Come we next to the serjeant-surgeon himself, whose letter requires no particular comment from us; however, a "sexagenarian" has entered the lists against the serjeant-surgeon, and thus at present stands the affair-let the profession judge:

To the Editor of the City of London Trade Protection Circular. 2, Royal Exchange Buildings, Nov. 24, 1848.

Sir, I have obtained permission from R. Keate, Esq., F. R.S., Serjeant-Surgeon to the Queen, to send, for insertion in your valuable journal, a letter addressed to me in May last, on the subject of medical fees to private referees of Assurers. As this question is now much discussed in Life Offices, the publication of the letter may assist the profession in arriving at some uniformity of practice.

I am,

&c.

G. J. FARRANCE.

11, Hertford Street, May Fair, May 30, 1848.

My dear Sir,-Before I ever thought of being connected with any Assurance Company, and indeed throughout my professional life, I have never considered that I had a right to look to such company for my fee on giving a medical opinion, as the private referee of any friend wishing to assure his life. I have thought, and I still think, that the friend who refers the office to me, ought to pay my fee just as much as if he came himself to consult me. Sometimes this has been done, more frequently it is incorrectly omitted. It appears to me that if a medical man refuses to give an opinion of his patient, when he is pointed out by the patient to the Assurance Office, and is not selected by or known to the office, unless the office pays him a fee; the simple plan for the office to pursue would be to write to the proposer, and say that his Assurance cannot be effected, or that his proposal cannot be entertained, because his medical referee refuses to give any statement of his health, and thus leave the matter to be settled between the proposer and his medical friend. The office pays its own medical advisers, and I cannot see why it should also pay the medical adviser of the person wishing to insure; in fact, nine times out of ten, a medical referee is hardly necessary, although sometimes his answers do certainly lead to the formation of an important opinion. I have often thought, and am still inclined to think, that the double ordeal is hardly necessary,-and I doubt whether the Equitable does not get better opinions on the whole, by their mode of asking the report of medical referees, than other offices who ask a long string of questions, the generality of which are answered "Not to my knowledge:' but I have no business to dilate on this point. All this is independent of any legal objection, although I believe it is a matter of notoriety that the late Sir William Follett gave a very decided opinion that legal objections do exist. Very faithfully yours,

To G. J. Farrance, Esq., Actuary, City of London Life Assurance Society.

R. KEATE.

To the Editor of the City of London Trade Protection Circular.

Sir, The Actuary of the "City of London Life Assurance Society" seems to me to be mistaken in the tenor of Mr. Keate's letter, as inserted in your last number, or he would not have placed such letter prominently

before the world, as one the publication of which " fession in arriving at some uniformity of practice."

may assist the pro

If the medical profession is required to adopt an uniformity of practice, differing as doctors do, they will no doubt be individually as honest and just as collectively as they are honourable. If the profession of "Life Assurance" be implied, and such is probable, it follows that, as parties to a compact, the Medical and Life Assurance professions should meet on equal terms. The opinion of the one is the security of the other; and however an individual practitioner may not care to forego his just and proper fees, such indifference ought not to be considered as influencing the members of a profession whose services, however highly appreciated, are but indifferently rewarded, and hitherto, in the case of Life Assurance, most shamefully disregarded. Mr. Keate's letter, unintentionally perhaps, will do service-it will pioneer the way to justice; that gentleman being a surgeon of the highest eminence. Any legal objection to the payment of medical fees, is among those absurdities that require no comment. The publication of the case submitted to the late Sir W. Follett would be very instructive.

It was contemplated to have addressed you on the subject of medical fees, as preliminary to some statistical remarks thereon, in connection with Life Assurance, but Mr. Keate's letter has anticipated this necessity. A SEXAGENARIAN, retired from Medical Practice.

The medical profession must feel vastly indebted to the "Post Magazine," and the Serjeant-Surgeon to the Queen, “but we may a tale unfold."

THE INSTITUTE OF ACTUARIES.

