Letter to the ladies and gentlemen contributors to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Letter to the ladies and gentlemen contributors to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. 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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    The meeting of the Managers of the Royal In- firmary on Monday last, when it was expected that some step would be taken towards the proposed in- vestigation, has passed without producing any thing. On that evening I wrote to Mr. Boswell, clerk to the Managers, inquiring whether he was authorised to make me any communication. Hav- ing received no answer, I sent to Mr. Boswell again next morning, and then received a verbal message in return, that when Mr. Boswell should be au- thorised to give me an answer, he would send it. In these circumstances, I have been advised by very eminent counsel to bring the matter before the Court of Contributors; and, as a previous ne- cessary step, to circulate this Letter among you. If, by following the latter part of the advice, I bring upon myself a charge of precipitancy, as I doubt not will be the case, let it be considered that four meetings of the Managers have been held, and yet no communication has been made to me of the names of my accusers, or if any step has been tak- en, or if any is even in contemplation : that, in one suffering so severely * under misrepresentation, im- patience is not unnatural; that the matter was to be brought before the next Court of Contributors, * So strongly has the injurious impresssion been made on the minds of the Students, that many of them who had meant to attend my Class this winter, have been deterred from doing so. My Pupils and Apprentices are frequently told of their danger in being connect- ed with me, and that they will feel it when they come to be exa- mined by the College of Surgeons. This is, to be sure, a bug-bear, hut it has all the effect of a reality.