25 by C. LINGEN, Esq. Hereford, and carried unanimously-" That ation.—Proposed by S. MILLARD, Esq. Whitchurch, seconded this meeting recognises with satisfaction the benefit which has ac. by C. LINGEN, Esq. Hereford, and carried unanimously-" That crued to the great body of the profession, and through it, of neces- this meeting do resolve itself into an association of the medical sity, to the public at large, from the improved course of study, practitioners of the city and county of Hereford, to be called and the increased amount of qualification required by the Apo- ’ The Herefordshire Medical Association,’ for the purpose of thecaries’ Company in the candidates for their licence ; and, watching over, and protecting the interests of the profession, therefore, most entirely disapproves of the repeal of the act of until they cease to be threatened in any such manner as they are 1815, unless some other measures are enacted, not only to ensure in the present bill ; -with the same constitution as at present." a still further improvement in the system of medical education, 13th Resolution : Thanks to sub-committee and honorary secre- but also a more efficient protection for the interest of those who, i tary.-Proposed by JONAS LEAKE, Esq. Hereford, seconded by at a great expenditure of time and money, have already qualified FREDERICK BARNETT, Esq. Ross, and carried unanimously- themselves for the due performance of the responsible and " That the thanks of this meeting be given to the sub-committee arduous duties which devolve on the practitioner of medicine." and honorary secretary, for conducting and preparing so ably the 5th Resolution: Against the constitution of the council.-It was proceedings, resolutions, and petition, for our regulation on the proposed by HENRY GRAVES BULL, Esq. Hereford, seconded by present occasion." Dr. GLASSPOOLE, Hereford, and at length was carried unani- 14th Resolution : Thanks to chairman.-Proposed by GEO. mously, although some gentlemen present wished it to go much WOODCOCK, Esq. Eardisley, seconded by SAMUEL WAUDBY, Esq. further-" That the meeting, fully admitting the want of a gene- Hereford, and carried by acclamation-" That the thanks of this ral council of health, as well as of a more perfect organization of meeting be given to the Chairman for his efficient conduct in the the medical profession, and equally sensible of the beneficial re- chair." sults likely to follow their introduction, cannot but view with After the meeting, at the invitation of the gentlemen resident anxiety the manner in which these objects are proposed to be in Hereford, their medical brethren from the country dined with carried out in the present bill, and more especially the absolute them at the City Arms Hotel, and the evening passed off most power which it vests in the government, by giving to it the ap- agreeably to all parties; indeed, so cordial was the feeling of pointment of more than two-thirds of the first council, and the friendship and harmony prevalent, that it was proposed from the absence of any guarantee that the interests of that great body of chair, and rapturously carried by acclamation, that the Hereford- the profession, the general practitioners, shall be in any way shire Medical Association should be a permanent one, and that represented therein." its members should meet annually in this city, for the purpose of 6th Resolution : The petition.-It was proposed by Dr. STRONG, uniting themselves more closely for the interests of the profes- Ross, seconded by Dr. GLASSPOOLE, Hereford, and carried unani- sion, and to discuss the reigning topics of the day. The gentle- mously—" That the following petition, when signed by the mem- men present immediately enrolled themselves for the ensuing bers of the medical profession of the city of Hereford, of the towns year, and separated shortly afterwards. of Bromyard, Kington, Ledbury, Leominster, Ross, and Weobley, in the county of Hereford, and of the adjoining districts in the VOTE OF THANKS TO MR. WAKLEY BY THE MEDICAL PROFESSION same county, be forwarded to the members for the city and OF THE CITY AND COUNTY OF HEREFORD. for to the House of Commons." And in the ‘ county, presentation To the Editor of THE LANCET. event of the bill the House of that a similar reaching Lords, pe- have the honour to to the unanimous tition be in the hands of the lord-lieutenant of the SIR,—I convey you placed county, thanks of a of the medical of the for to that the public meeting practitioners city presentation house.-(A petition, embodying pre- and of Hereford, for the able manner in which was then read to the and afterwards county very you ceding resolutions, meeting, have advocated the cause of the medical in the profession; and, signed by gentlemen present.) accordance with resolution 11, I herewith forward to the 7th Resolution: to members and county.