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Medical Society of London

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| name = Medical Society of London

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| image = Lettsom House 2011.JPG

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| caption = Lettsom House, London

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| formation = 1773

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The Medical Society of London is one of the oldest surviving medical societies (being organisations of voluntary association, rather than regulation or training) in the United Kingdom.

History

It was founded in 1773 by the Quaker physician and philanthropist John Coakley Lettsom for physicians, surgeons and apothecaries, who met to exchange medical news and confer about difficult cases.{{cite journal |last1=James |first1=D. Geraint |author1-link=D. Geraint James|last2=Kinsella-Bevan |first2=R. |title=Some presidents of the Medical Society of London |journal=Journal of Medical Biography |date=February 2004 |volume=12 |issue=1 |pages=38–42 |doi=10.1177/096777200401200110 |pmid=14740023 |s2cid=2040534 |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14740023/ |issn=0967-7720}} Lettsom served as president of the new society in 1775–1776, 1784–1785, 1809–1811 and 1813–1815.

James Sims was president from 1786 to 1808, and during his long term of office some members of the society, led by William Saunders, became so offended by his autocratic style that in 1805 26 of them formed themselves into a new medical society, the Medical and Chirurgical Society of London, which later merged with other medical specialist societies to form the Royal Society of Medicine.{{cite journal |url= |title=The Royal Society of Medicine |first=P |last=Hunting |journal=Postgraduate Medical Journal |date=2005 |volume=81 |issue=951 |pages=45–48 |doi=10.1136/pgmj.2003.018424|pmc=1743179 |pmid=15640428}}

The Society's wide appeal in the 18th century, the possession of a valuable library (originally purchased from Sims) and freehold property (donated by Lettsom) helped to ensure the society's success at that time.{{cite journal | pmc= 1871274| title= London Medical Societies in the Eighteenth Century| publisher= Royal Society of Medicine | pmid=13724882| volume=53|date=September 1960| journal=Proc. R. Soc. Med.| pages=699–706| author1= DUKES CE| issue= 9}} Originally based in the City of London, it moved in 1873 to its present location in Lettsom House, Chandos Street, near Cavendish Square in the heart of London's medical community. This early 19th-century building was originally owned by the Earl of Gainsborough, and is now also home to several related societies who share the facilities.{{cite journal |last1=Hunting |first1=P |title=The Medical Society of London |journal=Postgraduate Medical Journal |date=10 June 2004 |volume=80 |issue=944 |pages=350–354 |doi=10.1136/pgmj.2003.017319 |pmid=15192169 |pmc=1743020 }} The library has since been purchased by the Wellcome Trust.{{cite journal|doi=10.1046/j.1365-2532.1984.140213.x|title= The Medical Society of London and its library|year= 1984|last1= Mitchell|first1= Tean|journal= Health Libraries Review|volume= 1|issue= 4|pages= 213–214}}

Lectures and awards

The Lettsomian lecture is delivered annually by a fellow of the society.

The Fothergillian gold medal,{{cite journal |last1=Booth |first1=C. C. |title=The Fothergillian medals of the Medical Society of London (John Fothergill) |journal=Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London |date=October 1981 |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages=254–258 |pmid=7033521 |pmc=5377706 |issn=0035-8819}} named in honour of physician John Fothergill, Lettsom's patron, is awarded every three years in consultation with the Royal College of Physicians (to be awarded every five years from 2010). The present prize, founded in 1824, is funded by the will of Anthony Fothergill and prior to 1888 was awarded annually. The original award, sponsored by Lettsom, was introduced in 1787 and awarded until 1803.

=Fothergill gold medal winners=

Source: Source (1787–1902):{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}

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Presidents

After the somewhat autocratic 22-year presidency of James Sims, a motion was passed in 1805 that: "No gentlemen be eligible to the office of President or Vice-president for more than two years in succession."{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

The presidents are listed below with their year of election to the position.

  • Source (1773–1902):{{cite journal |title=The Presidents of the Society|journal=Transactions of the Medical Society of London |date=1902 |volume=25 |pages=xiii-xiv |url=https://archive.org/details/transmedsoclond00londgoog/page/n18/mode/2up?q=Bristowe |access-date=24 October 2024}}

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References

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External links

  • {{Official website}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Medical associations based in the United Kingdom

Category:Organizations established in 1773

Category:Professional associations based in the United Kingdom

Category:1773 establishments in England