| Description | Minute book of the Aberdeen Medical Society. A summary of the contents is as follows:
1795
29 December: Cholera
President: Mr. J. Browne; Speaker: Mr. W. Smith.
1796
19 January
List of donations to the Library including Farr's 'Medical Jurisprudence'.
2 February: Diarrhoea
President: Mr. J. Browne; Speaker: Mr. Gibb
The election of the Presidents took place at this meeting.
16 February
Several honorary members were proposed with Doctors Hamilton, French and Brown all elected. [The minute of 23 February includes a transcript of the letters received from these men thanking the Society for electing them honorary members.] The price of the new edition of the laws and catalogue of the Society was also agreed with 50 copies to be distributed among the honorary, extraordinary and non-resident ordinary members.
5 April: First Dissertation: Scurvy, Mr. Driver; After Dissertation: Lithotomy, Mr. Melles.
President: Mr. Laing.
'Mr. Driver's discourse was of considerable length, and was much approved of by the Society. He began with mentioning Dr. Cullen's definition of the Scuvy, several particulars of which he pointed out as exceptionable. He next took notice of the symptoms of the disease, and adopted Lind's arrangement, by dividing them into three stages. He afterwards described the causes, both remote and proximate, the diagnosis, prognosis and methodus medendi. With regard to the proximate cause of the disease, he adopted the celebrated Dr. Beddoes' theory, which is that it depends on a diminution of the oxygen in the system'.
26 April
Donation of £10 by Dr. Livingston, Honorary President, who also proposed several gentlemen as Honorary Members, including Dr. William Saunders of London and Dr. John Taylor of Aberdeen. [Also see minute of 27 April for meeting of Committee appointed to decide how best to spend the donation. It was agreed that this should go towards the museum and library.]
6 May
Extraordinary meeting called by Dr. Livingston to request that Dr. Taylor be allowed to use the Society's room for his obstetrical lectures, which was accordingly granted.
11-13 May
Anatomical demonstration. Different members undertook the dissection and description of different parts of a dog.
21 May
List of questions asked by Committee appointed to examine Mr. McKinnon, proposed, and subsequently admitted, as an ordinary member. [Also see minute of 21 June.]
5 July: Colic
President: Mr. J. Skene; Speaker: Mr. Hayes
A debate also took place at this meeting regarding the 5th regulation of the Society regarding absence. [Also see minute of 12 July.]
26 July: Phthisis Pulmonalis, Mr. W. Smith; After dissertation: The Ear, Mr. Keith.
President: Mr. J. Skene.
'Mr. Smith in the beginning of his discourse related several of the experiments proposed by Mr. C. Darwin for distinguishing pus from mucus, and afterwards pointed out the symptoms, causes, and cure of the disease of which he treated. He also offered some observations on Hectic fever'.
16 August
Letter received from Jonathan Troup, Surgeon, donating to the Society 'radius and ulna bones found near the bay of Nigg', and also a 'metal button found in the gizzard of a hen, almost entirely rubbed down, or dissolved'.
24 August
Committee appointed to examine the funds of the Library and the Treasurer's accounts met and found them to be correct. The funds were stated as being £13.1.
20 September
Copies of letters, one written in Latin, from Dr. Browne, Principal of Marischal College and the second from Dr. William Saunders.
4 October
Election of office-bearers and copy of letter from Dr. Beattie thanking the Society for electing him an honorary member.
14 October
Dr. James Moir elected an extraordinary member. Also dispute over missing book from the Library highlighted by new Librarian Mr. Straton (also see minute of 18 October).
18 October
Mr. Benjamin Bell, Surgeon and Dr. James Hamilton, Senior Physician to the Infirmary at Edinburgh, proposed and elected as honorary members. Also copy of letter from Dr. James Moir.
1 November: Amenorrhoea, Mr. Browne; After dissertation: Simple incised wounds, Mr. Gibb.
President: Mr. Gavin
Includes copy of letter from Dr. Hamilton.
15 November: Chin-cough, Mr. Melles; After dissertation: Nutrition of the Foetus, Mr. Watt.
President: Mr. Gavin
At the end of the volume the new laws enacted during the period covered in the minute book are recorded. |