Law and Medicine in the Sixteenth Century.

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LAW AND MEDICINE IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. By Russell Gray. Q*OME statutes have been passed, and practise physic or surgery without being v-' more have been proposed, in various first examined and admitted by the bishop State legislatures recently, for regulating of the diocese, who was to be assisted by the practice of medicine and excluding un experts. The Act contained a saving of the qualified persons from it, with the intention privileges of the Universities. of protecting the public from quacks. The Unlicensed practitioners were liable to for policy of such legislation has been much dis feit £5 a month, half to the King and half cussed privately and publicly, but few, if to the informer; a heavy penalty, in view any, references have been made to the his of the fact that the value of money was then tory of the earliest parliamentary attempts no less than twelve times as great as at in this line, — a history which has an amus present (Froude, Hist. Eng. c. 1). It would ing as well as an instructive side. seem that the women-doctors and the men The first attempt to lay any restraint on tal healers of the day (using sorcery and medical or surgical practice was the Stat. witchcraft) ought to have been somewhat 3 Hen. VIII. c. n (1511-12), the preamble discouraged. of which depicts the evils of the existing But the regular physicians had as yet no state of things in the lively manner which organization for waging war on these and lends to the ancient statutes a charm other enemies. This they first acquired, wholly wanting to the modern. " Foras some seven years later, by royal charter in much as the science and cunning of physic corporating the College of Physicians (Sept. and surgery, to the perfect knowledge 23, 1 5 18). In this charter the King recited whereof be requisite both great learning and! his sense of the necessity "to restrain the ripe experience, is daily, within this realm boldness of wicked men, who profess physic exercised by a great multitude of ignorant more for avarice than out of confidence of a persons, of whom the great part have no good conscience," and his hope that the manner of insight in the same, nor in any I ignorant and malicious might be punished other kind of learning; some also can no by the laws late made, and by constitutions letters on the book, so far forth that common to be made by the College. Accordingly artificers, as smiths, weavers, and women, the College was given large powers to regu boldly and customably take upon them great late the practice of physic within a circuit of cures and things of great difficulty, in the seven miles from London, and no person which they partly use sorcery and witch might practise within that limit without craft, partly apply such medicines unto the their license under penalty of £5 per month, disease as be very noxious and nothing meet one half to be paid to the King and one half therefor, to the high displeasure of God, to the College. By the Stat. 14 & 15 Hen. great infamy to the faculties, and the VIII. c. 5 (1523), the charter was confirmed, grievous hurt, damage, and destruction of and no persons (except graduates of the many of the King's liege people, most speci Universities) were allowed to practice physic ally of them that cannot discern the uncun- anywhere in England without license from ning from the cunning." It was " therefore, the College; it being expedient that no per to the surety and comfort of all manner son " be suffered Jo exercise and practise people by the authority of this present physic but only those persons that be pro parliament enacted " that no one should found, sad, and discreet, groundedly learned