to the passing of the The New Medical Act.- Prior Medical Act of 1858, some 19 institutions in tlie United Kingdom could grant diplomas or licenses to practice, obtainable for the most
chased,
part
or
on
very easy terms; some even could be puras a favor; and there were many
received
which "Reform" in this
gradually
worked
an
as
anomalies, out, and
in all other matters found
amendment.
degrees and diplomas granted by the equal right to A medical counUnited the of in Kingdom. practice any part cil was appointed for the purpose of suggesting recommendations for the improvement of medical education, with power to visit the examination boards; and if necessary?if any great By
the Act of 1858 the
above 19 institutions were made to confer an
improvements were required?the same could be insisted on by appeal to the Privy Council. The Council was also to preto practice, and to pare annually a register of persons qualified new?the a Submit to the profession British?Pharmacopoeia. The Council working under this Act, doubtless, accomplished a it great deal: it completed the pharmacopoeia ; issued its register ; the profession were exmany infamous characters degrading pelled by it; the general tone of the profession was much improved; and there is no question but that the standard of education was raised by it, though perhaps hardly to that height which the times require; it has tried to achieve much, and an
perhaps its failures may be attributed
to the
inexperience
of
the INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
194 the
1
medical parliament,' and also to the permissive features
of the Act under which the council administered.
important feature in the New Bill is, that it reduces portals of the profession to three, viz. one Examining Board, appointed under the Act, for England, Scotland, and Ireland. !No person can be licensed to practice unless he has passed the prescribed examination of this Board in Medicine and Surgery. Here, then, is recognized, what has always practically been the case, that medicine and surgery must be always practiced together, and the new Act gives the guarantee that every practitioner is qualified to practice in either science. The Universities and the Colleges may still confer degrees on those giving evidence of higher attainments, or on those to whom they wish to confer an honour; but such titles will be mere honorary distinctions, as no one holding them can practice medicine as a profession without holding the license of the Licensing Board. We shall return to this subject on the passing of the Act. **.* Since writing this article we see that the Government The most
the
have withdrawn the bill
on the plea of there not being time question of the desired new constitution of the Medical Council during the present session. The subject must however be taken up again next year. The opinions of the English medical journals, the numerous memorials in
to consider the
favour of some measure,
and the
met with in tho
of its own
it that the
adoption
single
Medical Council,
license
are
opposition
the
must prove
improvement profession.
and the
system, on by
insisted
scheme,
Government has to
of tho
[Septembee 1,
1870.
chased,
part
or
on
very easy terms; some even could be puras a favor; and there were many
received
which "Reform" in this
gradually
worked
an
as
anomalies, out, and
in all other matters found
amendment.
degrees and diplomas granted by the equal right to A medical counUnited the of in Kingdom. practice any part cil was appointed for the purpose of suggesting recommendations for the improvement of medical education, with power to visit the examination boards; and if necessary?if any great By
the Act of 1858 the
above 19 institutions were made to confer an
improvements were required?the same could be insisted on by appeal to the Privy Council. The Council was also to preto practice, and to pare annually a register of persons qualified new?the a Submit to the profession British?Pharmacopoeia. The Council working under this Act, doubtless, accomplished a it great deal: it completed the pharmacopoeia ; issued its register ; the profession were exmany infamous characters degrading pelled by it; the general tone of the profession was much improved; and there is no question but that the standard of education was raised by it, though perhaps hardly to that height which the times require; it has tried to achieve much, and an
perhaps its failures may be attributed
to the
inexperience
of
the INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
194 the
1
medical parliament,' and also to the permissive features
of the Act under which the council administered.
important feature in the New Bill is, that it reduces portals of the profession to three, viz. one Examining Board, appointed under the Act, for England, Scotland, and Ireland. !No person can be licensed to practice unless he has passed the prescribed examination of this Board in Medicine and Surgery. Here, then, is recognized, what has always practically been the case, that medicine and surgery must be always practiced together, and the new Act gives the guarantee that every practitioner is qualified to practice in either science. The Universities and the Colleges may still confer degrees on those giving evidence of higher attainments, or on those to whom they wish to confer an honour; but such titles will be mere honorary distinctions, as no one holding them can practice medicine as a profession without holding the license of the Licensing Board. We shall return to this subject on the passing of the Act. **.* Since writing this article we see that the Government The most
the
have withdrawn the bill
on the plea of there not being time question of the desired new constitution of the Medical Council during the present session. The subject must however be taken up again next year. The opinions of the English medical journals, the numerous memorials in
to consider the
favour of some measure,
and the
met with in tho
of its own
it that the
adoption
single
Medical Council,
license
are
opposition
the
must prove
improvement profession.
and the
system, on by
insisted
scheme,
Government has to
of tho
[Septembee 1,
1870.
