Hospital elections and medical reform, addressed to the governors of St. George's Hospital and to the profession / by Edwin Lee.

  • Lee, Edwin, -1870.
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hospital elections and medical reform, addressed to the governors of St. George's Hospital and to the profession / by Edwin Lee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    were, ' that the council being influenced by motives of a high national order, had in their wisdom declared that France was the country of all the talents that would honour and serve her,' At the end of each year Mr. King obtained a prize ; and during his service at the hospitals, he obtained by concours the gold medal which is given for the best register of cases and the best reports thereon. Mr. King further stated, that' the men who distinguished themselves at concours are those on whom the eye of government is constantly fixed for the conferment of public honours and trusts.' Mr. King afterwards unfortunately came to England. ' I was then not admitted,' says he, * for ex- amination at the College of Surgeons until after making several applications. There was considerable delay and deliberation.' He became a candidate for the assistant-surgeoncy to St. George's Hospital; but the result was that he was given to understand by one of the full surgeons of the institution, that no man had any chance of becoming hospital surgeon unless he had been an apprentice or pupil to the hospital. Thus a man may be reduced to beggary in England by pursuing the same course which infallibly leads to the highest distinctions in France,—for prefei'ment medical men will not get in England without patronage. Poor King in leaving a foreign land to ex- ercise his talents in his own country, fell from prosperity, lost sight of all his bright prospects of future advancement, and died the victim of despair. * Analogous cases to that of Mr. King are but too com- mon, (though seldom brought prominently before the • Sir C. Bell, Mr. Carpue, and many other distinguished members of the profession, may also be cited as instances that success in practice is not in England dependent-upon high qualifications.