Medical practitioners. The term is applied to physicians and surgeons. By s. 32 of the (English) Medical Act, 1858, only a registered medical practitioner can sue for his charges, and by s. 6 of the (English) Medical Act, 1886, a fellow of a College of Physicians may be prohibited by bye-law of the College from suing; and such bye-law has been passed. It is an offence for any person falsely to pretend that he holds a medical or surgical qualification (s. 40, Act of 1858), but it is not an offence merely to practise surgery or medicine, see Whitwell v. Shakerly, (1932) 147 LT 157 (bone-setter, osteopathic physician and surgeon). The registration of medical men in controlled by the Medical Council. See GENERAL COUNCIL, and Medical Acts of 1858, 1859, 1860, 1876, 1886 and 1905. The College of Physicians, with other bodies, was empowered to grant qualifications of registration to women by the Medical Act, 1876 ('Russell Gurney's Act'). See also APOTHECARIES.
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