HOLBEIN’S PICTURE: HENRY VIII. GIVING A CHARTER TO THE BARBER-SURGEONS.
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THE FIRST ANATOMY LECTURES.
The original charter to the Barber-Surgeons provided that the two mysteries of barbery and surgery should be kept distinct, and it gave facilities for obtaining the bodies of executed felons for purposes of anatomical study. There is no doubt that the anatomy lectures at the Barber-Surgeons’ Hall preceded those given by the physicians. The necessity of a knowledge of anatomy must have been felt daily by these early surgeons, and, like practical men, they took steps to supply their wants. The giving of these lectures, a physician being appointed lecturer, was the chief work of the Company. Some of the particulars collected by Mr. South are of interest, as showing how this first London School of Anatomy was worked. Every member of the Company was bound to attend the anatomy demonstrations, a fine of fourpence being imposed upon those freemen who were late, and sixpence upon those who were absent. For each summons to “an anatomy” the sum of 3s. 4d. was charged, whether present or absent, and the members of the Company were bound to come “decently appareyled, for their own honestye, and also for the worshippe of the Company.” The anatomical demonstrations appear to have been public, and their occurrence was a solemn festival—in fact, in the early days of the Company “private anatomies” were disallowed, except by special licence from the court. There were two masters of anatomy appointed yearly, and two stewards of anatomy to look after the creature comforts of those who attended the demonstration. It was also the duty of the masters and stewards to fetch the body from the place of execution, which was not always an enviable duty. The actual lecture and demonstration was given by a fifth officer, a “reader” specially chosen, who was generally a physician. The masters of anatomy had to make due provision for the comfort of the “Dr.,” and they were specially charged to provide a “matte about the harthe in the hall,” in order that he might not suffer from cold feet. They also had to provide two fine white rods for demonstrating, a wax candle to look into the body, necessary instruments, and clean white sleeves and aprons for each day for themselves as well as for the reader. A fine of 40s. was imposed for inattention to these necessary details. The greatest formality was observed. The notices of the forthcoming demonstration were issued according to a regulated formula, which differed according to the rank in the Company of the person bidden, and, after assembling in the parlour, a procession to the theatre was marshalled by the clerk in due form. There were two demonstrations daily, at noon and at five, and between the morning and afternoon lecture the court and officials were “plentifully regaled,” the doctor or reader “pulling off his own robes and putting on the clerk’s, which has always been usual for him to dine in.” These demonstrations went on for three consecutive days, and at their close the clerk “attends the doctor in the cloathing room, where he presents him, folded up in a piece of paper, the sum of ten pounds, and where afterwards he waits on the masters of anatomy and presents each of them in the like manner with the sum of three pounds.” After each public demonstration the lecturer was allowed to give a private demonstration to his own pupils for three days, after which the body was decently interred, and the expenses incurred by the masters of anatomy (£3 7s. 6d.) were reimbursed. Seats were provided in the theatre, and the body was surrounded by a curtain until the demonstration actually began. Among the curiosities in Barbers’ Hall is a portrait of Sir Charles Scarborough, the physician to Charles II., in the act of giving an anatomical lecture with a “subject” before him, and Alderman Arris at his side assisting him. Scarborough, who was a good anatomist and distinguished mathematician, is represented as seated, dressed in full robes of scarlet and ermine, wearing a velvet hat with jewelled band and with lace cuffs, and Alderman Arris is scarcely less gorgeous. Alderman Arris, together with Dr. Gale, endowed those lectures, which are still given at the College of Surgeons, and which are known as the Arris and Gale Lectures. This Dr. Gale is not to be confounded with Thomas Gale, sergeant-surgeon to Queen Elizabeth, one of the earliest English writers on surgery.
It was on Feb. 27, 1662, that Samuel Pepys records that “about 11 o’clock Commissioner Pett and I walked to Chyrurgeon’s Hall (we being all invited thither, and promised to dine there), where we were led into the theatre; and by-and-by comes the reader, Dr. Tearne, with the master and company, in a very handsome manner; and, all being settled, he began his lecture, and his discourse being ended, we had a fine dinner and good learned company, many doctors of Physique, and we used with extraordinary great respect. Among other observables we drunk the King’s health out of a gilt cup given by King Henry VIII. to this Company, with bells hanging on it, which every man is to ring by shaking after he hath drunk up the whole cup.... Dr. Scarborough took some of his friends, and I went with them, to see the body of a lusty fellow, a seaman, that was hanged for robbery.” The cup to which Pepys alludes, and other interesting pieces of plate, are still in the possession of the Company, and they also have an excellent picture of Inigo Jones by Vandyke, and many other pictures of interest. There are also to be seen four silver wreaths worn by the master and wardens on state occasions, and upstairs is a massive oak table said to be the original table used for anatomical purposes.
The apprentices of the Company were kept in order. For example, they were not allowed to wear a beard of more than fifteen days’ growth, and in case of offence in this particular the master was fined 6s. 8d. Apprentices were bound to be able to read and write, and those that intended practising in London passed what appear to have been preliminary examinations. “How he knoweth what ys surgery and also what an anatomy ys, and how many parts it is; of what the iiij elements and the xij signes be, which is the first part of examynacion for a prentyce.” The apprentice was then bound to read to the court every half-year an epistle, in order that the court might judge of his progress; and he first became a probationer and was licensed for so many years, at the end of which time, subject to good behaviour and adequate knowledge, he was admitted a master of surgery and anatomy. The fee for the apprentice’s examination appears to have been a silver spoon, with his name upon it, weighing one ounce; and 7d. to the clerk for writing and seal. The examination fee for the great diploma appears to have been £6 6s.
THE APOTHECARIES.
We have seen that the physicians were an offshoot from the priests and the surgeons an offshoot from the barbers. In the same way, the apothecaries were originally linked with the grocers; and it was not till 1617 that James I. gave to the Apothecaries’ Company an independent charter. The apothecaries were originally druggists pure and simple, but they took to prescribing, and this brought them into conflict with the physicians. In the end the apothecaries were victorious; and finally, in 1815, they acquired the rights of examining and licensing, which are practically the same as they now possess.