It was further agreed that the Honorary Medical Staff consist of two Physicians and two Surgeons, to be elected by ballot at a special meeting for that purpose to be held on the 15th July. A special convocation of Governors was held on the 30th June, when it wasfinallydecided to have six Medical Officers, i.e., three Physicians and three Surgeons; and "all gentlemen declared to be legally qualified medical practitioners by the Port Phillip or Sydney Medical Boards, were to be deemed eligible as candidates." ThisfirstMedical Election, as many have since, occasioned aflutterof excitement, and the newspapers considered the event to be one of sufficient importance to justify the publication of a list of the qualified voters, i.e., Life and Annual Governors w h o had paid £ 2 at one time. S o m e of the £ 1 subscribers wished to make up the difference and so qualify, but this would not be permitted. It was agreed that all persons paying in £ 2 before the opening of the Hospital, should rank as Governors for the current year, and anyone who had contributed £ 2 to the " Old P m n d " was declared an Annual Governor for the same time. Medical candidates' addresses poured into the morning papers, but one gentleman (Dr. Wilkie), retired from the field in high dudgeon, in consequence of the low standard of the qualification. The Institution, nevertheless, survived his desertion of it, and it was fortunate, moreover, in obtaining amongst the six members of its staff,fivegentlemen ofthe highest professional repute in the Province. THE FIRST MEDICAL STAFF.
The election of Medical Officers was accordingly held on the 15th July, 1847, presided over by the Mayor (Mr. Moor), and notyvithstanding all the money spent in advertising and other ways, it was a walkover. T h e following were the candidates:— HONORARY PHYSICIANS :
Dr. E. C. Hobson, proposed by Captain Cole, seconded by Mr. E. Westby. Dr. Arthur O'Mullane, proposed by Captain Howey, seconded by Mr. W . Kerr. Dr. Godfrey Howitt, proposed by Mr. G. A. Gilbert, seconded by Major Davidson. HONORARY SURGEONS:
Mr. A. F. A. Greeves, proposed by Mr. Robert Langlands, seconded by Mr. J. S. J ohnston. Mr. David J. Thomas, proposed by Mr. R. W . Pohlman, seconded by Mr. J. Croke. Mr. W . H . Campbell, proposed by Mr. G. A. Gilbert, seconded by Mr. R. A. Balbirnie. They were all declared duly elected. Dr. Hobson died before entering on his duties, and Dr. W . B. Wilmot (the Coroner) was elected his successor without opposition. The rule settling the qualifications of the Honorary Medical Officers, was not satisfactory to the profession, and at a special meeting of Governors, in September, it was altered so as to read-"That all persons shall be eligible for the offices of Physician or Surgeon respectively, to this Hospital, who shall hold a Physician's or Surgeon's diploma from some university or college of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, or from any foreign university or academical body empowered to grant medical degrees." A Mr. George Wilson was appointed Dispenser, and Mrs. Jones (the widow of a Clerk of Petty Sessions at Mount Macedon, since accidentally drowned while crossing a flooded creek), received the office of Matron. Sufficient funds were still not to be easily procured, and in February, l 8 4 8 , Messrs. Tames Ballingall and Wilbam OFarrell two well-known and popular Corporation rate-collectors, m a d e a'begging raid on the town, and netted ^ 2 2 5 , a welcome acquisition to the Hospital Fund. THE HOSPITAL OPENED.
for th. tVength thG l0ng^00ked-f0r Charity «• Pronounced to be in working order in March, !848 , and reCipi6ntS f u b l i creliefthere c ATMrT uZZr^T WT-II• 01° puDiic relief of V tHe ^^'^'picuii, P > I « * ^ e b t e d to the courtesy of Mr. James Williams, the indefatigable R*r.™f«„ Secretary ~r of n.„ the T_..:.... Institution in ii ._ • '„
