PROCEEDINGS

OF

THE ROYAL

MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY

OF LONDON.

Tuesday, October 25, 1870.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING.

GEORGE BURROWS, M.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair.

Present-52 Fellows.

The President addressed the meeting, and after a few explanatory words, called upon the Secretary, Mr. Thomas Smith, to read the following notice, by which the meeting had been summoned :

"53, Berners Street, October 18th, 1870. "SIR,-We are desired by the Council to inform you, that a Special General Meeting of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society will be held on Tuesday, October 25, at 8.30 p.m. precisely, to receive a Report from the Council on the present position of the 23

VOL. VI.

scheme for the formation of the Royal Society of Medicine, and to take such steps thereon as may be deemed advisable.

"We have the honour to be, Sir,

"Your obedient servants,

"GEORGE BURROWS, President.

"WILLIAM OGLE,} Secretaries.”

"THOMAS SMITH,

The President then desired the Medical Secretary, Dr. William Ogle, to read the Report from the Council, which was as follows:

The President and Council beg to make the following Report to the Society, as to the present condition of the scheme for the formation of a Royal Society of Medicine by the Amalgamation of the chief Medical Societies of London.

At a Meeting of this Society, held March 14th, 1870, the Fellows gave their assent, with some modifications, to a scheme which had been drawn up by a Committee consisting of Representatives of the various Societies concerned; and the Secretaries were directed to communicate this so modified scheme to the several Societies, in order that they might express their willingness or unwillingness to accept it as a basis for the formation of a Royal Society of Medicine, by amalgamation. Answers have now been received from these Societies to the following effect:

The Pathological, Clinical, and Epidemiological Societies express their readiness to acquiesce in the proposed plan; the Pathological Society, however, requiring that a trifling alteration shall be made in the 26th Clause, viz., the introduction of the word "scientific" after "special" in the 5th line.

The Obstetrical Society on the other hand, and the "Psychological Association," have declined to co-operate with the other Societies on the proposed terms.

Thus, of the six Societies whose amalgamation was contemplated, four, namely, the Royal Medical and Chirurgical, the Pathological, the Clinical, and the Epidemiological have expressed their assent to the scheme; while the remaining two, namely, the Obstetrical and the Psychological, have expressed their dissent from it.

It remains now for the several assenting Societies to say whether they are still desirous of carrying out their proposed scheme of union, notwithstanding the refusal of two Societies to take part with them.

At the conclusion of the Report, Dr. Greenhow rose and moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Dr. Barclay :

"That in case the Pathological, the Clinical, and the Epidemio logical Societies shall agree to persevere in the proposed formation of a Royal Society of Medicine, they shall be invited each to nominate three representatives, and that the Council of this Society be authorised to appoint three representatives of this Society; and that the Committee of Representatives thus formed be directed at once to take the necessary steps for obtaining a Charter, and also afterwards proceed to draw up a Code of Bye-Laws for the Royal Society of Medicine, which shall hereafter be submitted for revision and approval to the several Societies."

After some remarks from Dr. Murchison, Mr. H. Lee, and Dr. Webster, against proceeding with the scheme, with the three Societies only who had sent in their adhesion to it, and in the face of the consequent probable difficulties in abrogating the old and obtaining a new charter, and from Mr. H. Arnott, Mr. Durham, and Dr. Squarey (as representing the opinions of some of the younger Fellows of the Society), also against the scheme being proceeded with under its present aspect, an amendment was moved by Mr. Durham, and seconded by Mr. John Croft:

"That the further discussion of this scheme be adjourned to this day twelve months."

This amendment was, however, withdrawn in favour of a second amendment, which was moved by Mr. Paget, and seconded by Dr. Quain:

"That the Council be requested to consider whether, while maintaining the Charter and Constitution of the Royal Medical and

Chirurgical Society, it may be possible to obtain a more complete co-operation with the Pathological, Obstetrical, Clinical, and Epidemiological or other Societies for the promotion of Medical Science."

On the withdrawal of the first amendment by Mr. Durham, a long discussion ensued, in which remarks in opposition to the further carrying out of the scheme on an imperfect scale were made by Mr. Paget, Mr. Curling, Mr. Hulke, Dr. Murchison, Dr. Squarey, Dr. Douglas Powell, Mr. Gay, and Mr. Savory; Dr. Quain spoke as to the small probability of an imperfect scheme being accepted by the Pathological Society on its being returned to them for their approval; Dr. Barnes made some observations explanatory of the reasons for objecting to the project on the part of the Obstetrical Society; Dr. Wm. Wood gave some explanations relative to the proceedings of the Medico-Psychological Association as a Society, and relative to its refusal to join in the proposed scheme, for which he expressed his own regrets. Replies in favour of the scheme were made by Mr. Brudenell Carter, Dr. Barclay, Mr. Brooke, Mr. Gascoyen, and Dr. William Ogle, on the ground principally that the Society had gone too far to retreat; its decision having been already given in its favour by considerable majorities.

A motion for adjournment, on the plea that the question raised was of too great importance to be hurriedly determined, was then made by Mr. Brudenell Carter, and seconded by Mr. Brodhurst; but the President considered that there was no valid reason for such adjournment, and on the motion being put, it was lost by a large majority against it, six only voting for it.

The President then again read the proposal moved by Dr. Greenhow, and seconded by Dr. Barclay, and also the amendment moved by Mr. Paget, and seconded by Dr. Quain, and on the latter being put to the vote it was carried by a majority of 30 against 16.

Some explanations were then given by Mr. Paget, in reply to the President, and he stated it as his opinion that the natural effect of his amendment would be to supersede the scheme for obtaining a new Charter.

The President then proceeded to put the amendment to the meeting as a substantive motion, when a further amendment was moved by Dr. O'Connor, and seconded by Dr. Greenhow:

"That the Resolutions proposed by Mr. Paget be printed and circulated among the Fellows, in order to be considered at an adjourned meeting of the Society."

This amendment was lost-12 voting for, and 30 against, And Mr. Paget's motion was then put to the meeting and carried-29 voting for, and 6 against.

A vote of thanks, moved by Dr. Webster, was accorded to the President, and the meeting separated.

November 8, 1870.

GEORGE BURROws, M.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair.

Present-96 Fellows and 4 visitors.

Books were presented to the Library from Dr. Bastian, Dr. F. R. Fairbank, Dr. Samuel Gee, Dr. George Johnson, Dr. A. Leared, Dr. Murchison, Dr. C. T. Williams, Dr. Edwards Crisp, Mr. John Birkett, Mr. James Dixon, Mr. T. Holmes, Mr. F. Mason, Mr. A. Myers, and Mr. Simon ; by Professor Luigi Porta, Dr. Eduard Martin, Dr. Rézard de Wouves, and Dr. Gabriel Taussig; by the Royal Society, the Linnean Society, the Clinical Society, the Meteorological Society, the Royal College of Surgeons, the Royal Institu.