SURGEONS ENTITLED TO PAYMENT FOR MEDICAL ATTENDANCE.

The following case, recently decided in the Court of Common Pleas, under the direction of Chief Justice Tindal, is important.

Mr. Baxter, a surgeon of some eminence, brought an action against Gray and another, as executors of a Mrs. Bostock, to recover the sum of £569. 2s. for a long attendance on that lady, who died at the age of 90. The plaintiff, Mr. Baxter, practised as a surgeon : he did not, however, compound or send in medicines, but merely prescribed as a physician. He had attended Mrs. Bostock constantly from the year 1829 to 1835. It appeared from the evidence that Mr. Baxter calculated on a post-mortem remuneration in the shape of annuity or legacy, and did not receive an immediate honorarium for each visit. Mrs. Bostock died, but the expected legacy was a 'castle in the air;" an action was, therefore, brought to recover for attendance. The defence set up was, that the plaintiff had been paid for his attendance, but only £33. were proved to have been paid.

66

The facts which we have just stated having been established, Lord Chief Justice Tindal told the jury that there were only two questions for their consideration; first, the amount to which the plaintiff was entitled for attendance; and secondly, whether the whole or any part of that amount had been paid. The evidence was very loose on the part of the plaintiff, to show the precise number of attendances which had been given, but there could be no doubt that the attendance was considerable, and that the plaintiff was entitled to something handsome for it.

The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff-damages £217.

Our contemporary, the Provincial Medical Journal, observes very justly, that if a surgeon can recover for medical attendance, a physician ought to do so too. This certainly is reason if it should not prove to be law.

HOMEOPATHY EXPOSED.

The papers have been circulating the following paragraph.;

"The Duke of Canizarro died from taking three pills at once, ordered to be taken singly, either through his own mistake, or through that of his homœopathic physician, and that these pills contained arsenic. Thus we see a nobleman, in the enjoyment of a large fortune, dying, poisoned like a rat. Considering these pills were prescribed in conformity to homeopathic practice, in which only millioneth doses are supposed to be used, so that a few hundred thousand portions might be taken without producing death, one can but look upon this result as no less extraordinary than unfortunate. It gives rise to no little matter of reflection upon the source of the active effect of these doses of fabulous diminutiveness, and it shows that those optimists may err who think that homeopathy is a mere hocus-pocus, like the papato of the seventeenth century."

We have always thought and said that the clever rogues among the homeopathists take good care to give active doses of medicine under cover of their infinitesimal humbug. Here is a case in point. How could the Duke of Canizarro die from swallowing two or two hundred millioneths of a grain of arsenic? The quackery and imposture of the thing are palpable. But it is of no use telling the public to avoid quacks. They will be gulled, and therefore individuals, like the Duke of Canizarro, must pay for it.

PHARMACY IN FRANCE.

The School of Pharmacy in Paris comprises five titular professors, "professeurs

titulaires," and three assistant professors, "professeurs adjoints." The other schools have three titular and two assistant professors. In each school there are also associated assistants," agrégés," appointed for five years, who take the place of the professors in case of their absence, and assist at examinations. In the school in Paris there are five associate assistants, and three in the schools of Montpellier and Strasbourg. The titular and assistant professors are appointed by the minister of public instruction, from a double list of presentations, made, the one by the School of Pharmacy, and the other by the Faculty of Medicine of the town in which the school is situated. Each list of presentations contains the names of two candidates, but the same candidates may be presented both by the School of Pharmacy and by the Faculty of Medicine. No one can be named as titular professor who is not a doctor in physical sciences, and thirty years of age. The assistant professors are required to be licentiates in physical sciences, and twenty-five years of age. Both are required to have been admitted Pharmaciens in one of the schools of Pharmacy. The associated assistants are to he appointed by "concours," in a manner to be hereafter arranged in the council of public instruction. To be admitted to the "concours," it will be sufficient to produce the diploma of a Pharmacien and of a bachelor in physical sciences. The director of the school is to be chosen by the minister of public instruction, from among the titular professors. He is to be in office for five years, and is eligible for re-election. Each school is provided with a responsible secretary, chosen by the minister of public instruction, from among the titular or assistant professors. There are also one or more "preparateurs," who must have the degree of bachelor of physical sciences, and are appointed by the director, with the concurrence of the professors. The director appoints the officers and serThe instruction in each school, comprises ::

vants.

First year.-Physics, Chemistry, and the Natural History of Medicines.

Second year-Natural History of Medicines, Materia Medica and Pharmacy, properly so called.

