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MEDICAL DIARY OF THE WEEK.

’ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL. - Operations,

2 P.M.ODONTOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8 P.M.EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. - 8 P.M. " Remarks

MONDAY, MAY 7........., on the Topog-raphy and Prevailing Diseases ofthe Gold Coast, West Coast of Africa." By Robt.Clarke, Esq., late Physician to the Africans oft the Gold Coast.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8½ P.M. Clinicall Discussions.

’Guv’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, I p.tt.WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 3 P.M. Dr. T. SpencerCobbold, " On Herbivorous Ivlammalia : the Ox,Goat, and Antelope Tribes."

T’nTBT)4V MAY s .....

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.-TUESDAY, MAY 8 .......

’ 4 P.M. Prof. Quekett, " On the Component Partsof Animals and Vegetables."ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OFLONDON.-8’ P.M. Dr. Messer, " On the Condi-tion of the Prostate in Old Age."-Dr. Hood,"On the Condition of the Blood in Mania."

MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL. - Operations,2 P.M.

I ROYAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL. - Operations, 2P.M.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9,.. LONDON INSTITUTION. - 7 P.M. Dr. T. Spencer

I Cobbold, "On the Structure and Habits of theMammalia."

HUNTERIN SOCIETY.-7½ P.M. Meeting of Council.

8 P.M. Dr. Daldy, " On the Prognosis in DilatedHeart."

LNoRTH LONDON MEDICAL SOCIETY.-8 P.M.

rST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPIITJIALMIC HOSPITAL. -i Operations, 1 p.M.LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, la P.M.GREAT NORTHERN HOSPITAL, KING’S CROSS.-

THURSDAY, MAY 10... { Operations, 2 P.M.THURSDAY, MAY 10 .../ ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 3 P.M. Professor Ansted,"On Physical Geography and Geology: Africaand Australia."

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.- 4 P.M. Prof. Quekett, "On the Component Partsof Animals and Vegetables."

{WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. - Opera-

] tions, 1½ P.M.FRIDAY, MAY 11......... ROYAL INSTITUTION.-8 P.M. Dr. Thomas Mayo,

F.R.S., "On the Relations of the Public to theScience and Practice of Medicine."’ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½

P.M.KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.CIIARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 r.M.

SATURDAY MAY 12 ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 3 P.M. Mr. F. A. Abel,SATURDAY, MAY 12 ... ‘ On Heat and Chemical Force."

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ’ENGLAND.-4 P.M. Prof. Quekett, "On the Component Partsof Animals and Vegetables."

SOUTH: KENSINGTON MUSEUM. - 4 P.M. Dr.Lankester, " On Food: Salt."

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To Correspondents.To ensure attention, our correspondents are requested to observe that everycommunication addressed to the Editor of this journal must be authenticated

by the name and address of the writer. Such information is regarded as con-

fidential, if so desired.Mr. William Grey.-l. He cannot assume the title of" surgeon," and if he do

so, he will be liable to prosecution under the provisions of the new MedicalAct.-2. He must have been at least twenty-one years of age previous toAugust, 1815, and in actual practice at that time.

Knox.-Yes, he could do so in aecordance with the rules of etiquette and cus-tom. The legal question has not yet been decided.

Dr. J. A. Wilson.-The communication shall appear in the next LANCET.

MEDICAL ORGANIZATION IN SCOTLAND.

To the Editor ofTHE LANCET.

SIR,-The misconception of our medical organization in this part of thekingdom, evidenced by the letter of"A Surgeon" in your journal of April 21st,induces me to trouble you with the following:-Medical men in Scotland study, pass examinations in, and subsequently

practise indifferently, all branches of the healing art, surgery as well as medi-cine. Virtually there have been, until the passing of the Medical Act, twogrades of members of the profession-the higher grade being the Universitygraduates, who do not derive profit from the sale of medicines; the lower con-sisting of the licentiates of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons and of theGlasgow Faculty. The term " surgeon," as applied to members of the latterclass, has no special reference to the practice of operative surgery, which, as ahigher branch of the profession, is commonly exercised by the University gra-duates. The mode of practice very generally adopted by the so-called sur-geons" is that of the prescribing retail. The distinction between the twogrades is analogous to that which in the south exists between the physicianand the apothecary. Pure surgeons have no separate legal existence in Scot-land any more than aceoucheurs, dentists, or corn-cutters. The basis of pro-fessional distinctions in Scotland is not specialty of practice, but education andrepute.From the foregoing it will be obvious that the separation of so-called medi-

cine and surgery, and the demand of a separate licence for each by the Govern-ment in the late Act, rendered necessary some modification of the licensingsystem previously existing in Scotland. The University degree of M.D., for-merly regarded as a general qualification, is, under the Act, accepted as alicence in only one department of the healing art. The licence of the Edin-burgh College of Surgeons or of the Glasgow Faculty, formerly also a generalqualification, is, under the Act, received only as a diploma in so-called puresurgery, although, if the course of study required and the wording of the docu-ment mean anything, the licence of each body applies quite as much to phar-macy as to surgery. Scotch common sense has resisted this innovation. Tomeet the present legal requirements without sacrificing the old system, theUniversities will supplement their degree of M.B. with the C.M., which theMedical Act has forced them to revive. By order of the Commissioners,the C.M. will be conferred only along with the M.B. This step, so denouncedby your correspondent, is not therefore the granting of a new special diploma,which would have been foreign to Scottish usage; it is merely the restorationto the Universitt degree of the legal value which it possessed prior to thepassing of the Medical Act.A similar adaptation of the licence of the Edinburgh College of Surgeons and

of the Glasgow Faculty, to meet legal requirements, has been attempted to beeffected by co-operation with the College of Physicians. But the class ofprao-titioners known as "surgeons" are really the apothecaries of Scotland; and asthe College of Physicians prohibits its licentiates from deriving profit from thepractice of pharmacy, the proposed arrangement is generally seen to be un-suited to the requirements of the inferior grade of practitioners; while it willbe superfluous in the case of the higher grade, who will as before obtain a fulllegal qualification from the Universities.The organization of the profession will virtually continue as before the Act.

The higher class of practitioners, obtaining a general qualification from theUniversities, will probably enter the College of Physicians as a kind of medicalguild or association. The lower grade will either obtain only the licence of theFaculty or of the College of Surgeons; or, if they are able to obtain the Uni-versity degree, will enter the College of Surgeons or Faculty in the meantime,and will reserve the degree as an introduction to the College of Physicians,should circumstances at any future period permit of their dispensing with thepractice of retail pharmacy.

It will thus appear that, so far from our multiplying special diplomas, thedisposition in Scotland is to resist the introduction of the new system ofspecial diplomas, and to adhere to the old mode of granting one general quali-fication, the only distinction recognised in the profession being the actual oneof grade. I remain, Sir, yours, &c.,Glasgow, May, 1860. J. R.

A Constant Reader and M.D.-THE LANCET was in the press before the pro-ceedings terminated. The report appears in the present number of ourjournal.

One who is not Affected by their P’rotest.-The complaint is either just orunjust. In either case, the communication sent to us is no answer to it.

EFFECTS OF C I R C U M C I S I O N.To the Editor q/’TEB LANCET.

SIR,-Being present at the ceremony of circumcision on Sunday last in com-pany with ten Jews, I inquired if they considered that the process alluded toprevented involuntary nocturnal micturition. Four of the number were ofopinion that it did not prevent the above, as many Jews, to their own know-ledge, suffer from the disagreeable infirmity. "Nay," said one, "I rememberbeing well flogged for so doing." Yours obediently,London, May, 1860. G.