Report as to the practice of medicine and surgery by unqualified persons in the United Kingdom / presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty.

Date:
1910
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Report as to the practice of medicine and surgery by unqualified persons in the United Kingdom / presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of His Majesty. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    APPENDIX. Statement showing, as regards those towns having a population of over 20,000 at the census of 1901, the extent of the practice of medicine and surgery by unqualified persons, and the effect of such practice. Aberdare U.D. Extent of practice by unqualified persons.—Large amount of unqualified practice by (1) prescribing chemists, who treat constipation, diarrhoea, convulsions, teething troubles, &c., in children, and venereal disease, dyspepsia, constipation, diarrhoea, headache, &e., in adults ; (2) so-called opticians, who not only prescribe glasses, but treat severe cases of astigmatism, <sc. ; (3) herbalists, believed to treat female ailments and sell abortifacients; (4) bonesetters, who treat serious cases. Other forms are dentistry (almost invariably teeth extracting), cancer curing, and sale of drugs by women. There is also much treatment by non- resident quacks. Effect of such practice.—Detrimental to individuals. (1) Cannot be calculated, but harm is obviously done. (2) Children found wearing unsuitable glasses. Improper treatment frequently applied in cases of eye disease. (4) Tubercular bone disease treated with sometimes disastrous results. Abertillery U.D. Extent of practice by unqualified persons.—Some prescribing by chemists exists, but as most of the miners are members of medical clubs, it is smaller in extent on this account. Some bonesetters practise. Effect of such practice.—Not stated. Accrington Borough. Extent of practice by unqualified, persons.—Not increasing. Constant for the last ten years, but very formidable in amount. Effect of such practice.—Medical Officer of Health believes the public health suffers on account of the best time for a cure being taken up by the attempts of unqualified persons. Acton U.D. Extent of practice by unqualified persons.—Not increasing. It is inappreciable in extent. Effect of such practice.—Not stated. Aldershot U.D. Extent of practice by unqualified, persons.—It has always been large in extent, and could not very well be larger. Chemists undertake both medical and surgical cases. Treatment of venereal diseases is mostly in the hands of quacks, who are largely resorted to by soldiers and others. Effect of such practice.—It is difficult to state the effect, as the greater portion of unqualified practice is not brought to light, but reference is made to fatal treatment of phthisis by a herbalist, cases of lead poisoning through the sale by quacks of abortifacients, and the ravages of syphilis on the public health owing to its ineffective treatment by unqualified persons. Proprietary medicines are not only frequently useless, but at times injurious. Instances given of supposed scarlet fever caused by a popular brand of kidney pills. Ashton-under-Lyne Borough. Extent of practice by unqualified persons.—Rather on the increase. Effect of such practice.—Prejudicial, e.g., by mismanagement in dressing wounds, sale of useless spectacles for children by opticians, and in some cases through treatment of ailments by herbalists.