A letter to Sir William Garrow, His Majesty's attorney-general, on his proposed Bill for regulating the practice of surgery throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland / By James Hamilton.

  • Hamilton, James, 1767-1839.
Date:
April 11 1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to Sir William Garrow, His Majesty's attorney-general, on his proposed Bill for regulating the practice of surgery throughout the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland / By James Hamilton. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    That in country districts and provincial towns, Surgeons and Apo¬ thecaries have practised Midwifery, is unquestionable, and can be easily explained ; for it is obvious, that a minute subdivision of occupations cannot be encouraged in such places. But in the other two capitals of the empire, ever since medical men were employed to attend women in labour, viz. for the last sixty years, Physicians have practised Mid¬ wifery. In Edinburgh, Dr Young, Dr Alexander Hamilton, Dr Gilles¬ pie, Dr Stuart, and the present Professor of Midwifery ; and in Dublin, Dr Macbride, Dr Cleghorn, Dr Clarke, Dr Evory, and several other Physicians, might be named. It is therefore incontrovertible, that in the united empire, according to usage, Physicians have devoted themselves to the Practice of Midwife¬ ry in those situations where a subdivision of the duties of the Profes¬ sion could be advantageously established. Unless it could be proved, that the employment of Physicians in the Practice of Midwifery has been injurious to society, the necessity or expediency of altering this usage by Legislative interference cannot possibly be maintained. But a very little enquiry into the subject must convince every unprejudiced person, that this usage has been of material benefit to the public. , « In France, where the profession of Midwifery is exercised by Sur¬ geons, scarcely any other improvement has taken place, than what re¬ lates to the mechanical department. But in Great Britain, in conse¬ quence of Physicians directing their attention to the Practice of Midwifery, the nature and the treatment of the various complaints to which women and children are liable, have been carefully investigated ; and it can be satisfactorily shewn, that within the last forty years, the Medical prac¬ tice in those diseases has been infinitely more improved than in any other class of disorders. Among several proofs which might be drawn from the Bills of Mortality of London, the following may be selected. * Table