Physicians. THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF, was founded by the munificence of Thomas Linacre (q.v.), a physician and scholar. In 1518, through the influence of Cardinal Wolsey, he obtained from Henry VIII. letters-patent granting to John Chambere, himself, and Ferdinandus de Victoria, the acknowledged physicians to the king, together with Nicholas Halsewell, John Francis, Robert Yaxley, and all other men of the same faculty in London, to be incorporated as one body and perpetual community or college. They were permitted to hold assemblies, and to make statutes and ordinances for the government and correction of the College, and of all who exercised the same faculty in London and within 7 miles thereof, with an interdiction from practice to any individual unless previously licensed by the president and College. Linacre was the first president, and held the office till his death in 1524. The meetings of the College were held at his house in Knight Rider Street, which he bequeathed to the College, and which until the year 1860 continued in the possession of that body. About the time of the accession of Charles I. the College, requiring more accommodation, took a house at the bottom of Amen Corner, which was subsequently purchased by Dr Baldwin Hamry, and in 1649 was given by him to his colleagues. This was the seat of the College till 1666, when it was destroyed by the great fire of London. A new College was then built in Warwick Lane, and opened in 1674 under the presidency of Harvey's friend, Sir George Ent; and here the meetings were held till 1825, when the present edifice in Pall Mall East was opened under the presidency of Sir Henry Halford.
The reason for forming the incorporation, as set forth in the original charter, is 'to check men who profess physic rather from avarice than in good faith, to the damage of credulous people;' and the king (following the example of other nations) founds 'a college of the learned men who practise physic in London and within 7 miles, in the hope that the ignorant and rash practitioners be restrained or punished.' The charter further declares that 'no one shall exercise the faculty of physic in the said city, or within 7 miles, without the College license, under a penalty of £5;' that, in addition to the president, 'four censors be elected annually to have correction of physicians in London and 7 miles' circuit, and of their medicines, and to punish by fine and imprisonment;' and that 'the president and College be exempt from serving on juries.' Four years later, in 1522-23, an act was passed confirming the charter, and enacting that 'the six persons beforesaid named as principals and first-named of the said commonalty and fellowship shall choose to them two men of the said commonalty from henceforward to be called and cleped Elects, and that the same elects yearly choose one of them to be president of the said commonalty;' and further directing that, in case of a vacancy by death or otherwise, the surviving elects shall choose successors.
In 1540 an act was passed in which it was declared explicitly that 'surgery is a part of physic, and may be practised by any of the company or fellowship of physicians—a doctrine which in later times has been totally repudiated by the collegiate body, who, until a few years ago, would not admit to their privileges a member of the Royal College of Surgeons unless he formally resigned his surgical diploma. Other acts were passed in 1553, 1814, and 1858; the last known as the 'Medical Act,' providing for the granting of a new charter to the College, which was obtained in 1862. Finally, in 1860, 'an Act to Amend the Medical Act' was passed, which repeals the provisions of the Act of 1522-23 as to the elects, and declares that the presidency shall in future be an annual office, open to the Fellows at large, who shall also be the electing body. As at present constituted, the College consists of Fellows, Members, Licentiates, and Extra-Licentiates (in 1891, 298 Fellows 466 Members, 4037 Licentiates, and 30 Extra-Licentiates). The Fellows are elected from members of at least four years' standing, who have distinguished themselves in the practice of medicine, or in the pursuit of medical or general science or literature. The government of the College is vested in the president and Fellows only. The present Members consist of persons who had been admitted, before 16th February 1859, licentiates of the College; of extra-licentiates who have complied with certain conditions; and of persons who have attained the age of twenty-five years, and who, with rare exceptions, must be graduates in medicine of a recognised university or licentiates of the College, who do not dispense or supply medicine, and who, after being duly proposed, have satisfied the College 'touching their knowledge of medical and general science and literature.' No candidate is admissible if engaged in trade or connected with a druggist's business, or who even practises medicine in partnership with another practitioner, so long as the partnership lasts, or who refuses to publish, when required, the nature and composition of any remedy he makes use of. The members are alone eligible for the Fellowship. They have the use of the library and museum and the privilege of admission to all lectures; but they do not take any share in the government or attend or vote at meetings. The examiners for the membership are the president and censors. The Licentiates are not members of the corporation; they have access to the museum, lectures, and reading-room, but are not allowed to take books away from the library; they may compound and dispense medicines for patients under their own care; and in their qualifications very much resemble those who have diplomas both from the College of Surgeons and the Apothecaries' Hall. They must be twenty-one years of age, and must have been engaged in professional studies for four years before being admitted to examination. The fee for admission as a Fellow is thirty guineas, exclusive of stamp-duty; the Member's fee is also thirty guineas, and the Licentiate's fifteen guineas.
The following bylaws of the College should be generally known: (1) No Fellow of the College is entitled to sue for professional aid rendered by him. This bylaw does not extend to Members. (2) No Fellow, Member, or Licentiate of the College is entitled to assume the title of Doctor of Medicine unless he be a graduate in medicine of a university. (3) No Fellow or Member of the College shall officiously, or under colour of a benevolent purpose, offer medical aid to, or prescribe for, any patient whom he knows to be under the care of another legally qualified medical practitioner.
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF EDINBURGH had its rise in 1617, in an attempt to incorporate the practitioners of medicine, and raise the standard of the profession. King James I. of England looked favourably on the proposal, and granted an order for its establishment. King Charles I. also gave the matter his attention and referred it to the Privy-council, and Cromwell in like manner issued a patent in its favour; all these attempts, however, were frustrated by the religious and political dissensions of the times, and it was not until 1681 that the body became incorporated under a charter from Charles II. A new charter with many important provisions was issued in 1861. To the Physicians belongs the honour of having suggested in 1725 the plan of an infirmary in Edinburgh for the sick poor, which has developed into the present magnificent institution. From the first they undertook its medical charge gratuitously. The Royal Edinburgh Asylum for the Insane at Morningside was also first suggested by them in 1791. The College, which in 1890 had over 190 Fellows, possesses a library of upwards of 30,000 volumes, a valuable and interesting museum of materia medica, and a splendidly equipped laboratory for the purpose of aiding the prosecution of scientific research. An important arrangement was made in 1859 between this college and the Royal College of Surgeons (q.v.) of Edinburgh, making it competent for the two to combine, in order, by a joint examination, to give a double qualification, embracing medicine and surgery. In 1884 a further consolidation of the Scottish medical corporations took place, by the institution of a triple qualification, granted by the Edinburgh colleges and the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow conjointly.