Remarks on the Production of Sleep during Surgical Operations
Authors: J. T. Clover
Journal: BMJ (1874)

LFeb.I4, I874.they alone possessed corporate rights.Henry VIII amalgamated these into one corporate body, styled " barber-surgeons".Apothecaries were members of the City Company of Spicers (now the Grocers), who then imported the drugs of the Levant.Henry placed them under control of the " physicians".These reforms were begun in 15 [2, by placing the practice of physic and surgery under ecclesiastical surveillance; and they existed in 1540, when the barber-surgeons were incorporated, and were authorised to pursue the study of anatomy in opposition to the sentiments of churchmen.Almost step by step these changes were resolved on during the pressure of foreign wars, which demanded the ser- vices of surgeons for the king's armies and fleets.The ba, bers followed armies in the exercise of their calling as shavers, hair-cutters, and practitioners of surgery; and from among the barbers of London, King Henry the Fifth's surgical staff at Agincourt was selected by Thomas Morestede, who was sergeant-surgeon to Henries IV, V, and VI.T4e utility of his staff on that occasion, would natu- rally assist in obtaining their charter from Edward IV.King Henry VIII commenced the reform of our profession before that of the Church.In the third year of his reign, A.D. 1512, he gave to the Church the control of our profession, both medical and surgical, by ordaining that all practitioners, except those having degrees of medicine from Oxford or Cambridge, should be examined by the clergy, assisted by medical graduates or surgical experts in each branch respectively;the Bishop of London and Dean of St. Paul's being the assessors for London and within seven miles thereof; and in the provinces, the bishops or their vicars-general.In the fifth year of his reign, A.D. 15 13 it was enacted that all barber-surgeons should be exempted, as in1 time out of mind, from bearing armns, " with privileges like heralds', as well in battles and feldes of warre, because they be persones that never used feates of warre, nor ought to use, but only their besynes and exer- cise of their science to the helpe and comforth of the King's liege people in the tyme of their nede;" also exempting them from serving on inquests, jurie;, and watch in cities.It is pertinent to our subject to remark, that these important privileges were confirmed to surgeons of all degrees, under the pressure of war-England being then at war with France and Scotland-Tournay being captured, and Flodden fought in that year, but their first privileges related to those who served in the field ; while physicians, who were less in demand there, did not secure the same municipal exemptions until I54Q, when, it must be noted, that by the same Act the College of Physicians was recognised to be competent to give licenses in surgery as well as in medicine, thus extending the field from which surgeons might be drawn for the king's service.These facts illustrate how much the profession at large gained, during its early organisation, from the warlike services of a portion of it.In the tenth year of his reign, A.D. I5I8, he gave to the Royal Col- lege of Physicians its first charter, being incited thereto by the example of the Italian states, and other nations, and by several physicians, among whom were Drs.Chambre and Linacre, and by Cardinal Wolsey.By this charter, the higher grade of our profession was entrusted with self-government in the power of electing its own president and examining officers, with powers to punish offenders by fine and imprisonment, etc., in and within seven miles of the City of Lon- don.This charter was renewed, and was confirmed by Act of Par- liament in 1523, with the extension of its licensing powers throughout England.Verily, this must be regarded as the Act of Emancipation of the profession of medicine from that Church which had leagued it with astrology and the occult sciences, and had degraded surgery to the status of a handicraft exercised by barbers as such ; and in furtherance of that elevation of the profession, by another Act of Parliament, 1530, 22 Henry VIII, surgeons are defined as "not beirg handicraftsmen."