose was then taken in
Villiers-street, and shortly after, in 1822, he (Mr. Petti-
grew), then residing in Spring-gardens, was solicited to be-
come surgeon to the young establishment, and he agreed.
Dr. Golding was then: accoucheur, and Dr. Shearman
was physician to the dispensary. For 12 years he (Mr.
Pettigrew) gave his services to the dispensary without
receiving a farthing's benefit. Then, the funds having
increased, it was proposed to build an hospital ; and the
site having been granted by Government, the present
Charing-cross Hospital was erected, he (Mr. Pettigrew)
having through himself, his family, and friends, greatly
contributed to its finances. It was soon found necessary
that the services of an additional surgeon should be en-
gaged ; but his colleagues unanimously admitted that the
new colleague should not hold equal rank, nor partici-
pate in the emoluments from fees and lectures, to which
he (Mr. Pettigrew) had, by 12 years of previous
zealous and gratuitous services, entitled himself. And
was not that a just position ?—(Hear, hear.) When
the intention of Drs. Golding and Shearman became known,
a number of applications for the appointment was made to
him. One gentleman offered him 1,0001. to appoint his
son to the place, but he (Mr. Pettigrew) thought it
his duty to decline it, for he thought the gentleman
assuming such heavy responsibility as this office would
confer should be of equal standing with himself. Un-
fortunately—he used the word advisedly—unfortunately
for him and the institution, Mr. Howship then ap-
plied for the appointment. Mr. Howship was a
neighbour of his, though they were not on terms of in-
timacy ; but having weighed and examined his qualifica-
tions, he thought Mr. Howship the most eligible candidate
that could be found. Dr. Golding and Dr. Shearman
concurred in this view. In making the arrangements, Mr.
Howship admitted that he had no right to the emoluments,
but he (Mr. Pettigrew) thinking that it would be more con-
ducive to the interests of the hospital, end to mutual har-
mony among the officers, to have the rank equal, and the
emoluments divided between the surgeons, proposed, that in-
stead of allowing him the entire emoluments for five years,
Mr. Howship should give him 5001., and they should forth-
with be equal. [Mr. Pettigrew, affected to tears, was about
to detail the family circumstances which then made that sum
desirable, but the meeting, with loud cheers, unanimously
cried out that it was unnecessary.] Ho then asked was there
anything unjust or dishonourable in that proposition
( Loud cheers, and cries of " No, no.") And yet this had been
called an act of moral turpitude. On which side was the
moral turpitude ?—on his, who had proposed the compensa-
tion, or on his who had after due deliberation agreed to it,
and paid it, and then divulged a private transaction, and
made it a charge against the other party ? So far was Mr.
Howship from then thinking so, that he soon after requested
his (Mr. Pettigrew's) interest in getting his pupil, Mr. Tur-
ner, appointed assistant-surgeon, " for then," said Mr.
Howship, "he should have part of the money back."—
(" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Yet the Committee of the
hospital retained Mr. Howship while it had dismissed him
(Mr. Pettigrew). He hoped that he had proved to the meet-
ing, that so far from selling a place, he had but simply re-
ceived compensation for giving up half of the emoluments,
to which he was unquestionably and exclusively entitled.
—(Loud cheers.) Passing over private affairs, he would
now advert to the management, or rather mismanagement,
of Charing-cross Hospital, and if he had not complained to
Dr. Golding, the director, of that mismanagement, the
present discussion would never have taken place. He had
waited for one year for improvement after the first remon-
strance, but still no improvement took place. He would
not dwell upon the harsh and repulsive manners of Dr.
Golding, but he must announce it as a fact, that not only
an insufficiency, but an actual want of those things prevailed
which were demanded for the relief and comfort of the poor
within the walls of the hospital. Instead of a committee
and board of managers, selected from the most liberal con-
tributors, Dr. Golding was, in his own person, dictator,
director, and medical officer.—(Hear, hear.) He would
not submit to such degradation, which was an insult to the
profession ; and Dr. Sigmond, of all his colleagues, only had
the spirit to join him in the resistance. The quiestion was,
then, was the hospital established for Dr. Golding, or the
relief of the poor ? Had Dr. Golding funds enough ? and
for what purpose, if he had, did he draw subscriptions
from the pockets of the British public ? The hospital was
ruled by a committee of twelve, six of whom were to go
out of office annually ; but they did not do so, and what the
constitutional rules were no one could see, for Dr. Golding
took great care to keep them under lock and key. (" Oh ! "
and laughter.) The want of instruments and bandages—
such as were to be found in the humblest dispensary—was
notorious. Would it be believed, that when he performed
the last operation, he was obliged to leave a tourniquet out
of his own case on the patient, there not being one in the
hospital?--(Hear, hear.) And this in an hospital in the
most central part of the metropolis, to which eleven acci-
dents were often brought in one day ! There was not an
operating table in the hospital ; they were obliged to use
a lecturing-table, which turned on a pivot. An instance
of the absurd yet most extensive parsimony pursued by Dr.
Golding, it was enough for him to state that an individual
convalescent from a fractured limb had to remain in the
hospital some weeks longer for the want of crutches to walk
away with !—(" Oh, oh !" and Hear.) All this he could
prove by incontestable evidence. He would now say a few
words in reference to the proposed union of the hospital
with King's College. About a year and a half since the
Bishop of London, through Lord Henley, a munificent
contributor to the Charing-cross Hospital, proposed to unite
King's College with that institution, as the hospital was
without a school, and the college was without an
hospital. This proposition would he supported by the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury and some of the highest men in
the kingdom. The terms proposed were not advanta-
geous, and he advised their rejection, but when, after a
year and a half, he found that there was otherwise no
hope of improvement in the hospital, he wished to bring
about the union ; and for this he had been dismissed by a
Committee composed of tradesmen to the hospital ! He
was dismissed on the ground that he had entered into
clandestine negotiations ; but he had in the February be-
fore advised Dr. Golding to promote the union.—(Hear,
hear.) Since his dismissal every patient who was able to
walk had left the hospital. In conclusion, he demanded
the fullest inquiry, and threw himself upon the judgment
of his brethren of the profession.—(Cheers.)
Dr. SIGMOND had supported the proposition of the union
of the hospital with King's College, because he was sure it

