Formation | 1773 |
---|---|
Founder | Dr Andrew Duncan, and others |
Type | Medical dining club |
Purpose | To encourage convivial relations between Fellows of the two medical Royal Colleges in Edinburgh |
Location |
The Aesculapian Club of Edinburgh is one of the oldest medical dining clubs in the world. It was founded in April 1773 by Dr. Andrew Duncan.[1][2][3] Membership of the club is limited to 11 Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and 11 Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. 'Extraordinary Membership' is given to members aged over 70 years. The club was established during the Scottish Enlightenment to encourage convivial relations between Fellows of the two Colleges and to stimulate intellectual discussion. The Club dinners are held in the New Library of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh on the 2nd Friday of March and October each year.[4] The principal guest at each dinner is invited to give a short talk on a non-medical subject and this is followed by a round-table discussion.[4][5]