15th August, 1734. It is ordered that from henceforward a Silver Medal not exceeding the value of a Guinea with a proper device upon each side of it to be made and presented at the end of the year to each of the Demonstrators now chosen and to the Demonstrators for the time being as an acknowledgment for their trouble in performing such Demonstrations.
These medals by a subsequent order, were to have a representation of Holbein’s picture on one side and of Inigo Jones’ Theatre on the other, but they do not appear to have ever been struck.
It was customary at the Demonstrations of Anatomy to provide specimens of parts of animals, presumably for comparison, as appears by some of the expenses incurred, e.g., in 1732:—
| To a sheeps hart & kidney | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
| A sheeps hart and lights | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2 Bullocks eyes | 0 | 0 | 4 |
and the following is the Beadle’s Bill at the dissection of a female malefactor in 1735:—
| For a board to lay her head upon | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| For a board to shew her liver upon | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| For two bullocks eyes | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| For four sheeps eyes | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| For a quarter of soap | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/2 |
| For hogs brissels | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| For a new spunge | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| For Borrowing a Hone to set the Instruments | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| For Sticking up the Bills | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| For nine days attendance at 2s 6d pr Day | 1 | 2 | 6 | |
| £1 | 7 | 8 | 1/2 |
4th February, 1735. Under this date is an entry of a long letter from the Commissioners of the Navy, complaining of the want of skill in a Surgeon, whereby great mortality had ensued on the ship Newcastle; the Court examined the Surgeon and his Journal and considered that there was nothing to find fault with as regarded his proficiency in Surgery, and that the sickness among the ship’s crew required skill in Physic rather than in Surgery, moreover they declared that the Physician at Greenwich examined the Navy Surgeons as to their skill in Physic and not the Barber-Surgeons’ Company. The Clerk was directed to write to the Commissioners to this effect, and to state that the Company did not consider themselves answerable for any man’s want of skill in Physic.
A long letter dated 5th February was accordingly written and is set out in the Minute Book. The Surgeon complained of was Thomas Middleton, son of Mr. Henry Middleton (the oldest Member of the Court) and it appears that he had been fully examined and qualified.
29th September, 1735. The following order touching the vexed question of dead bodies was issued by the Sheriffs:—