Sir James Paget, in an interesting paper (written in 1846 while he was filling the offices of Warden to St. Bartholomew’s and Lecturer on Physiology) entitled “Records of Harvey,” gives us some facts regarding this very great man, which help us to understand London “hospital practice” as carried on during the reigns of James I. and Charles I. Harvey was appointed physician to the hospital in 1609, seven years after taking his degree at Padua, and seven years before he imparted his great discovery of the circulation to the College of Physicians. He was appointed during the lifetime of his predecessor, Dr. Wilkinson, and was to succeed on the death or retirement of the latter, and, like candidates for hospital appointments of the present day, he came furnished with testimonials, one from the King, and another from the President of the College of Physicians; and it is almost needless to say that his application was granted. On his appointment after the death of Dr. Wilkinson, the following “charge” was read to him:--“Physician,--You are here elected and admitted to be the physician of the poor of this hospital to perform the charge following--that is to say, one day at the least through the year, or oftener as need shall require, you shall come to this hospital and cause the hospitaller, matron, or porter to call before you in the hall of this hospital such and so many of the poor harboured in this hospital as shall need the counsel and advice of the physician. And you are here required and desired by us in God His most holy Name, that you endeavour yourself to use the best of your knowledge in the profession of physic to the poor then present or any other of the poor at any time of the week which shall be sent home unto you by the hospitaller or matron for your counsel, writing in a book appointed for that purpose such medicines with their compounds and necessaries as appertaineth to the apothecary of this house, to be provided and made ready for to be administered unto the poor, every one in particular according to his disease. You shall not for favour, lucre, or gain, appoint or write anything for the poor, but such good and wholesome things as you shall think, with your best advice, will do the poor good, without any affection or respect to be had to the apothecary. And you shall not take gift or reward of any of the poor of this house for your counsel.”