A lecture by Mr. John Crossley to the Bristol Medico-Historical Society in June 2007, as part of the celebrations of the 200^th anniversary of the Medical Reading Society.

On March 28^th 1807 some medical men decided to form "The Medical Reading Society, for the purpose of promoting medical knowledge and friendly intercourse among its members and for purchasing Medical Books". Some practical rules, similar to those of most book clubs, received the approval of these 11 members.

Thus opens the description of the first 100 years of the M.R.S. written up for the Journal of the West of England Medical Society, later the Journal of the Medico-Chirurgical Society, by Dr L. M. Griffiths, it's Librarian in 1907.

The founder members were:

Thomas Jermyn. Surgeon and Apothecary, 17 Queen Square.

Henry Daniel. Surgeon, 52 Queen Square.

Richard Edgell, Surgeon, 68 College Green.

Benjamin Spencer, Surgeon and Apothecary, Paul St. Kingsdown.

William Mortimer, Surgeon and Apothecary, 17 Bridge St.

Robert Lax. Surgeon and Apothecary 11, Queen Square

Benjamin Gustavus Burroughs, Apothecary, Portland Square, Clifton

Joseph Maurice, Apothecary and Man-midwife, Upper Maudlin Lane.

William Hetling, Surgeon, 18 Orchard St.

Nathaniel Smith, Surgeon, 34,College Green.

John Bishop Estlin, Ophthalmic Surgeon, 2 Unity St.

A twelfth member, John Champney Swayne, Consulting Accoucheur to the Bristol Lying-in Institution and Lecturer in Midwifery at the Medical School, was elected later in the year.

Members met in each other's houses, small fines were imposed for lateness and absence. Until 1823 it was a rule that meetings should be held in the city, but on17th April Hetling proposed to hold the meeting at either his own house or at Reeves Hotel. It was resolved that the meeting should be held at his new house at 24 Royal Crescent where he had moved to from 18 Orchard St. and later that Mr. Goodeve, living in Clifton in the Mall, should not be expected to receive the society in Bristol.

The distinction between Bristol and Clifton was strictly maintained until the Reform Act in 1835 when Clifton was included in the municipal area. Clearly most of the members lived within walking distance of each other and of the hospitals or their places of consultation. Transport must have been by horse or horse drawn vehicle. Trams did not come in until 1890 in Liverpool and. after this in Bristol and the motorcar was not in general use until 1910. (Outram installed the first Tramway at a colliery in Sheffield in 1776)

By the time I was a student at Guy's in 1943 there was a certain amount of car snobbery amongst the London consultants as the public judged one's expertise in one's specialty practice by the size of one's car! Many consultants had Rolls Royce's or Bentleys. Sir Heneage Ogilvie used to arrive at the hospital in a Rolls with a cruiser stem flying the Red Duster flag. In 1957 when I arrived in Bristol Mr. Cook had a Rolls and Mr. Paul a Bentley.

Meetings must have been held in Oil or Candle light as Gas was not available in either the streets or houses until 1850. There was of course no television or radio so reading must have been important and in view of this it is interesting that only medical books were proposed until the Great War. The obituaries of these men, which can be found in the Med. Chi. Journal previously, later the Journal of the West of England, reveals a wide range of interests and scholarship in subjects outside medicine. From time to time non-medical literature was take such as The Literary Gazette the quarterly Review, The Edinburgh Review and the Westminster Gazette. The Lancet had a checkered reception. The first number, Sunday 5^th October, was ordered, but in the following February it was discontinued as it was "unfit for this Society". It was later again taken!

It seems that unlike some other societies, no books were considered unfit for consumption and even Lady Chatterley's Lover was circulated during this last century!

Although at first the Society was collecting medical books on important subjects and new developments such as Willan's book on Vaccine Innoculation, these were not kept in a library as such. In fact the Bristol Medical Library was formed in 1832, it's housing in Orchard St., later moving to Berkeley Square and finally to the Medical School building on 19^th November 1892.

Unfortunately we have no photographic records of all the Founder Members, but we do have some: Mssrs Smith, Spencer, Hetling and Swayne.

In March 1807 it was proposed that to celebrate the Centenary of the Society a Dinner should be held with past members invited at the Clifton Club.

I was invited to join the Medical Reading Society in 1966, becoming the 116^th member of the society since it started in 1807. Although I regarded it as a great honour, I suspect it had been engineered by my senior colleague Harry Shepherd, as he needed someone to drive him into the meetings! And he lived two doors away in Tockington. As the membership, as already mentioned, was limited to twelve I was, in fact, a replacement for Mr. George Fawn, the only Dental Surgeon to be elected as a member of the society, on his retirement. The other members at this time were as follows:

Mr. Harry Shepherd, 1937, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Dr. Percy Phillips, 1939, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist

Dr. A.L. Taylor, 1940, Pathologist.

Dr. Hemphill, 1946, Psychiatrist

Dr. Milling, 1951, General Practitioner.

Dr.Gordan Heron, 1951, General Practitioner.

Mr Gordon Paul, 1954, Surgeon.

