The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: VERY IMPORTANT ¶ Medical Society of Victoria. ¶ Melbourne, October 26, 1878. ¶ Sir, ¶ A SPECIAL MEETING of the Medical Society of Victoria will be held in the Hall of the Society, on Tuesday Evening n...

Document information

Physical location:

Library, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne. 78.10.26a

Preferred Citation:

James Neild to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1878-10-26 [78.10.26a]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1870-9/1878/78-10-26a-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

Notice found inserted in a copy of Victoria Votes and Proceedings of the Legislative Council, Session 1850, Bills .

VERY IMPORTANT

Medical Society of Victoria.

Melbourne, October 26, 1878.

Sir,

A SPECIAL MEETING of the Medical Society of Victoria will be held in the Hall of the Society, on Tuesday Evening next, at Eight o'clock, for the purpose of considering " A Bill to Amend the Medical Practitioners Statute " now before the Assembly.

Your attendance is urgently requested, and I am instructed by the President to beg of you to excuse this short notice, for the reason that the adjourned debate upon the Bill will probably take place on Wednesday next, and it is thought very desirable to furnish the Government with the opinion of the Society, as representing the profession, before the question again comes on in the House.

Appended, herewith, is a copy of the Bill,

'A BILL To amend " The Medical Practitioners Statute 1865" and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council and the Legislative Assembly of Victoria in this present Parliament assembled and by the authority of the same as follows (that is to say):—

1. Upon production to the Medical Board of Victoria by the declarant in person of a declaration on oath duly made by him to the effect that he has passed through a regular course of medical or surgical instruction and has practised in medicine or surgery or both in Victoria not less than fifteen years prior to the passing of this Act such declarant shall notwithstanding that he may never have received any document certifying to his ability to practice medicine or surgery or both be entitled to be registered by the said Medical Board of Victoria who shall forthwith duly register and give to such declarant a certificate of his registration as a legally qualified medical practitioner.

2. If any such declarant shall wilfully knowingly and corruptly make any false statement in such declaration he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and being thereof duly convicted shall be liable to be imprisoned for any period not exceeding three years.'

by which you will perceive the dangerous innovation therein contemplated.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient Servant,

JAMES EDWARD NEILD, M.D.

Hon. Secretary.

At the meeting, held on Tuesday 29 October 1878, the President of the Society, Dr Graham, declared that the Bill gave to the Medical Board of Victoria 'a dangerous discretion, and was consequently most mischievous in its intentions' since, if carried, 'it would degrade the profession' by making it possible for quacks who had been practising in the colony to become registered medical practitioners. As another speaker put it, the Bill 'made a man the sole judge as to his own qualifications'. See Australasian medical journal , vol. 23 (1878), pp. 281-4. The Bill, which had been introduced not by the government but as a private member's bill, was defeated.