The letters of Mr. Alexander Fiddes, F.R.C.S., Edin. considered and refuted, his misrepresentations exposed, his calumnies and innuendoes set in the light of truth, his various statements in the press and otherwise weighed in the balance and found wanting / by Lewis Quier Bowerbank ; together with documentary letters and papers, tending to expose a professional conspiracy, and to afford the public in the colonies, and in Great Britain, correct judgment as to the controversy now existing on hospital matters.

  • Bowerbank, Lewis Q.
Date:
1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The letters of Mr. Alexander Fiddes, F.R.C.S., Edin. considered and refuted, his misrepresentations exposed, his calumnies and innuendoes set in the light of truth, his various statements in the press and otherwise weighed in the balance and found wanting / by Lewis Quier Bowerbank ; together with documentary letters and papers, tending to expose a professional conspiracy, and to afford the public in the colonies, and in Great Britain, correct judgment as to the controversy now existing on hospital matters. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

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    u 1 observe that tlie Doctor, whilst refusing- to enter luto contro- versy with mo expresses his surprise at my conduct—at niy want of candour and manliness in never having' expressed my sentiments to him personally, and in having remained silent when invited to state my reasons ibr resigning my hospital appointment; and he declares that my letter from beginning to end, is frill of state- ments that are false, and that I ought to know that they are so. In reply to these remai'kable assertions, I have to sajs firstly, that Dr. Bowerbank's decision not to have any controversy with me, is a matter bej'ond my influence and control ; but I would in- form him, uevertheless, that should he ever have occasion to alter his determination in regard to this decision, he will probably find me willing and ready to meet him iu the controversial arena. As to my alleged want of candour and manliness, in never having ex- pressed my sentiments to Dr. Bowerbank personally, and in having remained silent, when invited to state my reasons for resigning my hospital appointment, anybodj' who has taken, or who may take, the trouble to read llirough ray letter, will see that I have been by no nieans^baekward in giving utterance to my sentiments, and they will also perceive from the correspondence contained iu the said letter, that I officially conveyed to government, in language as ])laiu and intelligible as I could tind, my principal reasons for refusing to remain longer, as one of the Medical Officers of the Public Hospital. As to Dr. 13owerbank's assertion, that my letter from beginning to end, is full of statements that are false, and that I ought to know that they are so, I have only to say, that an oil-hand charge of this kind, is certainly a ready method of loosening a Gordian knot, and of escaping from an ugly difficulty, but it is far from being a satisfactory reply to, or a refutation of the statements which are con- tained in my letter. That letter is based almost entirely on documentary testimony, and I challenge Dr. Bowerbank to lay his finger on a single sen- tence of it which is not strictly in accordance M ith truth. Finally, Dr. Bowerbank'states that to show the animus of the whole aftair, he would draw attention to the fiict, tiiat this at- tack upon ]m private and i)rofessional character, made by a pro- fessional brother, and pretended friend, appears in the public prints the verv dav when the Mail is made up for England. with reference to this charge, I have to observe that my official connection with the hospital did not terminate until tlie 20th instant, and up to that period, my hands were tied v.ith regard to making auv public hostile criticism on hospital proceedings. I wrote my letter on the 21st, and next day being Siuiday, I was unable to put it in the hands of the Printer before the 23rd. It made its public iippearance on the 34th, and as tlie Mail Packet for England was to Bail on the morning of the 25th, I saw no good reason for keeping- the document back ; its transmission to England can do no harm hut, on the contrary, may eilect a great deal of good. I am, your obdt. servant. ALEX FIDDES, F, II. C. S. Edin.