23.7. 1993 Vitoria-Gasteiz / Spain - World Federation of Music Therapy

travelling healers. Many of which were incompetent and
dangerous, but many of whom were on a par with the
doctors. The Apothocaries, who to date had been
content to manufacture and dispense tho medicines
prescribed by the doctors, were also beginning to
diagnose and great clients on their own. Many were
becoming very skilled and were reapected in their own
right (Donnison 1977 cited in Larkin 1983). This
represented quite a threat for British medicine not only
was their privileged position in the healing profession
being eroded, but they were rapidly loosing a market in
the form of the new expanding middle classes. In
reaction to this situation representatives of the medical
profession petitioned the government and exerted their
class based political power to promote legal
intervention. In 1885 parliament passed the , Medicine
Act. This legislation established a system of medical
registration controlled by a medical body, the General
1270
Medical Council . This eliminated medical
apprenticeship and the use of unqualified assistants. It
also gave the medical profession the ability to
determine who could practice medicine. Initially this
resulted in the acceptance or mostly rejection of
different groups of healers. In effect this established for
the Medics an occupational monopoly; a heirachy of
healthcare with medicine firmly in control at the top
(Larkin 1989).
The efficiency with which the Medics achieved such a
powerful and enviable position appears to have greatly
impressed the other healthcare occupations. Many,
seeking to solve status insecurities (Green 1991a) or
wishing to achieve more autonomy and better
renumeration (Bruscia 1989), appear see it as a goal of
grail like proportions. Yet the importance attached to