Dr. D.H. Davies, 1957, Cardiologist.

Dr, George Foss, 1964, General Practitioner, with an interest in infertility.

Mr. Michael Wilson, 1964, Surgeon.

Dr. Roger Wethered, 1965, General Practitioner.

Over the succeeding years Dr. G.K. (Kent) McGowan, Pathologist, replaced Dr. Taylor in 1967; Dr. Alan Roberts, Chest Physician, replaced Dr. Milling in 1967; Mr. Herbert Bourns. General Surgeon, replaced Dr. Hemphill, who went to South Africa in 1968; Mr. Keith Lucas, Orthopaedic Surgeon replaced Dr. Davies in 1969; Dr. Charles Brownridge, General Practitioner, replaced Percy Phillips in 1969; Dr. Gordon Mather, Physician , replaced Mr Harry Shepherd in 1975; Mr. Harry Griffiths, Orthopaedic Surgeon, replaced Dr. Gordon Paul in 1980; Dr. Terence Steen, Anaesthetist, replaced Mr. Gordon Heron in 1980; Dr. Roger Pardoe, General Practitioner, replaced Dr. Wethered in 1983; Dr. Roger Harman, Dermatologist, replaced Mr Keith Lucas in 1984; Dr. Derek Sylvester, General Practitioner, University Health Centre, replaced Dr George Foss in 1985; Professor John Burton, Dermatologist, replaced Dr. Terence Steen in 1988; Mr. Hugh Roberts, Orthopaedic Surgeon, replaced Dr Kent McGowan in 1989; Mr. Peter Niven, Gynaecologist, replaced Dr. Alan Roberts in 1991; Mr. Michael Roberts, Urological Surgeon, replaced Mr. Herbert Bourns in 1993; Dr. Paul Conway, General Practitioner, replaced Dr. Roger Harman in 1994; Dr. Cameron Kennedy, Dermatologist, replaced Dr. Paul Conway in 1999; Dr John Powell, Anaesthetist, replaced Dr Cameron in 2002; Professor Peter Dunn, Perinatal Medicine, replaced Dr Sylvester in 2003; Dr Malcolm Campbell, Neurologist, replaced Professor Burton in 2004; Mr. Philip Savage, Gynaecologist, replaced Mr. Wilson, in 2006.

Meetings, at first, were held at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. As the BMA. and Bristol Med-Chi. Society meetings, both of which most medical men, and women, attended, were held on two other Wednesdays, it only left one Wednesday to have at home with one's family!

At a later date Michael Wilson and I both found it better to move the meeting to a Friday as we both had an operating session at 8.30 on a Thursday. Arrival after 8.30 incurred a fine, as did unnotified absence, (more recently raised to £5)

Meetings commenced with exchange of books in a strict rotation and some time later refreshments were served, usually sandwiches, pies or other cold dishes and puddings. The drink was usually wine sometimes Port as well, especially with Harry Shepherd or Rodney Wethered. Before this there were stories of quite a lot of Whiskey being served, but that was before my time! Most members smoked, pipes cigars, and I kept 12 Churchwarden pipes, named for use at my house. Smoking stopped, quite spontaneously, more than 20 years ago.

The meetings were held at member's houses, in rotation. Most of the dining rooms were spacious and were memorable venues. Our ladies who provided the food, occasionally helped by their husbands, who, however rarely had the time because of the hours worked, eventually decided that it was easier to make a cooked meal rather than fiddly cold things, and as timing was critical for gourmet menus the meal was commenced at the time dictated by the hostess, and the business was conducted later.

From it's beginning minutes have been written in leatherbound books which have escalated in price from £10 to the new one which is going to cost about £120. Sadly one has been missing - April 21st 1813 to January 20^th 1823 for over 100 years. Minutes of 150, 100 and 50 years ago were read, (if they could be deciphered) and also the minutes of the previous meeting. There was little in the minutes except names of those present and absent, books proposed and who by, and the publisher and cost Some years ago an Archivist was appointed to research and present the historical events occurring during the month in question, and it was decided to include current events in the minutes and sometimes photographs. The first news item to be included was following a meeting at the house of Dr. Terence Steen - 'In Britain political controversy, starting with the problems of the Westland Helicopter Factory at Yeovil, has surrounded the resignation of two Cabinet Ministers. In the U.S.A. the space shuttle "Challenger" planned to make observations of (inter alia) Halley's Comet exploded immediately after take off. Friday i^h J I Feb.1986. Two months later the engagement of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson was announced' and the following month the Nuclear Disaster at Chernobyl!

An Annual Dinner was held in January, a black tie affair and usually a professional waiter was employed to assist the hostess if the dinner was held at a private house. Oscar the verger at the Lord Mayor's Chapel was the person who usually came. He had been in service before his present job and he would bring his wife and son to help and do the washing up afterwards.

After I had been a Member for some years Michael Wilson and I brought up the question of entertaining our wives to a dinner as thanks for all their efforts. Harry Shepherd said he could see no reason for this as we had given them a dinner only 25 years ago! Thereafter a joint dinner was held every year. The venue was either Foster's Rooms, The Red Lodge, The French Gourmet in Whiteladies Rd. or some other place, and was held in January or February. Other venues outside Bristol have included Hutton Court.

