Guild of Barber-Surgeons

The Compleat Ankh-Morpork notes that this is one of the older city Guilds, with an exclusively male membership. Apprenticeships are long and involve sandwich courses spent at both the Guild of Embalmers and Allied Trades and at a local hairdresser. (But, strangely, not at a hospital or with a doctor.) In conjunction with the Guild of Lawyers, the Barber-Surgeons offer a comprehensive indemnity insurance against those little accidents where a patient is, unavoidably, lost, and grieving relatives who cannot see clearly for tears might seek to bring malpractice suits.

They are based on Ettercap Street, and currently spent a large amount of time campaigning against the Igors and Igorinas who they rightly perceive are taking their trade away. The guild maintains an excellent museum which is open to the public, but it is advised not to visit after a meal. The current Senior Surgeon is Mr. Gullet.

The Guild publishes a diagnostic manual for those interesting ailments called Household Medicine, Hair-Care and Simple Surgery. This is available via Gotbergers' publishing house and retails at $AM2.00 per copy.