Parody coat of arms of a united company of surgeons and barbers. Drawing (?) by John Marshall, 1798.

A comment on the disputes arising from the attempt of some London surgeons to turn the Corporation of Surgeons of London (which had lapsed in 1796, having been created in 1745 out of secession from the Company of Barber Surgeons) into a College of Surgeons. For a summary of the dispute see British Museum, Catalogue of political and personal satires, vol. VII, London 1942, no. 9092, and for a parody coat of arms from the opposite viewpoint, ibid. no. 9193. Lord Thurlow savagely attacked the proposal for the College in the House of Lords in 1797 and is therefore represented here as a supporter of the old corporation of barbers and surgeons. The supporter on the other side is presumably the surgeon John Gunning, who opposed Thurlow's views. According to the Dictionary of national biography, Thurlow having said, "There's no more science in surgery than in butchery", Gunning had retorted, "Then, my lord, I heartily pray that your lordship may break your leg, and have only a butcher to set it"

On the sinister side of the coat of arms are surgical instruments, and on the dexter side are barber's instruments. The supporters are wigstands

1798

1 drawing : watercolour and pen and ink on paper cutouts laid down on millboard ; image and border 33 x 23 cm

Societatem in unum corpus formare chirurgorum et tonsoribus Londini. Johannes Marshall chirurgus fecit 1798 The lettering below means "To form into one body the society of surgeons and for [sic] barbers of London. John Marshall surgeon made [this] 1798". The head on the top of the left wigstand bears the legend "G-nn-ng" (for Gunning) and the head on top of the right wigstand bears the legend "Th-rl-w" (Thurlow) Beneath the coat of arms is the motto "Artes quæ prosunt omnibus tonsoribus Londini" (arts which benefit all the barbers of London)

Wellcome Collection 548441i