Looking back: Lectures, branches and lawsuits
The first in a series of articles looking back at what was happening in the profession on a given date. Here, our Curator of Archives, Sue Hardiman, looks at what was current and what was being discussed exactly one hundred years ago this month.
This particular edition opens with a transcript of a lecture delivered by Norman Lake on 20 July regarding Common Deformities of the Feet. In this he covered: congenital deformities, acquired deformities, spinal defects, paralysis and thoughts on what a chiropodist can do to help in these situations. Additionally, there was a transcript of a lecture delivered at the half-yearly convention by dermatologist Dr J M Macleod on Cornification and its Anomalies.
This edition also included:
The editorial, in which the President (J Dixon-Payne, pictured left) discusses the half-yearly convention held on 4 October at the Society HQ at Charlotte Street and he states that:
‘these gatherings shall be made periodical events, as they must result in bringing about a better understanding between Members and Headquarters, and consequently a due appreciation of what the Society is doing in their interests.’
- A report on the conference by Society member, H A Austin. In this he praises a lecture given by Ernest Runting and advocates the need for a mechanism whereby members are able to ask more questions of the Society. When he put this to Runting, it was suggested that members form a kind of rotary circle in their own districts, to which Austin readily agreed and volunteered to set up one in his home county of Kent.
- Carrying on with the branch theme, a letter to the editor from Helen Howes (Secretary of the newly formed East Anglia Branch) took a light-hearted look at organising their branch meetings. Helen comments
‘The underlying feeling prompting the meeting was the sense of "separateness" felt by members too far away from London to keep in touch with the main body. We knew there was a main body—very much alive. We knew we were live members of it, but we couldn't feel that we were. Being irritated by loneliness we were stimulated to action and establishing a nerve centre in Norwich we there recorded our impressions upon one another, transmitting them to the brain in London in this form’
- Finally, there was a report on legal proceedings regarding the wrongful use of the society’s name:
‘The Incorporated Society of Chiropody Society of Chiropodists are seeking against the defendant, Alfred Simon Lam, a declaration that he has ceased to be a member of that Society with the various consequences of such cessor that he is not entitled to use after his name the letters M.I.S.Ch., or any other letters calculated to convey the meaning that he is a member of the plaintiff society; also a declaration that he is not entitled to exhibit or use a certificate of membership, and an injunction to carry the declaration into effect and an order directing him to deliver up the certificate of membership of the Society.’
The Presiding Judge (Mr Justice Branson) ruled in favour of the Incorporated Society and the report concluded that:
‘The successful result of this action is of extreme importance inasmuch as the claims of the Society have been upheld. Moreover, it shows that, in cases where it is at all possible, Council does not hesitate to safeguard members' interests. It is hoped that this action will make it clear to all and sundry that no intentional infringement of rules will be permitted, in justice to the Society, its aims and aspirations, and for the due protection of the public.’
Find out more
- Dr J M MacLeod, a guest speaker at the 1924 Convention, was a leading dermatologist of the time. His obituary in the British Journal of Dermatology, said that 'Of those famous dermatologists of that neo-Georgian period, none should stand higher than MacLeod as a clinician, student, writer and as a personality. The gap he leaves in British Dermatology will not easily be filled."
See the full obituary here - Mr Justice Branson, the Presiding Judge in the case of the wrongful use of the Society's name, was a Commercial Court Judge and served for nearly two decades. He was also the paternal grandfather of Richard Branson!
Find out more here - Leading image is from The Chiropodist of the 1924 dinner at Frascati's with President Dixon-Payne standing at the top table.