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Beyond Professional Self-Interest: Medical Ethics and the Disciplinary Function of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, 1858-1914

Maehle, Andreas-Holger

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Abstract

Traditional historiography tends to draw a negative picture of British doctors’ ethics during the long nineteenth century. The medical professional ethics of this period have been described as self-serving and as a tool to monopolise the health care market. In this paper I attempt to challenge this rather one-sided view by looking into evidence for the practice of medical ethics, not just its normative texts. Focusing on the disciplinary function of the General Medical Council and discussing a variety of its cases, from fraudulent registration, sexual misconduct and breach of confidence to negligence, covering unqualified assistants and advertising, I argue that nineteenth-century medical ethics aimed at supporting the interests of patients and of the public at large as well as the reputation of the profession.

Citation

Maehle, A. (2020). Beyond Professional Self-Interest: Medical Ethics and the Disciplinary Function of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, 1858-1914. Social History of Medicine, 33(1), 41-56. https://doi.org/10.1093/shm/hky072

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jul 19, 2018
Online Publication Date Aug 17, 2018
Publication Date Feb 28, 2020
Deposit Date Jul 20, 2018
Publicly Available Date Aug 17, 2020
Journal Social History of Medicine
Print ISSN 0951-631X
Electronic ISSN 1477-4666
Publisher Oxford University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 33
Issue 1
Pages 41-56
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/shm/hky072

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Copyright Statement
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Social History Of Medicine following peer review. The version of record Maehle, Andreas-Holger (2020). Beyond Professional Self-Interest: Medical Ethics and the Disciplinary Function of the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom, 1858-1914. Social History of Medicine 33(1): 41-56is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/shm/hky072





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