A letter to Sir William Garrow, His Majesty's attorney-general, on his proposed bill for regulating the practice of surgery throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland / by James Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, James, 1749-1835.
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to Sir William Garrow, His Majesty's attorney-general, on his proposed bill for regulating the practice of surgery throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland / by James Hamilton. 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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    But the most serious objection against the clause alluded to remains to be considered, viz. that while it restricts the Practice of Midwifery to Surgeons, it makes no provision for their being qualified to practise that department of the Profession. It is an admitted fact, that in London none of the Examinators of the Royal College of Surgeons practise Midwifery, and that the candidates for their Diploma are not required either to attend Lectures on Mid- wifery, or to answer a single question on that subject in the course of their examinations. The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh indeed act otherwise, for they have included Lectures on Midwifery among the Classes which those who aspire to their Diploma must attend.—It would be unjust towards the Members of that Royal College, if I did not add, that while they have not increased improperly the fees for their Testimonial, they have taken every precaution to extend the Branches of Education which the candi- dates should study ; thus securing for the public a succession of intelli- gent and well educated Surgeons. That the Surgeons of the Navy can have no opportunity of acquiring any experience in the profession of Midwifery, will scarcely be denied. And that the Army Surgeons, who, from the multiplicity of their other duties, necessarily decline practice in that department, in general can have as little, will not be controverted. Upon what principle of sound reason, therefore, could it be urged, even admitting that Surgical aid were infinite- ly more frequently required in the Practice of Midwifery than it actually is, that Surgeons should therefore practise Midwifery. The two depart- ments of the Profession stand in this relation to each other, that an indi- vidual may be a most excellent Surgeon, without the slightest knowledge of the Art of Midwifery ; and that a person may practise what may be called the Mechanical part of Midwifery, that is, may undertake the Deli- very of Women, without understanding any other surgical operation than Blood-letting.