REGULATION'S ltELATMO TO PRACTITIONERS IS MEDICINE OR SURGERY DEBIRbal OF OBTAMING DEGREES LS MEDICINE.
Degree of Bachelor of Mediciae.—Candidates shall be admitted to the two examinations for the degree of Bachelor of Medicine on pro ducing certificates: 1, of having been admitted, prior to the year 1840, members of one of the legally constituted bodies in the United King dom for licensing practitioners in mee.icine or surgery ; 2. of having received a part of their education at a recognised institution or school, as required by the charter of the university; 3, of moral character, signed by two persons of respectability.
Degree of Doctor of Medicine.— Candidates who have been engaged during five years In the practice of their profession, shall be admitted to the examination for this degree on producing certificates 1, of having been engaged during five years in the practice of their profes sion ; 2, of having taken the degree of Bachelor of Medicine in this university.
In Scotland the degree of doctor of medicine is conferred by the universities in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and St. Andrews. from which last named university a diploma can still be obtained without residence ; the regulations at the others contain nothing particularly worthy of notice.
In Ireland, the King and Queen's College of Physicians exercise much the same jurisdiction as the English college. The degrees of Bachelor and Doctor of Medicine conferred by Trinity College, Dublin, rank with the same degrees respectively from Oxford and Cambridge, and are never given without previous study in arts, which occupies four years. For the degree of M.D. five years must have elapsed since the degree of M.B. was conferred; the candidate is then to undergo a second examination, and write and publish a Latin thesis on some medical subject By the English law the physician Is exempted from serving on juries, from serving various offices, and from bearing arms,. lie is (according to Willeock.p. 105) responsible for want of skill or attention, and is liable to make compensation in pecuniary damages (as far as such can be deemed a compensation) to any of his patient. who may
have suffered Injury by any gross want of professional knowledge on his part.
In 1853, a new medical act obtained the assent of the legislature, entit'ed, "an act to regulate the qualifications of practitioners in medicine and surgery." The object of this act was to consolidate the various medical corporations of the United Kingdom, to secure reciprocity of practice throughout the British dominions, and by legal registration independent of the universities and colleges, to secure to the public, the means of distinguishing between qualified and non qualified practitioners. One of the distinguishing features of this act is the constituting a medical council, entitled, " the General Council of Medical Education and liegistratlon of the United Kingdom." This council consists of one person chosen from time to time by each of the following bodies:— The Royal College of Physicians.
The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
The Apothecaries Society of London.
The University of Oxford.
The University of Cambridge.
The University of Durham.
The University of London.
The College of Physichuis of Edinburgh.
The College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
The Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
One person chosen from time to time by the University of Edinburgh and the two Unirereities of Aberdeen collectively.• One person by the University of Glasgow and the University of St. Andrews collectively.
The King and Queen's College of Physicians, Ireland.
The Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland.
The Apothecaries Hall of Ireland.
The University of Dublin.
The Queen's University in Ireland.
Six persons nominated by her Majesty by the advice of her privy council, four of whom aro appointed for England, one for Scotland, and one for Ireland, and of a president to be elected by the General Council. The first president chosen under this act was Sir Benjamin llrodie, Bart.