Third report of the Committee of the Convention of Poor-Law Medical Officers.

  • Convention of Poor Law Medical Officers.
Date:
1850
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Third report of the Committee of the Convention of Poor-Law Medical Officers. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    Iioard to engage medical officers without private practice for the service of the poor, could not without much difficulty be successfully applied to rural districts. The plan of engaging a class of gentlemen for exclusive attendance on the poor is of such very questionable advantage, that the Poor-law Relief Committee reporting to the House of Commons in August, 1838, said “ They felt it to be most important that the poor should be perfectly satisfied with their medical attendants, and with this view it appears to be desirable, as indeed is almost always the case, that the care of the poor should he confided to the same person who is in the habit of visiting their richer neighbours. Such an arrangement as that attempted to be carried out by the Poor-law Board will only work well for the public or for the profession when the duties of Union surgeons shall be blended with those of Officers of Health, under the control of the General Board of Health, or some other authority, independent of the guardians and Poor-law Board, and adequately paid for by the State, 4th. That as the public are more convinced than formerly of the false position in which the Union surgeon is placed, they will be satisfied that it is their duty to provide adequate remuneration and better regulations for the prevention as well as for the cure of disease among the poor. Such provisions are due from the State on the score of justice, humanity, and sound economy. As their past efforts promise some beneficial results, the Committee are somewhat reluctant to recommend the dis- persing of an Association, which was considered as owing its very birth to the existence of great, perhaps insuperable difficulties. They, how’ever, desire to leave their future course, or even existence, in the hands of their constituents, regretting only that they have not been able to accomplish more; and they express a readiness to continue or rather to extend operations, if the body of Union surgeous will pledge a more uniform co-operation. THOMAS HODGKIN, M.D., Chairman. CHARLES F. J. LORD, Hon. Secretary.