Third year-Toxicology; and in the practical school, Chemical and Pharmaceutical manipulations.

No candidate can be admitted to an examination for the title of Pharmacien, who has not obtained the degree of bachelor of letters. Besides the two professors in medicine who are appointed to officiate at the examinations, three members of the College of Pharmacy must also be present, namely, two titular or assistant professors, and one associated assistant. The students of the schools of Pharmacy, who have gained prizes at the "concours," are exempted from the fees. The amount remitted for each prize is to be regulated by the university. The names of the successful students are published.

The receipts and expenditures of the schools of Pharmacy are carried to the national budget of public instruction. The titular Professor, in Paris, is to receive a fixed annual salary of 4,000 francs; in the departments of 3,000 francs. The Assistant Professors, in Paris, are to receive an annual salary of 2,400 francs, in the departments 1,500 francs. The director is to receive in addition, as a jointure, an annual stipend of 1,500 francs, in Paris, and 1000 francs in the other Colleges. The salary of the Secretary, in Paris, is 3,000 francs: in the other schools, 1,500 francs. The salary of the Preparateurs is 1,200 francs. The payment for attendance at the examinations is 10 francs for those functionaries who are called upon to officiate. The same is allowed to the Professors, who are charged with the examination of herbalists. The fee for the annual certificate, granted to each student, is fixed at 36 francs in each of the schools. The charge for examinations remains unaltered; for the first examination, 200 francs; for the second, 200 francs; for the third, 500 francs. The expenses of operations and demonstrations, incurred during the third year, which are defrayed by the candidates, are fixed at 200 francs, in Paris, and 150 francs in the other schools.

The acquirement of the diploma of Bachelor of Letters, will not be required

in the candidates for examination, until the 1st of February, 1844.-Pharmaceut. Transaction, Oct. 1, 1841.

PHARMACY IN ENGLAND.

In the Pharmaceutical Journal we find the following outline of the plan in contemplation with respect to our future chemists and druggists. The "College of Pharmacy," if it is ever raised, will be due in a great measure to the energy, enthusiasm, and perseverance of Mr. Jacob Bell. We think that his exertions bid fair to elevate the social as well as the scientific position of the trade.

Three examinations are proposed.

1st. Apprentices should be examined in the classics and other elementary knowledge, which constitutes an ordinary liberal education. It would be desirable to inculcate the advantage of including the rudiments of physics and natural philosophy in the academical studies of the future Chemist, which would not only prepare his mind for the reception of the store of information required in his business, but would also be the means of testing his faculties, and ascertaining how far the practice of Pharmacy would be suited to his disposition. The examination of Apprentices will serve to restrict the adoption of the pursuit to those whose abilities and station in life are such as to afford a prospect of credit and success.

2nd. At the expiration of their apprenticeship or pupilage, they should be examined, in order to become Associates in the elements of chemistry and materia medica, botany, and the compounding of prescriptions. But a young man may be competent to perform the duties of a dispensing assistant and to retail drugs, without possessing that extensive practical and theoretical acquaintance with his business, which would be expected in a principal who is responsible for the superintendence and management of a pharmaceutical establishment.

This implies the necessity for a

3rd. Examination for the higher degree, which would entitle him to be admitted a Member of the "College of Pharmacy." This examination would comprise a more extended knowledge of chemistry, botany, materia medica, and practical pharmacy, including operations and demonstrations, and, probably, toxicology.Pharmaceutical Transactions, Oct. 1, 1841.

PROPOSED SCALE OF FEES OF GENERAL PRACTITIONERS.

A correspondent of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Journal suggests the following: :

For every mile we travel out from home, whether in the service of rich s. d. or poor

For every attendance upon a pauper

For bleeding a pauper, or dressing a wound, not associated with compound

fracture, or other very serious case

For attendance in the family of a labourer not a pauper

For ditto, ditto, a grade higher

460

1

1

For ditto, in the family of a small tradesman

2 6

3 6

For ditto, ditto, first class, within three miles

5 0

For ditto, ditto, exceeding three miles, not exceeding five miles

For ditto, ditto, exceeding five miles

For extraordinary attendance at the rate of per hour

We fear it will be some time before any thing so just as the above will be obtained. But our brethren should constantly aim at payment in fees, and not for drugs.

10 0

7 6

rum hominis Adulti? Disquisitio MedicoStatistica. Autore E. FENGER, L.M. Univ. Havn. 1841.

29. Quid faciant Etas, annique tempus ad frequentiam et ducturnitatem Morbo