Medical societies : their organization and the nature of their work / by J. Collins Warren.

  • Warren, John Collins, 1842-1927.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical societies : their organization and the nature of their work / by J. Collins Warren. 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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    officers under the original plan of organization. As new district societies were formed additional boards of Censors were appointed.1 In early time the Censors had great responsibilities forced upon them, for in 1817-18 general laws were passed by the State com- pelling the society to examine candidates for a license to practice, and depriving all who were not graduates of a school or licentiates of the society from legal privileges in collecting fees. In 1831, the clause re- quiring a successful candidate to practice three years before becoming a member was rescinded,2 and in this year also the Legislature compelled the society to ac- cept the graduates of Harvard as members, but subse- quently, in the acts of 1836 and 1859, it was provided that the society should not be allowed to discriminate in favor of any institution, and that all applicants should be treated alike.3 In the mean time, however, the State largely relinquished direct control over the practice of medicine, and as in the other professions gradually left it to take care of itself; since then the society has exerted its power for good in this direc- tion solely through its influence upon public opinion and in maintaining a high standard. The district societies owe their existence to the parent society. Their status was defined in 1803, as already indicated in speaking of the powers of the 1 Although the Censors had power to admit, the letters testimonial must have upon them the seal of the society and the signature of the pres- ident and secretary. Act of 1803. 2 About the same time the law allowing none but members to collect fees by legal process was repealed, a feeling existing in the society that such a special law worked to the detriment of the profession. 8 Boston Med. and Surg. Journal, vol. vi., new series, p. 311.