More recently a Summer Party has been held at the house and lovely garden of Dr Brownridge and widows have been invited as well. Before this a party was held at our house Netherwood at Porlock, and last year Professor John Burton, who had recently resigned from the Society, entertained us to lunch at his estate in North Perrot.

As laid down by the rules each member could propose one book a month, so that 12 books were available to be read each month. Until the 1914-18 War mostly medical books were selected, subsequently medical books were a rarity but several Journals e.g. Edinburgh Medical, and for a time the Lancet were taken until the l960s. When Hardbacks became so expensive Paperbacks were taken instead and more recently books are loaned instead and the number in circulation is much reduced. There are some speed readers who manage to read a lot, but one looks back wistfully 150 years when there were servants to help run the house and few distractions meant there was more time to read. There was an auction of books every 6 months, the price starting at 50% so that some excellent bargains could be had. Books selected have ranged widely in subject matter, History, Politics, Science, many selected have been winners of the various literary prizes like the Booker and Whitbread so occasionally a novel is proposed.

When I was invited to join the society in 1966 ages ranged from 40 to 70 years of age, at which time one retired or died! Now we have only 3 members under 70, 3 over 80 (one over 90!), but the conversation is still lively, informed, and intelligent. (I think!) Sadly, until recently there has been no record of current events. September 1939 passed by with no reference to Chamberlain or the war. Unfortunately one of the members Dr. Mayes, a G.P. had died suddenly since the last meeting so "The members stood in silence to his memory".

Meetings continued as usual. There is no mention of Dunkirk but on July 3^rd 1940 "The meeting which should have been held at Down Over (Mr. Walter's) house was cancelled. Several members were away and the frequent air raid warnings at that time made it inadvisable for the other members to be out of Bristol". Again on Dec. 4^th 1940 "the meeting was cancelled. Enemy raids on Bristol made evening visits uncomfortable, & Dr. Shepherd also had taken in several refugees. Dr. Nixon however arrived for the meeting and was suitably rewarded!"

In 1942 January the meeting was held at the house of Dr. Moore, Anaesthetist at 1 Cotham Park. A dinner preceded the meeting. The catering and cooking were done by Mrs. Moore and Mrs. Hill - their efforts were ardently approved and the society summoned the two ladies to appear before them to be personally congratulated and thanked. Owing to the war alcoholic drinks were difficult to obtain, to meet the scarcity the secretary raided the cellars of Dr Nixon, Mr. Shepherd, Dr. Corfield and Mr. Fawn. The success of their efforts was shown by the fact that at the auction which followed (Prof. Nixon acting as auctioneer) two books were sold at a price above their published price. At the Dinner a letter was sent to Dr. Clarke, Col. RAMC, thought to be stationed at Istanbul, and a poem was read:

This learned society has met once again,

Ten, perhaps of the twelve good men

Whose medical learning and surgical skill

Are put to the service of those who are ill.

Each in his own particular line

Causes his noble profession to shine.

Now, let me think, how shall I rhyme this ditty?

The lame and halt, who once deserved our pity,

Now grin like dogs and go about the city,

Declaring loud HOW MUCH THEY OWE TO CHITTY!

Then garrulous old ladies chatter

Of all the things that cannot matter,

What need to stifle boredom's yawn

With mouth a work of art by Fawn?

Detectives bent on proving guilt

From tiny bloodstains on a Quilt,

They do not trust to stars, like Naylor,

But think it best to send for Taylor

When bombs shriek down in fearful blitz

Then Walters tries to find the beds

On which to lay tormented heads

Of those not yet quite blown to bits

Blest is the man, the Psalmist said

To have his quiver full ... when ... wed

He should have known, for him no modest harem,

A thousand wives he had to bear ‘em

As court Physicians then, would Rayner

Or Shepherd be the greater gainer?

And when the babes were taken from their mummies

They'd send for Clarke to ease their little tummies.

When Nature's craftsmanship has tripped

And infant, like MacDuff,

From mother's womb untimely ripped

Phillips has done his stuff.

In Southmead's hospital he sits

And spends much time in writing chits.

When horrid banshee howlings scare the night

The deaf are spared what others fright

But when the war is o'er, to heed the cheering

They'd better send for Firth, to give them better hearing.

For those who need a special diet

(They hate it but they think they might just try it)

They seek advice from friends before they fix on

The one to whom they'll go "Of course! Why, Nixon!"

Last but not least among this band of brothers

Are Corfield and Moore,

When not quite sure

They turn on the gas and pass the buck to others!

Over the years some members, such as Beddoes, Budd, Prichard and others, have made important contributions to medicine, but I think it is true to say that most of the members of the Society have, in various ways, advanced knowledge, served the public well, and been in high office both locally and at national, if not international level, in their respective specialties and still maintained their integrity.

The meetings have always given its members great pleasure and have been fun as one sees from the photos of the Christmas meetings in 1807(?) and 2006.

Photographs will be added in due course.

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