200 ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND. censured; but it must not be interpreted from such criticisms that disrespect is intended. A guild of barbersurgeons in Dublin was instituted by charter in 1446, but the Royal College of Surgeons was not incorporated until the 11th February, 1784, by a charter from George III. granted to "Henry Morris, William Ruxton, George Daunt, Samuel Croker King, Gustavus Hume, William Dease, James Henthorn, and others," to improve surgical education and the licensing of practitioners. The only professorships first founded were anatomy, surgery, and midwifery, but the number was almost immediately increased. Among the honorary fellows shortly enrolled were Percival Pott and John Hunter. The powers were much amplified by a charter granted 19th September, 1828, on the relinquishment of the old. It constituted the following grades-president, vice-president, censors, assistants (the foregoing formed the governing body and were elected by the next rank), members, and lastly licentiates. The censors were allowed to admit by examination such candidates as had complied with their regulations, apprenticeship being no longer necessary. The apprenticeship system had had the effect of driving candidates to English and Scotch colleges, so that only one-fiftieth of the Irish practitioners belonged to the Dublin college. Now, out of 2,721 nearly half belong to the college. Carmichael, although receiving at the time very large apprentice-fees, was the first to propose the abolition of this monopoly. They were also to control by oaths, declarations, and by punishments. The powers of the college were still further re-modelled and extended by a charter (24th January, 1844) from her present Majesty. The title "fellow" was substituted for that of "member;" the government was placed in the hands of a council of twenty-one elected annually by the fellows. This council appoints, by seven of its members chosen by ballot and bound by the most solemn declarations, examiners for ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND. 201 the licence and fellowship, and thirteen professors of the school of the college as vacancies occurred. Election by the whole council present would be far preferable. Licentiates of this and other colleges, of whose qualifications the council approved, were admitted as fellows for one year from date of charter without further examination. The fellows were to be the corporation, but the exercise of its powers was to be vested in the council. Examiners were not to be teachers except in hospitals. They are elected by the council, most of whom are connected with schools; but the election to that body of a private teacher was opposed by an examiner on the grounds that it imperilled the independence of his office. Fellows were not to practise pharmacy; all officebearers, fellows, and licentiates were to make solemn declarations. Its educational requirements are tabulated on a following page, as well as the method of its examination, and it must be acknowledged that it does not suffer by the comparative view. The number of fellows is 395, and of licentiates 1,791. The income of the college was last year £3,806; the building is magnificent, having cost over £40,000. Its means of teaching are a large and valuable museum, containing 5,716 preparations, illustrative of anatomy, physiology, human and comparative, and of medical and surgical pathology; a valuable library of 14,742 volumes-and additions are being made daily from the general and professional literature of the day. Within the college walls there meets the "Surgical Society of Ireland," previously noticed. There is also a school of all branches of the medical science, under the immediate control of the council, and which has been spoken of under the head of medical education. The office of Surgeon-Extraordinary to the Queen, vacant by Dr. O'Beirne's death, and the post of Surgeon-General, have been abolished in Ireland, while in Scotland there are two Surgeons-Extraordinary to the ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND. 202 Queen, and in London five. When a distinguished surgeon is leaving the President's chair, would be a fitting time to confer this honour. To analyse and systematise the bye-laws and ordinances of council will be the purpose of the next few pages, the latter rules being arranged according to the subjects of the bye-laws. General. 1. Confers a seal to be affixed to diplomas and public acts of college. 2. Councillors to assemble periodically by summons, those absent being fined. There could be no objection to fellows being present at council meetings-such is the practice in the Royal Dublin Society and some other bodies. 3. Chairman to regulate proceedings. (Ordinances of council prescribe the course of business, and subdivides the council at present into finance, museum, library, and inspection committees.) 4. Fellows or licentiates guilty of perjury to be expelled. 5. Officers to take the prescribed oath. 6. Confers honorary fellowships free, but without corporate privilege. 