Memorial to the managers of the Royal Infirmary / by James Gregory.

Date:
1800
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Memorial to the managers of the Royal Infirmary / by James Gregory. 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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    flood if there had been no fluch claufle in our charter as I have dated, and believe decifive as to our legal right. I lhall fluppofle, that in our charter not one word had been faid of the Royal College of Phyflcians in Edinburgh, or of fame of the mofl Jkilful Chirurgeons. I fhall fuppofe that our charter had ere fl- ed this corporation for the purpofe of managing an Hofpital wherein fick poor were to be entertained and taken care of by phyflcians and furgeons : or dill more generally and briedy, an Hofpital for the cure or relief of fick poor ; and that our powers (by the charter) had been limited to fuch “ things conflflent with “ the laws of the realm, as may bcfl conduce to the charitable end “ and purpofe above mentioned This I conceive to be the mod honourable and liberal way of dating the cafe, to which no perfon can reafonably objefl. It is not to be fuppofed that any perfon can be fo irrational or fo fliamelefs, as to maintain, that we, afling under fuch a fup- pofed charter, could legally and effectually do any thing, and lead of all make a perpetual bargain, not only not conducive to the charitable end and purpofe for which this corporation was erefled, but direClly hiconflflent with it, and undeniably very bad for the patients. Now, even in this view of the cafe, I think it may be fhown, on principles of natural judice, humanity, and common fenfe, enforced in fome refpe&s by certain medical confiderationa, that the tranfaclion and bargain which I reprobate mud be fet afide. It is evident, that this is not to be done by fpecifying any par- ticular indances of negligence, unfkilfulnefs, or incapacity in individual furgeons, who, by virtue of that bargain, and in vio- lation of the claufe in our charter, have taken care of the. fick poor in the Infirmary,, If