— you Deputation of city proceedings of the meeting, and request, in its name, the favour It was Dr. EDWARD seconded proposed by MORRIS, Hereford, by of their insertion in columns at as a as be JOHN and carried That your early period may TANNER, Esq. Ledbury, unanimously-,, i convenient. I remain, sir, your obedient servant, the following gentlemen, Dr. Gilliland and Francis Braithwaite, HENRY GRAVES BULL, Hon. Sec. Esq., with the chairman and honorary secretary, (Henry Graves Hereford, Sept. 17, 1844. Bull, Esq ) be appointed a deputation to wait on Messrs. Clive and Pulsford, the members of parliament for the city, and on Messrs. Hoskins, Bailey, and Baskerville, the members for the HASTINGS. in behalf of of county of Hereford, the medical practitioners the MEETING OF THE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS. city and county of Hereford, for the purpose of drawing their attention more particularly to the injurious tendency of the bill, AT a meeting of the medical practitioners, resident in Has- to place the petition in their hands, and to request them to use tings and St. Leonard’s, held on Monday, the 16th of September, their best exertions for its success." ’ and convened for the purpose of discussing the medical bill of 8th Resolution: Deputation to members of Leominster.-Pro- Sir James Graham, W. DUKE, Esq., in the chair, posed by WM. DENHAM, Esq. Pion, seconded by THos. CAM, It was proposed by Dr. MACKNESS, and seconded by F. TicE- Esq. Hereford, and carried unanimously-,, That T. F. Watling HURST, Esq.—" That this meeting! views with disapprobation the and Thomas Burlton, Esqrs. of Leominster, be appointed a depu- proposed constitution of the council of health and medical educa- tation to wait on Messrs. Arkwright and Greenaway, the mem- tion, inasmuch as no general practitioner is by this bill proposed bers for that borough, from the same body, and for the same to be appointed on the council, thereby withholding from that nu- purposes as specified in the last resolution." merous body a voice in the formation of all the laws and regu- 9th Resolution: Thanks to Governors of Infirmary.-Proposed lations which will have so important an effect on the future con- by R. ARCHIBALD, Esq. Hereford, seconded by P. B. GILES, dition of the great body of medical practitioners throughout the Esq. Byford, and carried unanimously-,, That the thanks of United Kingdom." this meeting be given to the Chairman and Board of Governors Proposed by JoHN SAVERY, Esq., and seconded by R. RANK- of the Infirmary, for so kindly allowing the use of their com- ING, Esq.-" That, in the opinion of this meeting, the bill for the mittee-room on the present occasion." better regulation of medical practice throughout the United King- 10th Resolution: Thanks to "Times" and Medical Press.- dom, repealing, as it does, the Apothecaries’ Act of 1815, and Proposed by E. JoNES, Esq. Ross, seconded by H. C. BARNARD, substituting no adequate protection to the great body of medical Esq. Hereford, and carried unanimously-" That the thanks of practitioners, would, if carried in its present form, be highly pre- this meeting be given to the editor of the Times’ newspaper and judicial to the interests of the profession, and to the public wel- the medical press, for the very able manner in which the cause fare." of the profession has been advocated in several leading articles Proposed by JosEpH RANGER, Esq., and seconded by W. H. which have appeared in those publications, on the subject of the GARDNER, Esq.-" That the Society of Apothecaries are entitled new medical bill." to the best thanks of the profession for having enforced a gra- llth Resolution: Where to request the proceedings published.- dual and extended course of study and examination, which has Proposed by J. MORRIS, Esq. Hereford, seconded by ’VILLIAM elevated the position of the general practitioner; and that the BLAKELY, Esq. Kington, and carried unanimously-" That the removal of all restrictions and penalties from unlicensed practi- proceedings of this meeting be forwarded to the editors of the tioners of medicine, which the repeal of the act of 1815 would ’Times,’ the Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal,’ the effect, would be greatly injurious to the profession, and to the -1 Medical Gazette,’ THE LANCET, and the Hereford Journal and public at large." Times’ newspapers, with a request for their insertion at as early Proposed by W. H. GARDNER, Esq., and seconded by Jogrr an opportunity as possible." SAVERY, Esq.