History
It was founded around 1899 by Sir Jonathan Hutchinson, Sir William Broadbent, and Fletcher Little, for the postgraduate training of doctors
At the time “Polyclinic” was a common name for hospitals in other countries, and there were notable Polyclinics in Rome and New York
Hutchinson donated his collection of medical specimens and drawings to the College in 1899 (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography says 1889)
He also lectured there; eugenist Caleb Saleeby was one of his students in 1901 (Oxford Dictionary of National Biography), and he edited its journal, the Polyclinic; he moved to Gower Street in 1907 to be closer to the college (biography from archive description, Royal College of Physicians)
According to Brian F. Russell’s obituary of Hutchinson in the British Journal of Dermatology, Hutchinson had hoped to amalgamate the College with a large general hospital, but “it did not prosper and had to close down” (British Journal of Dermatology, vol. 81, 1969)
It closed in 1927
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What was reforming about it?
It was the first postgraduate medical establishment in Britain
It also admitted women from 1904 (The Times, 29 March 1904)
Where in Bloomsbury
The Post Office Directory for 1902 lists it there still, as does an advertisement for the College in the Journal of Laryngology, Rhinology, and Otology in 1910
Website of current institution
It no longer exists
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Books about it
None found
Archives
Its minute-book was donated to the Royal Society of Medicine when the institution closed, and is held in their archives, ref. RSM/02; details are available online via Access to Archives (opens in new window)
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