Charles Goodall, M.D., F.R.C.P

[From Schurigio: Lithopogia Historico-Medica, Dresden, 1744] ANNALS OF MEDICAL HISTORY Third Series , Volume II January , 1940 Numbe r 1 CHARLES GOODALL, M.D., F.R.C.P. A DEFENDER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON By SIR HUMPHRY ROLLESTON, BT., G.C.V.O., K.C.B. HASLEMERE, ENGLAND HARLES GOODALL (1642- title page of this printed dissertation, 1712) was ail ardent cham- which is in the British Museum, de- pion of the rights of the scribed him as “Carolus Goddal, anglus, Royal College of Physicians Acad. Cant. L. et Coll. Email., ibidem of London and the vigorous opponentnuper alumnus. ” He was incorporated ofC unlicensed “practisers” during most m.d . at Cambridge on November 26 in of his professional life, beginning, by the same year. bringing out a book on the subject, even Settling in London he then attended before he was connected with the Col- the anatomical lectures of Walter Need- lege and lasting until his death when ham (1631-1691?) whom he was des- he was president. He was the son of tined to succeed on April 28, 1691, as Thomas Goodall, of Earl Stonham. Suf- physician to the Charterhouse where he folk. Admitted a pensioner (an ordinary resided, as the regulations of the foun- undergraduate) at Emmanuel College, dation directed (which Needham had Cambridge, on January 20, 1658-9 he not obeyed), with occasional visits to was licensed to practise surgery (C.L.)* his house in Kensington. This charity in 1665. was founded by Thomas Sutton (1532- On June 21, 1670 he “entered on the 1611), a soldier and the richest com- physic line’’ at Leyden and on July 6 of moner of his day, for eighty poverty- that year obtained the doctorate of med- stricken “gentlemen,” soldiers, mer- icine there with his “Disputatio de chants ruined by piracy or shipwreck, haemorrhageis scorbuticis,” which was and servants of the sovereign, and sec- dedicated to his father, Rev. G. Smyth ondly for the education and mainte- and Richard Lower (1631-1691). The nance of forty boys. The school moved * This licence does not appear to have in 1872 to Godaiming, Surrey, with now been conferred after 1760 and, like the more than 600 boys. W. M. Thackeray licence to practise medicine (M.L.), was abol- (1811-1863), who was educated there, ished in 1859. described it under the name “Grey- friars”; the school buildings were then ident should be chosen anually by the occupied by Merchants Taylors School fellows, but the Statute 14 Henry vm, and when this also moved out of Lon- withdrew this privilege and duty from don a few years ago, by the medical the fellows at large, and directed that school of St. Bartholomew’s hospital. henceforth the president should be an- The establishment for the pensioners nually elected exclusively by eight sen- remains in its original site now in the ior fellows, to be called elects, from busy neighbourhood of Smithfield meat amongst themselves. This imperium in market (opened in 1868), its old build- imperio continued until i860 when the ings resembling those of an Oxford or elects were abolished and the election of Cambridge college. Thackeray made the president reverted to the whole body “Col. Newcome” end his days there and of fellows. The oligarchical method of with his last breath answer “adsum,” as election may throw light on some curi- the pensioners did to their roll-call. ous features in the list of presidents, When in 1889 I was resident, as an as- such as Sir Henry Halford’s retention sistant to the medical officer, for a few of the chair from 1 820 until his death in months, John Maddison Morton (1811- 1844, and the following alternation of 1891), author of “Box and Cox” (1847), presidents: 1785 Sir George Baker, Bt., was a pensioner, and like them wore a m.d . Cantab. (1722-1809) gown in chapel and hall. The Master of the Charterhouse (Rev. E. Schomberg) 1791 Thomas Gisborne, kindly informs me that the authorized m.d . Cantab. (1726-1806) number of pensioners remains at eighty, 1792 Sir George Baker but that under the scheme from the 1794 Thomas Gisborne Charity Commissioners the number va- 1795 Sir George Baker ries from time to time according to the 1796 Thomas Gisborne finances available, and that at the pres- A portrait of Goodall as a handsome ent time the number is fifty-eight. man in the forties by an unknown artist At the Royal College of Physicians and without any date, was presented to Goodall was admitted a candidate, cor- the College in 1713 by his widow (and responding to the present diplomate or third wife) and hangs on the staircase. member, on June 6, 1676. a few months His son Thomas was admitted a pen- after the publication of his pamphlet sioner at Gonville and Caius College, “The Colledge of Physicians Vindi- Cambridge, on November 11, 1683 and cated” (page 4) and was elected a fel- proceeded to m.a . 