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Medical EthicsAuthor(s): VoxSource: Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal (1844-1852), Vol. 16, No. 14 (Jul. 7, 1852), p.355Published by: BMJStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25493445 .

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MEDICAL ETHICS. 355

present amount and reserve 5s. as each member's sub- | scription towards a Provident Medical Fund.

Such, Sir, are the remarks which, in all good feeling I

and friendship, I offer to the members of the Associa

tion ; and I am ready to acquiesce in any improvement which may be made in either or any of the Society's

publications. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, |

W. June 26, 1852.

MEDICAL ETHICS. * i

To the Editors of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal.

'

Gentlemen,?The above subject has long and seri

ously occupied the professional mind of this country, and is assuming a fresh importance week by week, both

among the periodicals and various Societies throughout

England, on account of the evils which do arise from

the want of corporate government. Under these cir

cumstances would you permit me to suggest, that it

would be well if some of the older and more influential

of our body would turn their attention immediately to

the subject, and propose some feasible remedy for such

?vils at the forthcoming annual meeting at Oxford. I

am aware that a proposition for a Medical Reform

Bill will then be submitted by the Council to the

Association, which will deal with the heavier grievances under which we all labour; but there are many minor ones which that Bill would never reach, and it is to

these I would now draw attention.

It is clear to everbody that the profession is always

increasing in members, and that there is no guarantee that they shall all be honourable men, and kept honour

able, but that in the heat of the race each one is left to

his own discretion, to benefit himself, or damage his

neighbour, by whatsoever means he thinks fit. It may be true that persons of downright bad character are

comparatively rare amongst us, and that we exhibit as

a whole a very noble combination of talent, learning, honour, benevolence, and truths but still the above

j state of things ought not to exist, especially when we

know that one bad man is enough to sow discord

amongst many good ones, and that, as a matter of fact, even the most eminent and most amiable amongst us are apt to fall out, and to remain alienated from each

other, because their sense of pride?or dignity, if you will, will not permit them to make the first advances to

reconciliation, and also because there is no proper medium through which such desirable reconciliation

may be effected.

Now, what I would propose, and what some gentle men of greater age and influence might readily carry out, or at least lay the foundation of, at the meeting of

j the Association, is a scheme by which the Council

might appoint boards of umpires within each convenient district to whom all differences amongst members might be submitted for arbitration. Although such institutions could affect the members of the Association alone in a

direct manner, yet, indirectly, they would exercise a

very wholesome influence on the entire profession, and be an excellent temporary substitute for that more

universal corporate goveinment which must, sooner or

later, prevail amongst us.

There are some offences that should, and, I am

informed will soon be positively uncompromisable and

penal; such as, firstly, the semi or extra-professional offence of adventuring to practise without any legal diploma at all; secondly, the fraudulent assumption of additional titles and honors by certain members of the

profession, obviously with the view of elevating their own importance as compared with others, and who are

evidently only one remove from the open and undis

guised quack; thirdly, those who practise the bill

sticking and advertising system. The first of these, never belonging to us, will simply be prevented from

attempting to make it appear as if they were medical

men; and the two latter classes can only be visited with

expulsion under any sound regulations that may be framed for professional government. ~

Besides such gross derelictions as the above, however, there are sundry lesser deviations from strict rectitude,

leading to differences which such boards of umpires might easily heal. Many differences often do arise, not from any real or actual cause, but from misreports of the truth, or from the intermeddling of "

good natured friends;" which differences are prevented from

being arranged by that sense of personal pride or dignity above adverted to. Many talented, amiable, and high minded men are thus kept permanently aloof from each

other, who might otherwise easily come to explanations which would terminate in a generous and brotherly

friendship. There are also many underworkings, whether of a scientific or a monetary character, yet all

springing from rivalry or jealousy in some shape or

other, which have for their object the depreciation of

other men's talents and virtues, and the depriving them of their practice by innumerable little tricks, all of which it would be impossible to mention, but which

each one can understand according to his own expe rience. These annoyances, which every man, I believe, has felt at one time or other, along with the evils of

ruinous contractings and competition, especially in the

parochial and club systems, are really deserving of grave attention. The very actors themselves in these cases

condemn the nuisance, but say they cannot help it;

they must do as others do, in self-defence, because they must live; and all of them yearn with one mind for some authoritative interference. Let the Provincial

Medical and Surgical Association take the lead, and we

may then have some hope. I remain, &c,

June 19, 1852. VOX.

LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BRANCH MEETING.

To the Editor of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal.

Sir,?As I shall not be able to forward you a report of the proceedings of the late anniversary of the Lanca

shire and Cheshire Branch, in time for insertion in the

forthcoming number of the Journal, I hope you will excuse me intruding this brief communication upon

you, and beg the favour of its insertion in Wednesday's Journal.

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