Examination of the president and examiners of the Royal College of Physicians of London, and of the medical and surgical corporate bodies of the United Kingdom, with an analysis of the evidence given before the select committee of the House of Commons; and suggestions for an improved system of medical government / by Edwards Crisp.

  • Crisp Edwards, 1806-1882.
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Examination of the president and examiners of the Royal College of Physicians of London, and of the medical and surgical corporate bodies of the United Kingdom, with an analysis of the evidence given before the select committee of the House of Commons; and suggestions for an improved system of medical government / by Edwards Crisp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    in general practice for eighteen years, and as my health became indifferent, I determined to quit this laborious part of the profession, and become a consulting practitioner. My taste inclined towards surgery, a department of practice to which I was always much attached, and I had never hesitated to perfoimi any operation that came in my way. But here some insuperable barriers presented themselves: I had been, with many of the members of the College, snubbed and insulted by the Hunterian Orator, Mr. Lawrence; I had seen boys placed over my head for the fellowship, whose only recommendation consisted in their having put money into the pockets of those who elected them fellows; and I had been uncoiu-- teously* and scurvily treated in another matter, connected with my Jacksonian Prize Essay. I then turned towards the College of Physicians, I knew the dark pages of her history; I knew that they were full of arrogance, bigotry, tyranny, and pride; but I thought of late that she had shovm a disposition to open her portals, and that she began to prefer the light of modern science to the dust and lore of antiquity; but the chief, and probably the only reason that • The subjoined note to the Council will explain the matter:— Gentlemen,—Although the circumstances to which I am about to refer cannot now affect me individually, I am, nevertheless, induced to recall them to your notice, with the hope that this may possibly have the effect of securing to other members of the College the coiirtesy and consideration which have been denied to me. I am. Gentlemen, Your obedient Servant, EDWARDS CRISP. The grounds of complaint which I am prepared to substantiate are embodied in the follow- ing statement:— 1st. That having obtained the Jacksonian Prize Essay (awarded April, 1845), which Essay was illustrated by twenty-one preparations; these preparations were kept for nine or ten months in one of the garrets of the College, and that such of my friends as were desirous of seeing them, had no opportunity of doing so. 2nd. That in Oct. 1845, having applied to the Coimcil of the College (by letter) for per- mission to take the Essay from the library for a short period, for the purjwse of having it transcribed and the drawings copied for publication (beliering, when I made the request, that it was not an unreasonable one, and that it had been granted to others, and even to one of your own Council,) the reply I received was, that “I could not be allowed to take the Essay out of the librar}’, but that I might send a person to transcribe it, and that an artist might copy the drawings at the College.” To this decision I was obliged to submit, although it put me to much trouble, inconvenience, and expence. The grounds for the refusal were not stated by the Council; but Mr. Belfour informed mo that “ there was no precedent for it, and that a prizeman might alter liis essay, and perhaps never retm-n it.” In April, 184G, the Jacksonian Prize was awarded to . This Essay was not in the librarv for three or four months after the adjudication of the prize, and I lea rned that it was kept for the express purpose of alteration. 3rd. That being de.sirous in my Essay of alluding to several of the preparations in the Hunterian Museum, and having waited for the catalo^ie for more than eighteen months. I, in February, 1846, (not being able to obtain a catalogue of any kind), applied to Mr. Paget (by letter), who “ doulited whether he was at liberty to lend the manuscript copy of the catalomie, which he had prepared for the press, without the consent of the Hfuseum Committee; telling me, at the same time, that the old manuscript copy could be referred to,” (thi.s, however, could not bo found.) Sir. Paget, in addition, kindly offered to meet me, and explain any of the prep.arations. Not being desirous of taking up Mr. Paget’s time, and -wishmg to tnist to my own observation, I applied to Sir. Swim (one of the Sluseum Committee), whom I .saw in the library’. Sir. Swan at first made some objection, but on my telling him that I thought that no obstacle should be thrown in my way, ns I wa.s preparing a College Prize I-Xsay, he said the Council was then sitting, and he nfould make enquiry, lie did so, and I was informed that 1 might have the manuscript catalogue in the Sluseum on the following day for three hours. I availed myself of this liheral oft'er, and was obliged to hurrj- over the preparations, assisted by a friend (a member of the College.) Disgusted with the whole proceeiUng, I con- soled myself with the belief that the catalogue would soon be in print; but although more than a year has elapsed, the catalogue is still unattainable, and I have been obligtxl to print my Essay without alluding so fully to many of the preparations as I could have wished. The receipt of this communication was acknowledged by the Secretary.