OUR readers will see in our pages a report of the proceedings which took place upon the establishment of the above Institute; and as we are without any information upon the subject save that which is before the public, we deem it wise to abstain from any lengthened remarks upon an Institution, the principles and object of which are indeed developed, but the application of which is as yet undetermined. Some observations have, however, appeared in a literary periodical of character and influence, tending to stigmatise the infant Institute as a clique seeking to become a close corporation, which perhaps warrant a few remarks. We do not pretend to be in the confidence of the Council, and shall not affect to be acquainted with their secret designs, if indeed they have any; but our interest in the Institution leads us to hope that it will not mar its usefulness, diminish the confidence which should be reposed in it, and bring itself into public odium by running counter to the spirit of the age, which is opposed to every thing bearing even the semblance of a monopoly. We fully recognise the paramount import

ance of the objects which the Institute proposes to effect, and the desirability of their attainment not only to forward the extension and promote the safety and assurance, but also to stimulate men to improvement in the many intricate sciences which are immediately connected with the best interests of the community; for the comprehensive prosecution and understanding of the science of Assurance, must entail an accurate knowledge of mathematics, physiology, the art of government, and the laws which regulate the moral, intellectual, and physical progress of the masses of the people. Wishing, then, the Institute all success in the important branches of science, in the study and elucidation of which the members are individually and collectively engaged, we trust that they will not cloud their prospects and embarrass their future path, with questions likely to involve them in unpleasant disputes with members of the profession not yet connected with them, and to bring upon them public censure. The present movements of the Institute are certainly not such as to bring upon them the charge of acting like a clique, or the accusation of exclusiveness; they throw open their doors to all Actuaries, who are at liberty to join as Fellows, and their arrangements for the admission of Associates are liberal enough; but a suspicion may be engendered by a casual reference, in a speech of one of the members, to the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons-that the Actuaries intend to form themselves into a close corporation, for the purpose of excluding from the privilege of practising as an Actuary every person not certificated by the Institute as properly qualified for the office. Now we do not deny the right of the Actuaries to take as high and dignified a standing as any other learned body in the kingdom; but we would point out to them that, rightly or wrongly, public opinion is every day becoming more opposed to the regulations by which the medical profession is governed, and will probably, at some not far distant day, demand a sweeping reform; but admitting the principles and practice of the governing bodies of the medical profession to be well founded, yet there is a distinctive and obvious difference between the position of actuaries and that of physicians and surgeons. The admission of unqualified persons to those bodies would be dangerous to the health and lives of the public, who, for the most part, are unable to judge of the professional attainments of the man called to the side of the sick-bed; but the Actuaries are employed by acute, educated, and intelligent gentlemen, forming the directories of the several companies, who are perfectly able to judge for themselves, and therefore do not require to be protected by those safeguards against ignorance which are interposed between quacks and the ailing. Restrictions of any sort are only justifiable when they are for the benefit of the public at large, and are perfectly indefensible on the ground that

they protect a particular class. We conceive that the duty of the Institute should be to confer degrees upon qualified persons, but that an attempt to make the recognition of such distinctions compulsory would, instead of enhancing their value, deprive them of that moral weight which is alone valuable, and create a feeling of jealousy and suspicion productive of the worst results. If the distinctive letters to be attached to the names of members are in reality worth anything, their value will at once be voluntarily recognised by the world at large; if they are not, no statutary enactment can confer upon them worth, or induce intelligent men to trust those who bear them. For these reasons we earnestly hope that the Institute will not justify the suspicions of its adversaries, but will maintain its own high position by advancing towards its important ends in a manner consonant with the utmost liberality and freedom.

ANALECTA.

THE INSTITUTE OF ACTUARIES.-The first meeting of the members of this important association was held in the board-room of the Guardian Fire and Life Assurance Office, Lombard-street, on the 14th of October. Mr. Peter Hardy having been unanimously called to the chair, observed that it was intended to limit the business of the meeting to the reading of the report of the Provisional Committee, and to the election of a President, Council, and other officers for the year ensuing. Report of the Enrolment Committee.-Your Committee have to report

That the total number of members enrolled is one hundred and thirty-one, of whom ninety-four are Fellows, and thirty-seven Associates. That the total amount of subscriptions received is 2877. 14s.

