Genre:

Essay, Drollery

Subjects:

Medical Practitioners, Education, Chemistry, Lecturing

People mentioned:

William T Brande , Jöns J Berzelius , Justus von Liebig

Institutions mentioned:

Royal Institution

    Announcing a 'great discovery' made by the Society of Apothecaries, explains how the society was established to supply medicine to the public and to regulate the education of medical practitioners, an 'arrangement' which is considered 'rather inferior'. Condemns the society for not valuing the chemical teaching skills of a 'Provincial Professor', however eminent he is in Europe, unless he lectures at a medical school. Claims that the society has discovered a 'principle' in London air 'essential' to the study of chemistry 'by which alone any sort of air can be analysed'. Adds that the atmosphere near London hospitals and medical schools contains significant quantities of an 'element which brings into play certain delicate affinities' rendering it 'impracticable' for students to study chemistry anywhere but at those medical establishments. Advises students to study chemistry before embarking on a medical education in London.