The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-22 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

On Friday last a disturbance of a serious nature oc-
curred at St. Thomas's Hospital, owing to some of the
students belonging to Guy's Hospital attempting to obtain
forcible entry into a part of the operating theatre of the
former establishment, to witness an operation about to be
performed, and to which situation none but privileged per-
sons bad right of access. During the disturbance in con-
sequence of the refusal of admittance of two students of
Gu'.'s to the area of the theatre, one of the men placed
at the door to prevent intrusion was violently assaulted,
and in the execution of his duty had a narrow escape from
being thrown -over the ballustrades from a considerable
height, which, if carried into effect, would in all probability
have cost him his life. Owing to these violent proceed-
ings on the part of the rioters the operations on two indi-
viduals for lithotorny were obliged to be suspended, it
being found necessary at length to call in the aid of the
metropolitan police before the tumult was quelled. The
same day application was made at this office for warrants
against some of the ringleaders in the affray, which were
immediately granted ; and yesterday having been appointed
for hearing them- the office was completely thronged with
medical students belonging to both the hospitals. There
were also present Mr. Travers, the surgeon of St. Thomas's
Hospital, who was to have performed the operations on the
day'of the alleged riot and disturbance ; Mr. Harrison, the
treasurer of Guy's ; and Mr. Callaway, surgeon of the same
hospital.
Mr. C. PHILLIPS and Mr. ADOLPHUS attended as
Counsel for the parties concerned in the affair.
It appearing that a warrant having been granted against
Williams, the porter of St. Thomas's Hospital, for assault-
ing Mr. Linguard, one of the students of Guy's Hospital,
Mr. PHILLIPS, on his behalf, detailed the charge against
the defendants, durinc, which he produced the prospectuses
of both hospitals, to show that for the natural advantage of
the students of both hospitals, their admission to the lectures
and operating theatres of both were allowable.
After sonic preliminary conversation relative to the right
of the dressers of Guy's to be present in the area of the
operating theatre of St. Thomas's, for the purpose of wit-
nessir, operations, and with which question the magistrates
said they had nothing to de.
Mr. Linguard stated that he was a dresser of Guy's
Hospital, and that on Friday last he went to St. Thomas's
Hospital, accompanied by Mr. Carrington, another student,
to witness an operation. That on arriving at the door he
presented his ticket, and was proccediig to that part of the
operating theatre called the area when he , was stopped by
Williams, who said that be had orders not to admit him to
that particular place. Ha (complainant) mentioned that
he was a dresser of Guy's, but the defendant persisted in
his refusal to admit him, and when lie attempted to pass
on he was seized by the collar and prevented. This, the
complainant added, was the assault of which be complained.
Some discussion here arose as to the right of access of
the dressers of Guy's Hospital to the area of the place in
question, after which Mr. Travers was called, and having
stated the nature-of the operation which he was about to
have performed on Friday, and the necessity of postponing
it altogether, in consequence of the disturbance that ensued,
lie then distinctly said that Williams, the defendant, was
placed at the door for the purpose of preventing the entrance
of persons into the area of the theatre. Mr. Travers then
explained the regulations adopted at St. Thomas's Hospital,
with respect to the admission of persons to witness opera-
tions, by which it appeared that the area of the theatre was
exclusively reserved for the dressers of the operating sur-
geon, and for foreigners who intimated a wish to be present ;
but although a notice was put up in the hospital to that
effect, yet the intention was not always carried into effect,
and much inconvenience had therefore been experienced,
not only by the operating surgeon himself, but also by the
patients, in consequence of the pressure around the table
placed in the centre. On the present occasion, Mr. Tra-
vers added, an extraordinary notice had been issued from
St. Thomas's hospital, directing that none of the students
of Guy's should be admitted to witness the operation with-
out being provided with tickets, and that the order was
given in consequence of the previous misconduct of some
students during an operation.
The Magistrates being of opinion that the defendant was
justified in preventing the entrance of Mr. Linguard into
•the area of the theatre under the circumstances above de-
scribed, immediately dismissed the complaint.
Mr. Linguard and Mr. Carrington were then placed in
the situation of defendants, and charged with assaulting
Williams, the porter of St. Thomas's Hospital, in the exe-
cution of his duty.
The brief facts of the case were that, on the day men-
tioneLl+ the defendants, in attempting to force their way into
the are. a of the theatre, struck Williams for trying to pre-
vent them ; that they ultimately made their way into the
place, and it o.as only by forcible means they were subse-
quently ejected.
The proceeding on the part of the defen-
(Lints led totheatre
during which the door of the
stnacsle;ed in pieces, and Williams was
ftttli cisi: teas
vi
operating
throw hint over the ballustraas, when some persons inter-
seiZed upon by some of lb,' !students, who were going to
feud, and rescued him 11;oin his as.sailatits.
The defendants were held to hail /0 appear to answer the
charge at the sessions.
Another student named Illitsgrotie was olso‘ held to bail
for being concerned in the destruction of the door of the
operating theatre.

On Sunday evening a young female, named Sarah
Evans, was taken into custody by one of the police con-
stables of the C division, for creating 4. disturbance In
Piccadilly, and was placed in the St. James's btation-house.
A short time afterwards the constable who regularly
visits the prisoners, upon going his rounds, discovered that
she had made a desperate attempt to commit suicide, by
tying her handkerchief round her throat so tightly that she
was almost strangled. He immediately took .:way the
handkerchief, and not thinking that she had any other
means of injuring herself, he left her and continued his
rounds. Upon going into the cell shortly afterwards, he
found that the same female hod made another attempt to
strangle herself with her garters, ytnd but for his timely ar-
rival she would most probably havc carried her rash de-
sign into execution. The inspector oh duty, upon being
informed of the circumstance, immediatey directed that
some person should sit up with the prisoner for the rest of
the night, to prevent all possibility of her doing herself
any injury.
The ordinary meeting of the Lionean Society was
held Tuesday evening ; A. B. Lambert, Esq., in the chair.
A communication was read from Mr. Babington on. those
species of polygonum and fagopyrum found in the Hima-
layan Mountains, described in the Herbarium of Professor
Boyle. The Chairman exhibited two specimens of wood,
of which the Gibraltar, 80-gun ship, was built. One of
these was cedar, and the other the pinus occidentalis, which
had only been known lately in the highest parts of St. Do-
mingo, .but was recently deselibtid by Mr. Afecleay as con-
stituting whole forests in the Island of Cuba.
THE POTTERIES.— Notwithstanding overtures
have been made by highly respectable parties to attempt a
mediation between the " turn-out" men and their masters,
at present both remain unshaken in their determination to
abide by their respective "forms of agreement." The ma-
nufacturers, strong they say in the sound principle and jus-
tice of their cause, have resolved " to make every sacrifice
save their integrity." The ," Board of Management" of
the " Union," still consider it their duty to hold out ;
hundreds of the workpeople, both in and eu,t,of the
" Union," arc reduced to a state of extreme privation
and suffering. The " pay "of the board, it is said, 'has
been kept, by special injunction, a secret from the public
this week.—Staffordshire Advertiser.