alien, exercising the art of Surgery within the cities of _London_ and _Westminster_ or the suburbs or liberties thereof, or within seven miles of the said city of _London_, should go out from the port of _London_, or send out any apprentice, servant, or other person whomsoever, from the said port, to execute or undertake the place or office of a Surgeon for any ship, whether in the service of the Crown, or of any merchant or others, unless they and their medicines, instruments and chests respectively, were first examined, inspected, and allowed by two such Masters or Governors of the mystery and commonalty aforesaid for the time being, as were skilled, knowing and professors in the same art of Surgery, under the penalty therein mentioned;” (_see Appendix_, p. 37). And the Act (§ 9. _Appendix_, p. 44,) following the same principle, enacts “That from and after the said first day of July, One thousand seven hundred and forty-five, the Examiners of the Company of Surgeons established by this Act shall, and they are hereby required, from time to time upon request to them made, to examine every person who shall be a candidate to be appointed to serve as a Surgeon or a Surgeon’s mate, of any regiment, troop, company, hospital or garrison of soldiers in the service of his Majesty, his heirs or successors, in like manner as they do or shall examine any Surgeon or Surgeons to be appointed to serve on board any ship or vessel in the service of his Majesty, his heirs or successors.” By section 3, (_see Appendix_, p. 39,) the College is empowered to hold Courts and Assemblies and to make By-laws, Ordinances, Rules, and Constitutions for the government of the Corporation, and those of the united Company concerning Surgery are declared to be in force till repealed. (§ 4. p. 40). By section 11 (_see Appendix_, p. 45,) it is provided that nothing contained in the Act shall abridge or infringe any of the privileges, authorities, &c. of the College of Physicians. These are the Acts of Parliament which at present regulate the profession of a Surgeon; it is evident that they are imperfect, as they do not give any power to restrain and punish ignorant pretenders, who without the slightest qualification assume this dangerous and difficult branch of practice, and most especially in the country. We are aware that any attempt of the medical Corporations to obtain an increase of their power, would create much outcry among those who are interested in the perpetuation of existing abuses; but we will hope that the public safety will be preferred to the private views of empirics; and that a due system of examination, license, and restriction of surgical practice throughout England, will shortly receive the sanction of the legislature.