Letter to Lord Viscount Palmerston, on medical reform / by James Syme.

  • Syme, James, 1799-1870.
Date:
1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letter to Lord Viscount Palmerston, on medical reform / by James Syme. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    TO THE RIGHT HON. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON. My Lord, Tlie discussion which has lately taken place, both in and out of Parliament, with regard to the bills pro¬ posed for Medical Reform, must have satisfied even those who are least acquainted with this subject that it urgently re¬ quires legislative interference. Indeed, the fact that it is at present impossible, by any extent of education or examina¬ tion, in Scotland or Ireland, to obtain the right of practising as a Physician or Apothecary in England without incur¬ ring the penalties of a criminal prosecution, appears so incon¬ sistent with reason and justice, as to admit of explanation only by supposing it unknown to those who have the power of affording redress. But now that the attention of the Legislature and the Government has been called to the anomalous and objectionable condition in which the Medical Profession has been permitted to languish, it cannot be doubted that some measure of relief will be adopted; and the only room for question that remains, is how this object may be best accomplished. Before deciding upon a measure of relief, it is necessary to determine what requires to be accomplished; and this may be done upon the present occasion very easily, if the interests of individuals and corporate bodies are not held