Medical patents : a letter on the patenting of inventions in connexion with medicine / by John Chapman.

  • Chapman, John, 1821-1894.
Date:
1867
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical patents : a letter on the patenting of inventions in connexion with medicine / by John Chapman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

    12/16 (page 12)
    quality of the mental labour in these three cases so essential as to justify the doctrine you implicitly propound—viz., that whereas in the second and third case the labour should be paid for, in the first it should not ? The fact is, men who, instead of being led like sheep, think for them- selves know quite well that no such difference is discoverable. I have been informed that soon after Dr. Richardson invented his sether-spray instrument Her Majesty’s physician, Dr. Jenner, said if he were Dr. Richardson he should patent the instrument; but the inventor, fearing, it is said, lest he should be deprived of his fellowship by the Royal College of Physicians, deemed it expedient not to do so. And now, partly on the ground that he gave his invention to the public, a committee of gentlemen are asking sub- scriptions in order to present him with a substantial testimonial! How “ substantial ” will that testimonial be at best after the utmost straining to collect it ? If Dr. Richardson deserves it, as I am sure he does, who can be so properly called upon to contribute it as those who use the instrument? Moreover, they would willingly do so in the shape of part of the price paid for it; their aggregate contributions would really amount to a substantial testimonial, and Dr. Richardson would have the satisfac- tion of feeling that he was receiving money from those only whom he had directly benefited. Does it not seem, therefore, that Dr. Jenner was right, and that it would have been better for Dr. Richardson, and no worse for the world, if the opinion of Dr. Jenner had been acted upon ? Before I patented the spine-bags I consulted the President of the College of Physicians, Sir Thomas Watson, and the head of the medical department of the Privy Council, Mr. Simon, as to the propriety of doing so. I acquainted them with all the circumstances of the case ; and both these gentlemen expressed the opinion that I was justified in doing so. It may be that neither of them arrived at their conclusions by the path indicated in this letter; and it is probable, I think, that in forming their judgment on the subject, they were mainly influenced by the consideration of the peculiar circumstances of the case, and especially of the fact that I could derive no direct benefit from my discovery of the nature and means of preventing sea-sickness.* I acted on that opinion, and though, as a punishment for doing so, the Medico-Chirurgical Society denies me access to its valuable library by refusing to admit me as a member of the Society, I have at least the consolation of remembering that Sir Thomas Watson, and several other physicians scarcely less eminent than himself, deemed me worthy of being honoured by their recommendation for admission. And now, sir, I beg to ask you, in conclusion, whether you think you are contributing to the progress of medical science, the object of which is to prevent or lessen human suffering, by closing your pages against me * Mr. Simon, after expressing his opinion as stated, added that he thought the advertisement of the spine-bags ought not to be appended to my medical works. In saying so, he no doubt expressed a general feeling of the profession, having the same origin and justification as that entertained respecting “ the patenting of inventions in connexion with medicine.” The convenience of every one desirous of procuring spine- bags, in order to test or practise my therapeutical method, is consulted by giving within the covers of the books expounding that method, the indispensable information where those spine-bags may be obtained ; but medical etiquette—which, though very good, is unfortunately blind —cannot see the advantage of this proceeding, and so forbids it.