—" That a deputation be formed, consisting of the 12th Resolution : Formation of a Herefordshire Medical Associ- Chairman, Dr. Mackness, R. Ranking, Esq., F. Ticehurst, Esq., 26 J. Savery, Esq., W. H. Gardner, Esq., J. Ranger, Esq., and the the medical man, who is required by law to undergo a protracted Secretary, to wait upon the members for the borough, and to and expensive education, and to obtain, by rigorous examinations, afford them any necessary explanation, requesting them to stip- letters testimonial of his fitness to practise in his profession, should port the views of this meeting, urging upon them the injustice to by the same law also be protected from any invasion of his the profession, and the injury to the public, certain to result hardly-earned rights by the illegal practitioner. This meeting is from the carrying ont of the proposed bill of Sir James Graham." further of opinion that nothing short of summary punishment, Proposed by F. TICEHURST, Esq., and seconded by Dr. MACK- by fine or otherwise, on conviction before the magistrates where NESS—" That a petition to the House of Commons be prepared, such occurrence happens, will remedy this crying evil, both to her founded on the above resolutions, and that it be presented to the Majesty’s subjects and the profession." house by R. Holland and M. Brisco, Esqrs., and that the county G. W. JOTHAM, Esq., seconded the resolution. - members, G. Darby and A. G. Fuller, Esqrs., be requested to THOMAS THURSFIELD, Esq., said, before the resolution was support the prayer of the petition." put to the meeting, he would, with permission from the chair, WALTER DUKE, Hon. Sec. offer a few observations upon it. The remarks he had to make Hastings, 19 Sept. 1844. would support that part of the resolution which said, " That the daily experience of medical men shews that a great bulk of the public (including not only the poor, but also, in numerous in- KIDDERMINSTER. stances, the middle and higher classes) either cannot or will not discriminate between the regularly educated practitioner and the SIR JAMES GRAHAM’S BILL—MEETING OF THE MEDICAL pretender to the same Now it so happened that, PROFESSION. knowledge." during a residence of upwards of thirteen years in the town, in A GENERAL meeting of the members of the medical profession the capacity of surgeon to the poorhouse and union, he had of this town and neighbourhood took place in the board room of the often been called upon to attend persons suffering from the ill- Dispensary on Monday, the 16th inst., for the purpose of consider- treatment of unqualified practitioners; and in three instances he ing the objectionable clauses of the above measure. had had to attend investigations before the coroner, wherein death HENRY HOMFRAY, Esq., (of Broadwaters House,) having been had been caused solely through the malpractices of unqualified unanimously called to the chair, rose and said-That when persons. One of these was a midwifery case, in which death was Sir James Graham’s bill first appeared, he had not had an found to have resulted from extensive laceration, caused by the opportunity of examining its different clauses; but from what he improper use of instruments and the absorption of morbid matter, had since seen of it, he must confess his utter astonishment that a consequent on the sloughing. The man was not a medical prac- wise and sensible legislature should have brought forward so titioner, but he passed himself off as such, and this poor woman unwise and so uncalled-for a measure. (Hear, hear.) It would believed his assertions. Strange to say, the jury believed the appear that they had not hesitated to sacrifice the profession to reason this man assigned for the patient’s death, which, it were their absurd centralizing mania. (Loud cheers.) He would not needless to say, was an incorrect one; and though he shewed take up their valuable time by any further observations, but pro- before them the grossest ignorance of even the terms he used, ceed at once to the business which had called them together; he and stated that, thinking the illness was from gonorrhoea, he had should therefore be most happy to hear any resolutions they used mercury extensively, they found a verdict that the patient might feel disposed to make, and to submit them to the meeting. died from natural causes, and contented themselves with repri- (Cheers.) manding the man and discharging him. Another case occurred J. COLE, Esq., (of Bewdley,) in rising to move the first resolu- in Blackwell-street, of even a worse character, with the same tion, said that, in common with other members of the medical result. The same person attended another woman; and when he profession, he felt great interest in the proceeding of the govern- (Mr. Thursfield) was subsequently called in, he found- that she ment measure, as expressed in the bill of Sir James Graham. had been in labour four days! Her case had been declared by Whilst he greatly approved of those parts of the bill which this man to be one of great difficulty, and he had declined calling: tended to equalize the general system of education in the various in a medical practitioner, saying