The principles and practice of obstetric medicine and surgery : in reference to the process of parturition / by Francis H. Ramsbotham ; with notes and additions by William V. Keating.

  • Ramsbotham, Francis H. (Francis Henry), 1800-1868.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The principles and practice of obstetric medicine and surgery : in reference to the process of parturition / by Francis H. Ramsbotham ; with notes and additions by William V. Keating. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    As far as the London corporations are concerned, much may be attributed to the exertions of a society established in 1826, under the title of the Obstetric Society of London. This body consisted of about thirty members, embracing, with the exception of two or three, all the then present and late lecturers on obstetric medicine in London, besides a few other practitioners; and the author of this work acted as hono- rary secretary. The object of the society was to place the practice of obstetric medicine on a more respectable footing than it had hitherto enjoyed. It was proposed to accomplish this by inducing the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons of this city to abrogate their by-laws, which precluded practitioners in midwifery from the fellowship of the one, and a seat at the council-board of the other; and by requiring the College of Surgeons, and Society of Apothecaries, not only to make obstetric science the subject of examination, but to oblige all candidates who offered themselves for their diploma to adduce testimonials of having diligently applied themselves to its study. A lengthened correspondence passed between the committee and the secretary of state for the Home Department, as also with the London medical corporations. Sir Kobert Peel, at that time at the head of the Home Office, entered warmly into the question, honoured a deputation of the society with an interview, put himself in communication with the medical corporations on the subject of the memorials addressed to him, and allowed a great part of the correspondence which passed between them and the society to be transmitted through his office. All the objects which the society proposed have since been carried into effect, except the change in the constitution of the council of the College of Surgeons; and thus, to the perseverance of a very few mem- bers of the profession may be justly attributed the adoption of measures fraught with the highest possible advantage to the community, inas- much as they tend to enhance the acquirements of the great mass of English practitioners. London, March, 1841.