"Illustration to the Oxford Magazine, 1768, vol.1 facing p.52, satirizing the dispute between the licentiates and fellows of the College of Physicians. Licentiates, mostly dressed in tartan and so identified as Scots, break through a door into a room in the College. At a table on the right, a group of fellows presided over by Death (a skeleton in official robes and wig) recoil, crying, ""These Northern Locusts want to Govern every where", "My fingers itch to be at them", "D[a]m their Scots Pills! they have ruin'd the Constituion of England" and "They pretend to cure the Kings Evil". The attackers are led by a licentiate in a zany's dress and jack-boots (a reference to Lord Bute) holding a shield and flail; he is followed by another man, who holds a large pair of shears; others flourish a pestle, a dagger and a club. In the foreground a Scot directs a clyster at one of the fellows hitting him in the mouth with a jet of liquid. A fellow has pushed a licentiate to the ground and is pouring the contents of a urinal into his throat. On the floor lies an enormous urinal, pillboxes and medicne bottle, and a soldier's haversack, labelled, "St Georges Composing Pills prepared by Dr Gillam." ( a reference to the magistrate who ordered soldiers to fire on the crowd gathered in St George's Fields in support of John Wilkes on 10 May 1768)."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Battle between the fellows & licenciates and Battle between the fellows and licenciates
Description:
Title from text above and below image., Publication place and date inferred from that of the magazine for which this plate was engraved., Publication date in British Museum catalogue: Sept. 23, 1767, based on the date of events satirized by this print., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Plate from: The Oxford magazine, or, Universal museum ... London : Printed for the authors, v. 1 (1768), page 52., and Temporary local subject terms: Reference to the events of 23 September 1767 -- Fellows -- Licenciates -- Zanies -- Clyster pipe -- Reference to riot at St. George's Fields, May 10, 1768 -- Reference to Lord Bute -- Reference to Justice Samuel Gillam, fl. 1768.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Name):
Royal College of Physicians of London. and Royal College of Physicians of London,
Subject (Topic):
Butchers, Interiors, Medical education, Medical equipment & supplies, Pharmacists, Physicians, Riots, Skeletons, and Tailors