In drawing up and promulgating tho above regulations, the College has endeavoured fairly to look at that which is substantial, rather than that which is merely nominal, In all that concerns the qualifications of its members. It has resolved to estimate all testimonials, whether they are presented under the name of certificates, diplomas, or degrees strictly with reference to their value, and to measure them by this standard alone, as parts of the previous qualification of candidates, which they are to verify in their examinations.
The College feels confident that it has overstepped neither the spirit nor letter of the laws which have Invested it with the power of govern ing and legislating for the whole faculty of medicine within its juris diction, by thus earnestly endeavouring to maintain its character and reputation, and vindicate its claim to be the source of professional honour.
The Medical Act of 1858 [PtivsiciaN) has very considerably modified the position and character of the College of Physicians of London. By giving the right to practise, according to their qualifications, to all practitioners registered under that Act, the exclusive privileges of the fellows and licentiates of the London College were abolished. The College of Physicians of Edinburgh at once opened its doors to all those who, by previous education and examination, were entitled to practise as physicians; and in order to prevent its own extra-licentiates, and those graduates in medicine practising in London and as physicians in the provinces, from obtaining their right to register from Edinburgh, the London College was compelled for some time to admit to its licence, at a fee of ten pounds, all those who were desirous of joining the College. At the same time, and for the same period, the College declared a year of grace for the admission of fellows, and a largo number of licentiates were selected for this honour.
The future of the College is still, however, involved in obscurity. Whilst a large number of the fellows are still desirous of maintaining the College as an institution for uniting those only who practise strictly as consulting physicians, there are a number of the younger fellows who are anxious to place the College at the head of the whole profession, by instituting examinations which shall entitle the class of general practitioners to its diploma. Overtures have been made to the College of Surgeons to unite with the Physicians for this purpose, but they have hitherto refused to countenance such a plan. By the new Medical Act, the College of Physicians of London is entitled to apply for a new charter in the following clause :—" It shall be lawful for her Majesty to grant to the corporation of the Royal College of Physicians of London a new charter, and thereby to give to such corporation the name of `The Royal College of Physicians of England,' and to make such alterations in the constitution of the same corporation W I to Iles Majesty may seem expedient; and it shall be lawful for the said corpo ration to accept such charter under their common seal, and such acceptance shall operate as a surrender of all charters heretofore granted to the said corporation, except the charter granted by King lieury VIII.; and shall also operate as a surrender of such charter,and of
any rights, powers, or privileges, conferred by or enjoyed under an Act of the session holden in the 14th and 15th years of King Henry VIII., chap. 5, confirming the same as far as such charter and Act respectively may be inconsistent with such new charter. Provided, nevertheless, that within twelve months after the granting of such charter to the College of Physicians of London, any fellow, member, or licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, or of the Queen's College of Physicians of Ireland, who may be in practice as a physician in any part of the United Kingdom called England, and whe may be desirous of becoming a member of such College of Physicians of England, shall be at liberty to do so, and entitled to receive the diploma of the said College, and to be admitted to all the rights and privileges thereunto appertaining, on the payment of a registration fee of two pounds to the said College." Up to the present time (1860) the College of Physicians has not applied for a now charter.
Much curious information respecting the antiquities of the College of Physicians is to be found in ' The Gold-Headed Cane,' au amusing and interesting little volume by the late Dr. Macmichael. lie tells us (p. 120), that its very first meetings, immediately after its establish ment, 1518, were held in the house of Linacre, called the Stone blouse, No. 5, Knight Rider Street, which still belongs to the College. About the time of the accession of Charles I., the College removed to another spot, and took a house of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, at the bottom of Amen Corner. During the civil wars their premises were condemned as part of the property of the Church, and sold by public auction, on which occasion Dr. Harney became the purchaser, and two years afterwards, 1649, gave them in perpetuity to his colleagues. The great fire of London, 1666, consumed the College and the whole of the library with the exception of 112 folio volumes. For the next few years the meetings of the fellows were generally held at the house of the president, while a new college was being built on a piece of ground that had been bought in Warwick Lane. This was completed in four years, and was opened, without any particular ceremony, on the 25th of February, 1764, under the presidency of Sir George Ent. Here the fellows continued to hold their meetings for about sixty years, when (as Dr. Macmichael says) "the change of fashion having over come the genius loci," the present new college, at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square, was opened on the 25th of June, 1825, and an elegant Latin oration was delivered by the president, Sir Henry Halford.