would be for the benefit of both institutions, and that no-
thing else could redeem Charing-cross Hospital ; and he
now, with Mr. Pettigrew, appealed to the judgment of the
profession and the public, for it was only because he had
supported Mr. Pettigrew that he had been dismissed.
The CHAIRMAN was ready to hear any gentleman who
could disprove what had been stated by Mr. Pettigrew
and Dr. Sigmond.
No one having appeared,
Dr. COPELAND moved " That it is essentially necessary
to the welfare of a hospital and for the character of its
medical officers that it should be conducted by a weekly
board of governors, and that this meeting is of opinion that
the office of director, as established at the Charing-cross
Hospital, is an appointment completely at variance with
the constitution of similar institutions, and has been proved
to have been highly detrimental to its interests."
Mr. TUSON seconded the resolution.

A scene of considerable excitement here ensued. Dr.
Marsden brought forward several charges, which he was
forced to abandon one after another, but yet would not give
up his authority. The acquittal upon each item of Dr.
Sigmond and Mr. Pettigrew was hailed with vehement
cheers, and the words, " daring impudence, liar, falsehood,"
&c., were uttered by several persons. The Doctor, per-
ceiving the gathering storm, hastily withdrew.
Mr. ORD then proposed, " That this meeting is of opi-
nion that no committee either is, or ought to be, intrusted
with the power of superseding any medical officer of a public
institution without the knowledge and sanction of the go-
vernors at large ; and that the dismissal of Dr. Sigmond
and Mr. Pettigrew is an act of usurpation, and that the
conduct of those gentlemen, professionally and publicly,
renders such an act totally unjustifiable."
Mr. Mit.ToN seconded the resolution, which was unani-
mously carried.
Dr. HUNTER, in an eloquent speech, moved, " That the
best thanks of the public and the profession are due to Dr.
Sigmond and to Mr. Pettigrew for their attempts to cor-
rect the mismanagement of Charing-cross Hospital, which
under the present system is utterly unworthy of public
patronage and support."
The resolution was passed with loud acclamations, and
the two gentlemen returned thanks.
Thanks were then voted to the Chairman, and the meet-
ing dissolved.

