Report of the evidence in the case of John Stephen Bartlett, M.D. versus the Mass. Medical Society : as given before a committee of the legislature at the session of 1839.

Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the evidence in the case of John Stephen Bartlett, M.D. versus the Mass. Medical Society : as given before a committee of the legislature at the session of 1839. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    qucnce. He is a favorite with all. I have not suffered, myself. 1 think a young man to have defended Bartlett would have been injured; but have no direct evidence of the fact. I opposed Dr. Bartlett's ex- pulsion as inexpedient. I thought then, as I think now, he wanted the notoriety which this would give him, and that he wished to injure the society. I think the graduates of the Berkshire Medical Institution were admitted to the same privileges in the society as the graduates of the Harvard Medical School, when their claims could no longer be resisted. Dr. Lewis preferred charges against certain members of the Medical Society, after Dr. B's expulsion. The subject was committed to a committee, who, in their report, censured Dr. L. This has ope- rated to his injury. I know of no discoveries made by quacks which have been adopted by the Medical Society the past 20 years. I think Dr. Jenner received a bonus from Parliament of ,£20,000, on recom- mendation of several distinguished members of the faculty. I should consider my convictions of right more than paramount to my obliga- tions to the society. I believe I have never read my diploma. I con- sider burning for amaurosis less painful than caustic potash or moxa. I have always practised this myself in preference to caustic. I have known a complete amaurosis, (i. e. a case of blindness, with symptoms in all respects similar to others who never recovered sight,) cured, but not by the application of moxa. The hotter the iron the less painful its application. Dr. Lewis was left off the list of consulting surgeons at the Mass. General Hospital, at the next meeting subsequent to Dr. Bartlett's ex- pulsion. His offence to the Medical Society was, in not sustaining the charges he had preferred. The appointment of consulting phy- sicians and surgeons to the Mass. General Hospital, is made by the trustees. I think the removal of Dr. Lewis was influenced by some Fellows of the Mass. Medical Society. Members have a right to ex- amine the records of the society, but not to make extracts or take copies. I have never known secrecy imposed on the Fellows of the society. I have no reason to believe that moral obligation is less re- garded by the society than human life and the public good. The Medical Society has no control over medical education. Adjourned. April 2, 1839. Dr. Walker wished to make a few remarks concerning his testimony at the last meeting. He said he never knew of secret proceedings in the society but once, which was, that the name of a Fellow making