it was useless to do so, as the colleges and universities, he felt great concern at the proposed woman must die ! The fact was, however, that the case was not repeal of the Apothecaries’ Act-an enactment which had con- ’, by any means a difficult one, for the woman was safely delivered ferred more important benefits upon the profession and public in a quarter of an hour after his (Mr. T.’s) attendance, as a gen- than any other legislative measure that had ever been passed. tleman now present could testify. (Hear, hear.) In another in- He had himself some recollection, and had heard others narrate stance, an unqualified practitioner was called in to attend a poor their experience, of the condition of the profession before the girl suffering from dysentery and haemorrhage from the bowels. above-named act came into operation. Dr. Kidd, regius pro- He came, and by his statement found her fainting on the night- fessor of medicine in the University of Oxford, an important chair ; and what was his treatment ? Why, he bled her, and, the authority in these matters, speaking on this subject, had said- operation being scarcely finished, she died. The jury, however, " The character of the general practitioner, since the passing of suffered such conduct to pass without animadversion; the coroner the act of 1815, had undergone a thorough change. - Before that observing that it was not for him to inquire into the qualifications time, it had often been his lot to meet in consultation men without of a medical practitioner; it was for the jury to say whether they any qualification at all, and, as a matter of course, he found that were satisfied with the evidence they had heard, and their verdict everything they had done had been to no purpose. Of late must be in accordance with it. He held it to be the duty of a years, however, when called upon, he found little to do or suggest, paternal government to put a stop to all this. It was an evil not but merely to approve what had been done before." (Cheers.) It so much to the profession as to the public generally; and feeling was therefore with great pleasure that he moved the following this, he called upon government at once to place under the pro- resolution-,, That whilst, on the one hand, this meeting hails tection of the law those who, from ignorance or prejudice, were Sir not able to themselves. with satisfaction many parts of James Graham’s proposed protect (Cheers.) - measure of medical reform, it views with the deepest concern, on The CHAIRMAN then put the resolution, and declared it carried the other, his statement on introducing the subject of that measure unanimously. to the house of commons, ’That quackery could not be put Dr. RODEN moved, and THOMAS TAYLOR, Esq. seconded, the ‘’ own by legislation,’ and is deeidedly of opinion that any reform third resolution-" That this meeting views with disapprobation !- ch as the unconditional repeal of the Apothecaries Act, would the proposed constitution of the Council of Health and Medical be ruinous to a vast mass of the profession, and fraught with Education,’ as not being likely to possess the confidence of the great danger and injury to the public." profession; and that this meeting cannot refrain from expressing DR. RODEN said, that after the very able remarks of the last its surprise and regret that no general practitioner is, by this bill, speaker, he should not further occupy the attention of the meeting proposed to be appointed on the same;" which having been put, than by expressing his cordial approval of the sentiments ex- was also carried unanimously. pressed. He had therefore great pleasure in seconding the C. J. PHILBRICK, Esq. proposed-" That a petition to the House resolution. (Cheers.) of Commons be drawn up, embodying the resolutions of this The CHAIRMAN put the resolution, and declared it carried una- meeting, and signed by the members of the profession in this and nimously. the adjacent towns, and that the representative of this borough, THOMAS BRADLEY, Esq., said he experienced much pleasure R. Godson, Esq., be respectfully requested to present the same, in moving the adoption of the second resolution-viz., " That as and give it his support;" which having been seconded by G. W. the daily experience of medical men shews that a great bulk of JOTlIA3r, Esq., was unanimously agreed to. the public (including not only the poor, but also, in numerous in- THOMAS THURSFIELD, Esq., then moved, and JAMES CowArr, stances, the middle and higher classes) either cannot or will not Esq., seconded, the fifth resolution-’’ That the member for discriminate between the regularly educated practitioner and the Bewdley, and the members for the eastern and western divisions pretender to the same knowledge, this meeting is of opinion that of the county, be also solicited to co-operate with Mr. Godson, on