The Doctors, Archdoctors, and Pro-Apothecaries constituting the Lower
House of Convocation assembled in the Nave of Westminster Abbey at 11
o’clock. The Very Eminent Cyrup Camomile, M.D., Archdoctor of
Cheltenham, Prolocutor, presided.
The Prolocutor having bowed to the busts of Hippocrates, Galen, and
Harvey (a ceremony which has been substituted for the old form of
prayers), præconization was taken by the actuary of the names of
members; assessors were appointed, and a multitude of petitions
presented. The Schedules of Gravamina and Reformanda were then called
for. Among the former the most important (which was sent up at once to
the Upper House as an _Articulus Medici_) was the gravamen of the
Archapothecary of Sarum, which set forth that, contrary the interests
of the profession and ordinary usage, a Coroner had been recently
elected for the county of Dorset who was not a Medical Man. Another
gravamen referred to the inadequacy of the fees to be legally claimed
by Doctors for granting Certificates of Birth, Vaccination,
Equination, Porcination, Sanitary Fitness for Factory or other
labours, Fitness for Marriage, and, finally, the most important
Certificates of having died under due Medical care and supervision,
and being consequently admissible for Cremation.
Members were then called upon to give notice of motions, and
discussions followed on those of Sir William Puffin—
That Convocation should remonstrate with Her Majesty’s Ministers for
the laxity wherewith the laws relating to Medical Heretics are
enforced.