SURGEONS, COLLEGE OF. The present College of Surgeons of England had its origin in the Company of Barber-Surgeons, which was incorporated by royal charter in the first year of Edward IV. By this charter of 1 Edward IV., the barbers practising surgery in London, who had before associated themselves in a company, were legally incorporated as the Company of the Barbers in London. Their authority extended to the right of examining all instruments and remedies employed, and of bringing actions against whoever practised illegally and ignorantly ; and none were allowed to practise who had not been previously admitted and judged competent by the masters of the company.
This charter was several times confirmed by succeeding kings, but in spite of it many persona practised surgery independently of the com pany, and at length associated themselves as members of a separate body, and called themselves the surgeons of London. In the 3rd year of lleury VIII. it was enacted "that no person within the city of London, or within seven miles of the same, ahould take upon him to exercise or occupy as a physician or surgeon, except he be first examined, approved, and admitted by the bishop of London or by the dean of St. Paul's for the time being, calling to him four doctors of physic, and for surgery other expert persons in that faculty." All who under this act obtained licence to practise were of course equally qualified, whether members of the company of barbers or not; and in the 32nd year of Henry VIII. the members of the latter company, and those who bad incorporated themselves as the company of surgeons, were united in one company, "by the name of masters or governors of the mystery and commonalty of barbers and surgeons of London." In the 18th year of George II. an act was passed by which the union of the barbers and surgeons was dissolved, and the surgeons were con. stituted a separate company ; and in the 40th year of George III. a charter was granted by which it was confirmed in all the privileges which had been conferred upon it by the act of George II. By this charter the title of the company was altered from that of the masters, governors, and commonalty of the Art and Science of Surgeons to that of the Royal College of Surgeons in London. Under this charter it was governed by a council or court of assistants, consisting of twenty one members, of whom ten composed the court of examiners. Of these ten one was annually elected president, or principal master, and two were annually chosen vice-presidents or governors. By the bys laws which the council were empowered by the charter to make, the members of the council were to be chosen for life from those members of the College whose practice was confined to surgery, and were to be elected by ballot at a meeting of the council. The examiners were generally chosen in order of seniority from the members of the council : the presidents and vice-presidents were chosen in rotation from the court of examiners, the president for the current year having been the senior vice-president during the past year.
A new charter was granted to the College of Surgeons in the 7th year of Victoria, by which it is declared, that the name of the college shall henceforth be The Royal College of Surgeons of England • and that a portion of the members of the said college shall be fellows thereof, by the name of The Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. The charter declares that the pres.:nt president and two and all other the present members of the council of the said college, and also such other persons, not being leas than 250 nor more than 300, and being members of the said college, as the council of the college, at any time before the expiration of three calendar months from the date of the charter, shall elect and declare to be fellows in manner by the charter directed ; together with any such other persons as the council of the said college, after the expiration of the said three calendar months and within one year from the date of the charter, shall appoint in manner by the charter authorised, shall be fellows of the said college. But no person, except as hereinbefore
named, is to become a fellow, unless he shall have attained the age of twenty-five years, and complied with such rules as the council of the college shall think fit, and by a bye-law or bye-laws direct; nor unless ho shall have passed a special examination by the examiners of the said college. Every person admitted as a fellow, as last mentioned, is to become a member of the College by such admission, if he is not already a member. Henceforth, no member of the College, who is not a fellow, is to be eligible as a member of the council. There are also (10) some other restrictions as to eligibility. The present members of the council are to continue life members as heretofore; and the number of members of council is to be increased from twenty-one to twenty-four, and all future members are to be elective, and to be elected periodically, in the manner prescribed by the charter (12) when the number of elective members of the council shall be com pleted and made up to twenty-four. Three members shall go out annually, but they may be re-elected immediately. The members of council are to be elected by the fellows, including the members of the council as such, in the manner prescribed by the charter (15) ; and the election is to be by ballot (17). There are various special provisions as to the eligibility of fellows, for which we refer to the charter. There are to be ten examiners of surgeons for the college, and the present examiners are to continue for life ; and all future examiners are to be elected by the council, either from the members of the council, or from the other fellows of the college, or from both of them ; and all future examiners of the college shall hold their office during the pleasure of the council. The charter contains other regulations, and confirms the powers of the college and the council, except ao far as they are altered by the charter ; and it declares that no bye-law or ordinance hereafter to be made by the council shall be of any force until the crown shall have signified its approval thereof to the college under the band of one of the principal secretaries of state, or other wise as in the charter stated (22). " The Bye-Laws and Ordinances of the Royal College of Surgeons of England" contain the regulations as to the candidates for the fellowship (sect. 1), for the examination of candidates for tho fellowship (2), admission of fellows (3), election of members of council (5). By section 1, it is required that every candidate for the fellowship, among other certificates, shall produce a certificate, satisfactory to the court of examiners, that he has attained a competent knowledge of the Greek, Latin, and French languages, and of the elements of mathematics. The subjects of examination for the fellowship are Anatomy and Physiology on the first day, and Pathology and Therapeutics and Surgery on the second day. The examination is to he by written answers to written or printed questions ; but any candidate may be interrogated by the examiners, on any matter con nected with, the questions or answers. In the anatomical examination the candidate must also perform dissections and operations on the dead body in the presence of the examiners.