Education; Priestley, Joseph, 1733-1804; Science -- Study and teaching
At intervals during the last quarter of a century committees of the
Houses of the Legislature and specially appointed commissions have
occupied themselves with the affairs of the medical profession. Much
evidence has been taken, much wrangling has gone on over the reports of
these bodies; and sometimes much trouble has been taken to get measures
based upon all this work through Parliament, but very little has been
achieved.
The Bill introduced last session was not more fortunate than several
predecessors. I suppose that it is not right to rejoice in the
misfortunes of anything, even a Bill; but I confess that this event
afforded me lively satisfaction, for I was a member of the Royal
Commission on the report of which the Bill was founded, and I did my
best to oppose and nullify that report.
That the question must be taken up again and finally dealt with by the
Legislature before long cannot be doubted; but in the meanwhile there
is time for reflection, and I think that the non-medical public would
be wise if they paid a little attention to a subject which is really of
considerable importance to them.
The first question which a plain man is disposed to ask himself is, Why
should the State interfere with the profession of medicine any more
than it does, say, with the profession of engineering? Anybody who
pleases may call himself an engineer, and may practice as such. The
State confers no title upon engineers, and does not profess to tell the
public that one man is a qualified engineer and that another is not so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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