| Description | Minute book of the Aberdeen Medical Society. A summary of the contents is as follows:
1796
22 November: Tetanus
President: Mr. Anderson; Speaker: Mr. Straton
It was agreed that members should now pay one shilling over and above the 10 shillings 6 pence specified in the laws.
29 November: Aneurism, with after discourse on the pulse.
6 December: Dysentery; after discourse: Phymosis and Paraphymosis. [Sometimes spelt phimosis.]
13 December: Chincough; after discourse: toothache.
20 December: Measles; after discourse: Erysipelas.
It is noted that Reverend Smith and James McGrigor attended this meeting. A number of books were also presented to the Society including 'Sharp's Surgery', 'Memoirs of the Royal Academy at Paris' and 'Fordyce on the Venereal Disease'.
27 December: New Librarian elected.
1797
3 January: 'The influence of music on the human mind'.
14 January: Examination of George Alexander, proposed as ordinary member. [Also see minutes of 18 March and 22 April.]
7 February: Rheumatism; after dissertation: 'De Camphora'.
28 February: Dropsy; 'The after dissertation contained a few remarks on some diseases peculiar to Infancy'.
A letter from McGrigor was read to the Society informing them that he had written to Mr. Rose regarding anatomical preparations. He also proposed Thomas Ross, apothecary of hospitals to the army in the Leeward Islands and Mr. John Ewen, merchant, as extraordinary members, and noted that Professor Ogilvie, King's College, should be made an honorary member. [See minute of 21 March for copies of replies.]
27 March: Scurvy; after dissertation: Burns.
'The weekly meeting was held this day on account of Tuesday being a day of fasting'. Includes copy of letter from George Rose, London: 'I was favoured with your letter of Feby. 6th requesting me in the name of the Aberdeen Medical Society, to purchase for them a blood vessel subject, if the price of it did not exceed ten pounds. I have made some enquiries, but can find none at present to be sold...I am persuaded that a subject now and then might be procured at Aberdeen, and much knowledge might be acquired if the inspection of bodies at the Hospital was more attended to...'.
18 April: Angina Maligna; after discourse: Emetics (read in Latin).
2 May: It was agreed at this meeting that second dissertations should not be confined to the Materia Medica and surgical subjects but should also include physiology and pathology.
9 May: Election of Librarian.
23 May: Election of Treasurer.
30 May: Note of letter from McGrigor informing the Society of books collected by the London members which will be sent as soon as possible and requesting twelve catalogues to be sent to him.
20 June: 1st dissertation: Rheumatism, Mr. Anderson; 2nd dissertation: Fistula Lachrymalis, Mr. McCaskill.
President: Mr. Keith.
11 July: 1st dissertation: Ophthalmia; 2nd dissertation: 'some observations on the management of children'.
8 August: Jaundice; Second discourse: Cynanche Tonsillaris.
12 September: 1st dissertation: Hydrophobia; 2nd dissertation: Cancerous Mammae.
'Mr. McKaulay's dissertation on Cancerous Mammae was worthy of applaus!!! [sic]. The paper, contained the history of the disease in its scirrhous state, and gave an account of the operation for the extirpation of the tumor'.
3 October: Annual election of office bearers.
10 October: Phthisis Pulmonalis; Operation of trepanning.
21 October: Examination of James Nimmo and George Elphinstone, proposed as ordinary members.
24 October: Copy of letter from McGrigor, sent from Jersey and dated 12 October 1797: 'I sometime ago wrote a first letter, and am now writing a second to the Army Medical Board, London regarding the contagious fever which appeared among the 88 Regt. in this island and when opportunity occurs I shall send copies of them to the Society...'. Also includes list of books sent from London with donors names.
14 November: Puerperal Fever; Aneurism.
28 November: Dyspepsia; Luxation.
[The minute ends midway through a sentence. It appears that some pages have been removed from the end of the volume.]
At the end of the volume there is a note of the new laws enacted. |