Your Committee have unanimously resolved to suggest that the following regulations be observed at the general meeting to be held on the 14th of October.

The President to be first elected by ballot.

Each member then to give in his printed list, after having erased from it all but the names of the sixteen Fellows (or less number) whom he may wish to select for the Council. Any list in which this regulation is not accurately observed to be invalid.

The names of the sixteen Fellows obtaining the majority of votes having been ascertained by the scrutineers, to be declared by the President, and set up in the room conspicuously.

Out of these sixteen, a ballot to be taken for the four Vice-Presidents, and from the remaining twelve names a ballot to be then taken for the Treasurer, two Secretaries, and the Registrar successively.

The three Auditors to be then elected.

Your Committee would remind the members that the Council are to be elected from the Fellows, and the Auditors from the Associates. Your Committee cannot help congratulating the members of the

profession upon the fact of so large a number of the body having enrolled themselves, and trust that the zeal and cordiality which have existed up to this period will still be exerted to carry the great aim and objects of the Institute into full and complete effect.

The report having been received and adopted,

Mr. GRIFFITH DAVIES rose to submit the name of a gentleman whom he believed to be most entitled to the distinction of being called to the presidential chair-the government Actuary, Mr. Finlaison. Knowing the high position of that gentleman, and his exalted talents, he begged to propose, "That John Finlaison, Esq., Actuary to the National Debt Office, be elected President of the Actuaries' Institute for the ensuing year."

Mr. LODGE seconded the nomination.

The chairman put the motion, and it was carried by acclamation. Mr. Hardy then conducted Mr. Finlaison to the chair, amidst much applause.

The PRESIDENT said he was most deeply affected when so great, so unexpected an honour had been conferred upon him. At all times he was an indifferent orator, but at that moment he felt wholly inadequate to express his gratitude to his excellent friend, Mr. Davies, for the terms in which he had been nominated, and for the cordial manner in which he had been elected. Mr. Davies and himself might be considered the oldest men in the profession. He assured the meeting that nothing should be left undone on his part to promote the success and importance of the Institute, and he believed he should be warmly seconded by those whose abilities have rendered them eminent.

Mr. GRIFFITH DAVIES moved, seconded by Mr. FARREN, that Mr. David Jones, Mr. Peter Hardy, Mr. Laurence, Mr. J. J. Sylvester, Mr. Jellicoe, Mr. G. P. Neison, Mr. Jenkin Jones, Mr. Tucker, Mr. Scratchley, Mr. W. T. Robinson, Mr. Hillman, Mr. Le Cappelain, Mr. W. M. Brown, Mr. W. T. Thompson, and Mr. Finlay be elected as the council for the ensuing year.

Mr. Cleghorn was then unanimously elected to the office of Registrar of the Institute.

Mr. RATRAY moved that the following gentlemen be elected VicePresidents:-Mr. David Jones, Mr. Peter Hardy, Mr. Sylvester, and Mr. Jellicoe.

Mr. ROBINSON Seconded the motion, observing that Mr. Peter Hardy's zeal and labour in the formation of the Institute entitled him to their warmest gratitude. Mr. Sylvester was well known by his works; so also were all the gentlemen proposed.

Mr. JENKIN JONES proposed Mr. Neison as Treasurer; and Mr. JELLICOE seconded the motion.

Mr. Neison was then unanimously elected to the office of Treasurer. On returning thanks, he congratulated them on the election of Mr. Finlaison, whose labours for the extension of knowledge were in the hands of every Actuary. He was also distinguished for his sagacity in statistical inductions. Many years ago their president prophesied that in 1848 the whole of Europe would be in a state of commotion. He need not tell them how fully this prophecy had been verified.

Mr. Jenkin Jones and Mr. Tucker were then elected the honorary secretaries.

Mr. Emmens, Mr. Henderson, and Mr. F. G. Smith, were elected the auditors.