The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-24 00:00:00

MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS.

Mr. COWPER moved for leave to bring in a bill to re-
gulate the qualifications of practitioners in medicine and
surgery. He said there were many jealousies and differ-
ences amongst members of the medical profession on the
subject of reform, and when he was President of the Board
of Health he was solicited to devise a plan which would
meet the views of reformers and not trench upon the
privileges of the old corporations. He was very strongly
of opinion that persons who practised medicine should be
duly qualified by education and training, and that those
upon whom they practised should be able to have access to
a register, in order to ascertain whether the persons he
proposed to employ were properly qualified. While he
thought that every person should have full liberty to
choose any one he pleased to operate upon or to drug him,
yet that no person should be able to enjoy any public ap-
pointment who did not possess a proper legal qualification.
He had reason to believe that, notwithstanding the fact
that no practical result had yet been attained, the various
discussions on the subject had not been fruitless. The pre-
sent legal qualification was partial in its application and
in its jurisdiction, and anomalies existed with regard to
the practice of the art which it was most desirable to re-
move. The first step, he thought, would be to establish a
better minimum of qualification, but he considered it
would :be best not to -change the constitution of the
examining body, but to leave it to the council to determine
what the particular examination should be. The present
licensing bodies he would leave untouched, butle proposed
to leave the mode of registering the various branches of the
profession to the council. The council he proposed should
consist of persons nominated by the licensing bodies, six
being nominated by the Crown. This arrangement would,
be thought, relieve the council from the imputatien
of being a mere delegation. The rules of the council
would be confirmed by order in council. One
result of this p 4rticular form of government would
be that the profession would have the benefit of
organisation. He hoped the bill would be received as a
contribution in the interest both of the public and of the
profession.

Lord PALMERSTON seconded the motion.
Mr. WALPOLE said it appeared to him. that this was
the best proposition which had yet been made. (Hear,
hear.) He should reserve his opinion, however, with re-
gard to the details of the measure.

Lord ELMO contended that the present proposal con-
tained the principle of the bill which he (Lord Elcho) had
submitted in 1856, and that the merit of novelty could not
be claimed for it.

After a few words from Mr. MITCHELL, leave was
given to bring in the bill.

The report on the Customs Acta was received, and the
house adjourned at a quarter to twelve o'clock.

PAhLIAAIENTARY DIVISION.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—MLacH 23.
MARRIAGE LAM AMENDMENT.

Motion made, and question put, " That leave be given to
bring in a Bill to iegalisa Marriage with a deceased Wife's
Sister." The house divided--Ayes 105, Noes 62.
AYES-105.
Adeane, 11. Gard. R. Philips, R.
Agnew, Sir A. Gibson, Milner Potter, Sir J.
A lcock, T. Gilpin, C. Itamsden, Sir J.
Ayrton, A. Glyn, G. Itaynliam, Viscount
Bagwell, John Goderich, Viscount Ricardo, J.
Baines, Rt. Hon. M. Greene, John Ricardo, 0.
Baring, Sir F. • Grosvenor, Earl Robartes, T.
Biggs, John Gurney, J. 11. Robertson, F.
Black, Adam Hamilton, Lord Claud Roupall, W,
Dm hatn-Car ter, J. Hanbury, Robert Shelley, Sir J.
Blight, John Harcourt, G. U. Slangy, R.
Briscoe, J. Harris, J. D. Smith, J. B.
V rocklehurst, J. Headlam. T. Smith, A.
Browne, Lord John Holland, E. Spooner, R.
Bruce, 11. A. Hutt, W. Stapleton, John
Butler, C. S. Ingham, R. Thompson, General
Caird, J. Jackson, W. Thornely, T.
Campbell, R. J. It. Jervoise, Sir J. ' Townshend, J.
Clicetham, John King, L. Trelawny, Sir J.
Clay, James Kinglake, A. Truman, C.
Collier, R. I'. Knatchbull-Liagumen Turner, J. A.
Coningham, W. Lindsay, W. Vivian, J. C.
Coote, Sir C. H. 1 ocke, Jo',ll Wegaelin, T.
Crook, J. Luce, T. Westhead, Joshua
Crossley, F. Matins, Richard Whitbread, S.
Dalglish, R. Mangles, R. D. White, James
Davey, It. Mangles, C. Wickham, H.
Dill wy n, L. L. Mellor, John Willcox, B.
Duncan, Viscount Mills, T. Williams, W.
Elphinstone, Sir J. blihies, R. Wilson, J.
Evans, T. W. Morris, D. Wood, Sir C.
Fenw.ck, it. Napier, Sir C. Wood, W.
Ferguson, Sir Robert _Nicoll, D. Young, A.
Fitzgerald, W. It. S. Paget, C. TELLEZ 8.
Forster, Charles Palmerston, Viscount Bury, Viscount
Fox, W. J. Pease, Henry Schneider, Henry

NOES-62.
Adams, W. 11. Hamilton„G. A. North, Col. J.
Adderley, C. B. Ilanmer, Sir John Ogilvy, Sir J.
Bernard, T. Hardy, G. Packe, C.
Barrow, W. Hatchell, John Pugh, D.
Beecroft, G. Henley, J. Puller, Christopher
Bouverie, Hon. E. P. Hotham, Lord Rushout, Capt. G.
Bramley- Moore ,J. Kendall, N. Smith, Sir t'.
Bridges, Sir 11. King, J. Steuart, A.
Cecil, Lord R. Kiunaird, A. Sullivan, Michael
Clack, J. Langton, W. a• Tottenham, C.
Collins, T. Lennox, Lord H. G. Trefusis, C
Cux, W. Lyall, ; eorga Walcott, Admiral.
Be Vere, S. E. Lygoir, lion. F. Waldron, Laurence
Disraeli, B. Lytton, Sir E. Walpole. S.
Dunbar, Sir W. Mackie, J. IVhitesi.le, J.
Esmonde, J. M‘Clintock, John Whitmore. /I
Estcourt, T. Mainwaring , f. , Wigram, Loftus T.
Fellowes, E. Manners, Lord J. Wynne, W.
Finlay, A. Monsell, W.
Garnett, William Mowbray, J. R. TELLERS.
Gladstone, W. Naas, Lord Divett, E.
Greeuall, Gilbert Newport, Ylseount Hope, Alexander