FOREIGN IN TELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, OCT. 2.—Letters from Bayonne of the 28th
September, represent the little Court of Estella as again
agitated by the most violent dissention. However, it ap-
pears the credit of the Bishop of Leon is declining, since
he has not been able to obtain for a person whom he warmly
supported, permission to wait on the Infant, and M. Erro,
in spite of the Prelate, has hindered Don Carlos from
passing the Ebro. M. Erro seems to owe his preponde-
rating influence to the support of the absolute Courts.
Among the officers who perfectly seconded Gen. Alaix at
Villa Robledo, private letters from Madrid mention two
foreigners, who have come to support the cause of the
Constitution of 1812. They are Gen. Oxholm de Dane,
and Lieut.-Col. Mechteritz, of an ancient Saxon family.
The first served with great distinction under the Emperor
in the auxiliary Danish corps. They are both cavalry
officers.

A letter from Toulon, of the 22d of September, says that
Admiral Hugon's squadron is preparing to put to sea again,
and is taking in provisions for six months. Though it is
not officially made known what is the intended destination
of the squadron, it is supposed that if the Republican move-
ments should extend from Tolosa and Valencia into Catu-
lonia, three ships will take troops on board at Port Yen-
dres, to land them on the coast of that province. The de-
partment of the Eastern Pyrenees is crowded with troops.
On the other hand, the Tagus, without French ships, and
the events at Lisbon require that one ship of the line a
least should be sent thither.

PARIS, OcT. 3.—For some days past much has been
said of a memorial in which M. Guizot shows the necessity
of dissolving the Chambers. One of the most urgent argu-
ments of the Minister is said to be that the new Cabinet
may depend on the support of the Carlist electors. Ban
sens.—Messager, Oct. 3.

FRENCH FUNDS.—PAnts, OCT. 3.
Five per Cents., 105 f .60c. 50c. 40c. 30c.
Three per Cents., 78f. 63c. 60c. 50c. 40c. 35c.
Bank Actions, 2,260 f.
Itente de Naples, 97f.
Roman Five per Cents., 102.
Spanish Actives, 26% 25%.
Spanish Ditleres, 11
Spanish Passives, B 7% !%,
Belgian Loan, Five per cents., 101%.
Portuguese Loan, Five per Cents., 52.
Portuguese Loan, Three per Cents, 33% 33 32%34.
Dutch Two and a Half per Cents., 52f.
1-taytian Loan. 355 E
EXCHANGE ON LONDON.
One month, paper, 25e. 30c. ; money, 25f. 27%c.
Tlsrce months, paper, 23f. 7%c. ; money, 23f. sc.
_('ours AuthentiVte.

BOURSE, QUARTER TO FOUR.—The funds were rather in
demand before the opening of the Bourse, but several agents
anxious to sell brought down the price of the Three per Cents.
from 78f. 85c. to 78f. 60c., with a weak market. The Spanish
Active Stock has not improved, notwithstanding the arrival of
news of the 25th from Madrid, which in all appearance seems
to be of a favourable nature ; the opening price has been 26k,
and after declining to 26, is now 264. The fall of the Threo
per Cents. is attributed to the Swiss affair, which is in general
blamed and much disliked by the public.
LAST PRICES.—Five per Cents., 105 f. 45c. ; Three
per Cents., 781. 45c.: Five per Cents. Spanish, —; Three
per Cents. Spanish, —; Cortes, —; Coupons, Gueb-
bards, —; Differes, 94 ; New Loan, —; Actives, 251; Pas-
sives, 74-; Ducats, 97 40 ; Romans, 102 ; Pedros, 52 ;
1011; Dutch, 521. —c. ; Haytians, 355 f. ; Ali-
guels, —; Brabant Bank, —; Belgian Bank, 24 ; Con-
tinuation, —c. ; New Differes, 11 ; Five per Cent. Perpe-
tuates, —; Royal Loan, —; Three per Cent. Portuguese,
33:1.