1691 (J. and J. A. low on April 5, 1680; he delivered the Venn); another son Charles (1671-1689) Goulstonian lectures in 1685 and the Harveian Oration in 1694 and again in poet and postmaster (the equivalent of 1709; he was a censor in 1697, 1703, scholar) at Merton College, Oxford, was 1705, 1706, elect from 1704, consiliarius the author of Poems and translations 1708, president from December 23, written on several occasions and to sev- 1708 until his death on August 23, 1712 eral persons “by a late scholar of Eaton,” at his country house in Kensington. A London, 1789 (N. Moore). few lines may be added to explain the Goodall presented to the College on above office of “elect.” By the Letters July 12, 1706 “two ancient” portraits Patent of Henry vm (1518), constituting of Henry vm and Cardinal Wolsey, the College, it was directed that the pres- which hang in the censors’ room. Goodall ’s Writi ng s print. This was the occasion of Good- In contrast with his contemporary, all's first published work in 1676 when Walter Charleton (1619-1707), who he “pitched upon” a scandalous pam- wrote widely 011 religion, philosophy, ph let by Adrian Huyberts, physician: physics, psychology, physiology, anat- A Corner-stone Laid towards the Build- omy, and zoology, in about thirty pub- ing of a New Colledge, (that is to say, a lications, many of which went through new Body of Physicians in London). Upon several editions, Goodall devoted his occasion of the vexatious and oppressive literary energies almost entirely to the proceedings acted in the name of the So- Royal College of Physicians, its defence ciety called the Colledge of Physicians: and the suppression of quackery and ir- For the better information of all men, as regular unlicensed practice in three well as of Physicians, Chirurgians and publications on these subjects. Apothecaries touc hing the unhappy estate of the Art of Physick, here in England. It In the exercise of its disciplinary pow- being an apo logy for the better education ers over the physicians and apothecaries of Physicians. in London and within the seven sur- Rode, caper, vitem; tamen bine in tua rounding miles the Royal College of quod fundi cornua possit, orit. Physicians aroused dislike and resent- 4to London, printed for the author, ment, sometimes expressed freely in •675- This apology of mine shall be divided my profession, to the honour of the Col- into 4 parts: lege and the welfare of the State,” he (1) The occasion of my present perse- did not anticipate the wise dictum of Sir cution. (2) The pretences on which it is Henry Pitman (1808-1908), Registrar grounded: in the disquisition whereof, I (1858-1889) of the College, who, when have discovered under how great a mys- an offensive letter was addressed to the tery of iniquity this art has hitherto been managed, to the abuse and detriment of College and, after a delay of some days, the nobility, gentry and people. (3) The his assistant asked if it should not be manner of the Colledges vexatious pro- acknowledged, replied, “No, a letter ceedings to ruin me. (4) An account of which never ought to have been written myself, as to my education in physick, my ought never to be answered.” The ex- practice both here and beyond-sea, and ample of defending the College had my behaviour towards all English abroad: shortly before been set by some of his especially the friends of his Majesty. seniors, such as Christopher Merrett He stated that when he came to Eng- (1614-1695) in “A short view of the land he successfully cured patients for- frauds, and abuses committed by apothe- merly given over to the grave by physi- caries; as well in relation to patients, as cians who were so annoyed that they physicians: and of the only remedy waited for an opportunity to fall upon thereof by physicians making their own him . “To this purpose a Council medicines.” Pp. 53. London, 1669, Jon- was called; a junior doctor of the gang athan Goddard (1617-1675) wrote two they employed to be their pedee-solici- discourses: “A discourse concerning tor, as having a busie humour and but physick and the many abuses thereof by little else to do; and so he is condemned apothecaries,” 8vo. Loud. 1668; and “A to carry the green-bag after the other discourse setting forth the unhappy con- doctor.’’ dition of the practice of physick in Lon- Goodall’s criticism, which was by no don and offering some means to put it means gentle, was set out in “The Col- into a better; for the interest of patients, ledge of Physicians Vindicated and the no less, or rather much more, then of true state of Physick in this nation faith- physicians,” pp.

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