7. Secretary of college to be elected by fellows; secretary of council by council; both to be fellows. 8. Council shall elect registrar, who must not be a fellow or licentiate. 9. Council annually to elect a fellow as librarian. Considering the trouble the office gives in selecting the best books and in correspondence, it should be a paid office. The council also appoints and directs a curator of the museum, who shall not be a councillor or teacher. Complete labelling and a new catalogue are sadly wanting, 10. The professors of anatomy and physiology, practical and descriptive anatomy (2), surgery (2), chemistry, physic, materia medica, midwifery, medical jurisprudence, botany, and hygiene shall hold office during will of council. Notice of vacancy to be inserted thrice in two Dublin newspapers twenty-eight days before election. Chairs of ophthalmology and psychology are much called for. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND. 203 Lord St. Leonards encouraged the latter subject by founding a prize. The syllabus or testimonials of candidates for all professorships should be published among fellows, by placing a copy in their room. 11. Any member of council must resign fourteen days before election if he seeks a professorship. 12. On first Tuesday in May annually council to elect three examiners in medicine and surgery, two in anatomy and physiology, one in chemistry, materia medica, and medical jurisprudence, and one in midwifery. An ordinance directs annual election of examiners from fellows, half-guinea being fee for each candidate if present on both days. Two councillors to attend, who, by recent rule, are paid similarly. Examiners reported by "yes" and "no" till last year, when fifteen was settled as the maximum mark for each; no candidate to pass who had received 0 from any, or less than one-third from all. In 1849, the council advised that five years should be the longest tenure of the office of examiner. In 1853, the very unwise step was taken of electing the seven examiners in all subjects generally; three examinerships in midwifery were established. All the subjects on which lectures must be paid for should be examined, or else they will be neglected. The examiners, in conducting the viva voce part, should speak aloud, and require candidates to do likewise, else the publicity is only nominal. The appointment of examiners—a trust of the highest responsibility-is reposed in the council. The qualifications of examiners should be most unexceptionable. In this college they are prohibited from being teachers. Now, this, I think, although far wiser than having them all the professors of the same institution, is yet capable of some modification. An examiner who is not, or has not been a lecturer or catechetical teacher, will find it hard to suit himself to the capacity of the candidates. He will either be too easy, or, what is much more frequent, puts questions which, from abstruseness or want of perspicuity in putting them, are altogether un 204 suited. Besides, he is compelled to make up some certain branch, and will be unwilling to travel beyond it. This is manifestly objectionable. The Examinations Committee of the Medical Council have recommended, “There should be some teachers in every examining board." It might be feasible to select the examiners from each educating body, or to have them chosen from a list of names proposed by a committee, embracing representatives from all the schools in equal numbers. The hospital teachers should be arranged in like manner, and their selection made by the council. Under a new charter, the fellows might annually elect some of the council to act as examiners in addition. The objection that teachers, if examiners, favour their own pupils has little weight, as it pre-supposes want of conscience, and want of respect for oaths or declarations which never could be attributed to these gentlemen. Under the old charter, and still in the London college, some of the examiners are teachers, and no injurious results have followed. However, for many reasons, the examiners being solely professors of the same establishments is very improper. It tends to depress the standard of requirements, and to make the examination less solemn and unexceptionable. It was the practice of professors at Dublin and Edinburgh Universities examining candidates at their own houses, which rendered teachers unpopular as examiners. Examinerships should be terminable, as the examiners become routinists, and their "tips" get too familiarly known. The self-elective system of the London college is notorious. Examiners should be paid by salary, not by the number they pass. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, IRELAND. 13. Examiners must be fellows; professors must have medical qualifications. (Some of the most able chemists and botanists would be hence ineligible.) 14. No dividend, &c., shall be made between the fellows. The stated meetings of the college are-first Tuesday in May, to elect examiners; last Monday in May, to receive annual report; and first Monday in June, to elect officers. |