Royal College of Surgeons of England

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an independent professional bodycommitted to promoting and advancing the highest standards of surgicalcare for patients, regulating surgery, including dentistry, in Englandand Wales. The society's headquarters are at Lincoln's Inn Fieldsin London.

History

The origins of the College lie in the union in 1540by Henry VIII of Englandof the Worshipful Company of Barbers(incorporated 1462) and the Guild of Surgeons to form the Company of Barber-Surgeons. In 1745the surgeons broke away from the barbersto form the Company of Surgeons. In 1800the Company was granted a Royal Charterto become the Royal College of Surgeons in London. A further charter in 1843granted it the present title of the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Fellows

Original 300 Fellows of The Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS).

• John Abernethy (surgeon)(1764-1831)
• John Badley (surgeon)(1783-1870)

Buildings

The Company of Surgeons moved from Surgeon's Hall in Old Baileyto a site at 41 Lincoln's Inn Fieldsin 1797. Construction of the first College building, to a design by George Dance the Youngerand James Lewis, took from 1805to 1813. Before long, a survey by Sir John Soaneuncovered structural defects. In 1833Sir Charles Barrywon the public competition to design a replacement. The library and portico of this building are all that remain today after a German incendiary bomb hit the College in 1941.

Hunterian and Wellcome Museums

In 1799the government purchased the collection of John Hunterwhich they presented to the College. This formed the basis of the Hunterian Collection, which has since been supplemented by others including an OdontologicalCollection and the natural historycollections of Richard Owen. Many specimens were destroyed by the 1941 bomb. As well as the Hunterian Museum, the College houses the Wellcome Museum of Anatomy and Pathology. The College museums reopened in February 2005after a major refurbishment. The Hunterian Museum is open to the public without charge, but the Wellcome Museum is only open to medical practitioners and students.

There is another and better known institution called the Hunterian Museumin Glasgow. It was founded out of a bequest by John Hunter's brother William.

See also

• Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

External link

• Official website

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal+College+of+Surgeons+of+England Wikipedia article Royal College of Surgeons of England.