A history of the work of the Obstetrical Society in relation to the examination and registration of midwives : being the inaugural address delivered March 6th, 1895 / by Francis Henry Champneys.

  • Champneys, Francis Henry, Sir, 1848-1930.
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A history of the work of the Obstetrical Society in relation to the examination and registration of midwives : being the inaugural address delivered March 6th, 1895 / by Francis Henry Champneys. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    copy of the diploma of the Society, and to point out that it is merely an expression of opinion on the part of the Society, and that it does not express any opinion as to the competence of the midwife, except so far as concerns natural labour (Council Minutes, p. 673). At the annual meeting, February 1, 1893, the Chairman of the Board for the Examination of Midwives (myself), after quoting the proportion of failures in successive periods, and their steady diminution owing to increasing competence of the candidates, defined the scope of the Society’s certificate as follows : “ When it is remembered that the Society’s certificate is merely an expression of opinion by the Society that the holder of it is competent to attend natural labour, and that no legislation has taken place, either for the purpose of pre- venting uncertified persons from calling themselves mid- wives, or even for registering midwives, it is plain that the work which the Society has voluntarily undertaken and carried on for twenty-one years is highly and increasingly appreciated by the midwives and by the public generally ” (‘ Obst. Trans.,’ vol. xxxv, for 1893, p. 46). On April 4th, 1894, the Council considered a letter from the Lancashire and Cheshire Branch of the British Medical Association, protesting against the promotion of legisla- tion for the registration of midwives (Council Minutes, p. 696). On July 4th, 1894, the Council considered the following resolution from the General Medical Council of May 22nd : —“ That, in the opinion of the Council, to issue to any person not legally qualified for registration, any certificate of competency or other document, so framed as to bear a colourable resemblance in appearance or phraseology to a diploma conveying a right to act as a medical practitioner, is a proceeding’ which directly contravenes the spirit of the medical Acts, and is accordingly liable to be visited with the condemnation of the Council. The President is, therefore, requested to repeat a warning, already given to certain institutions, and to urge the registered practitioners