THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, 9TH JUNE, 1883.
Colonial Surgeon to Acting Colonial Secretary.
463
HONGKONG, 3rd May, 1882.
SIR,-On behalf of the Medical Practitioners in Hongkong I have the honour to forward you, for consideration of His Excellency the Administrator, a Petition praying for an Ordinance to define and regulate the persons entitled to practise Medicine in this Colony.
In consequence of a protest having been entered on the Petition by Mr. FISHER, I deem it desirable to add a few observations.
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I take the opportunity of pointing out to His Excellency that, in their petition, the Medical gentlemen have purposely introduced the words "or such portion of them (Medical Acts) as may be applicable' -or "an Ordinance may be passed regulating &c.," for they do not desire to confine the registration of Diplomas in this Colony to such only as are British (or as are registrable under the Medical Act); what they do want is to have a reliable assurance that every person practising in this Colony as a Physician and Surgeon possesses some qualification entitling him to do so, and that such qualification has been granted to him after and in consequence of his having passed through a course of study and examinations as thorough and sufficient as is the minimum course in any like case approved by the Privy Council under Section 21 of the Medical Act now in force in Great Britain.
The fact that the signatories include men holding German, American, Canadian and Portuguese diplomas is sufficient proof, they submit, that they wish Registration to be extended to qualifications other than British.
With regard to the second objection, "that no proper Medical Council could be formed," I may be permitted to remark that such a difficulty has not been found insuperable in other Colonies possessing Acts or Ordinances regulating Medical Practice, and would not be found so in this Colony. I would submit that the Colonial Surgeon, the Deputy Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets on this station, the Principal Army Medical Officer, and, if necessary, such other qualified Medical Practitioners as His Excellency might see fit from time to time to appoint, should constitute the Medical Board. With such constitution it is difficult to imagine that any charge of unfairness could be reasonably brought against it. Since its members would constantly change, and a large proportion of them would not be engaged in private practice, it would not be at all liable to be influenced in its decisions by private or personal motives. Information regarding Foreign Diplomas could be obtained through the various Consuls, or by other means adopted by the Medical Board, and in all cases it is suggested there would be a final appeal to His Excellency in Council.
In reference to the third objection of Mr. FISHER's set forth in his protest, "that there is no necessity for the passing of such an Act," I am desired to direct His Excellency's attention to the preamble of The Medical Act, wherein the sole reason given for the passing of the Act is identical with that which the Medical gentlemen in their petition have urged, viz. the better to enable persons requiring medical aid to distinguish qualified from unqualified Practitioners, and I would also point to the facts that the Legislature in all European Countries, in the Australian Colonies, in New Zealand, in the Dominion of Canada, in the West Indies, in Mauritius, in most countries of South America, has deemed it expedient to pass laws regulating the practice of Medicine and Surgery in their respective countries, and that in the United States the leading Medical Corporations are at the present moment strenuously endeavouring (and have in some States partly succeeded) to have similar laws enacted therein, whilst in Great Britain a powerful agitation is being carried on for the purpose of making the Acts already in force still more stringent, and I would also urge that whilst in Hongkong there is a Board before which Ship Masters, their Officers, and Engineers, must produce their qualifications, prior to being entrusted with the charge of Her Majesty's subjects on the high seas; that whilst a Chinese Medical Practitioner must shew evidence of his having passed certain examinations before a Hospital Board in Canton or elsewhere before being allowed to take medical charge of Chinese emigrants; whilst no Barristers or Solicitors can be admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of Hongkong without producing evidence in the one case of having been called to the bar, in the other of having been enrolled as a Solicitor, either in this Colony or at home in England; no such regulations exist regarding the sister Profession, in whose hands are placed the health and safety of the general community.
I need hardly point out to you that any objection of medical men to a similar Act or Ordinance being passed here to that in force in other of Her Majesty's Colonies would have to be considered side by side with the protection to which the persons in this Colony requiring medical aid are entitled to at the hands of Her Majesty's Government.
I have the honour to be.
Sir,
Your most obedient Servant,
Pn. B. C. AYRES.
Colonial Surgeon.
The Honourable F. STEWART, LL.D.,
Se..
Acting Colonial Secretary,,
$e.,
St., HONGKONG.