The London poor and their medical needs / by Conrad W. Thies.

  • Thies, Conrad W.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The London poor and their medical needs / by Conrad W. Thies. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    patients treated by the Voluntary Medical Charities, in the light of the information furnished by Mr. Booth, I have come to the conclusion that the accomodation provided is quite sufficient if fully utilised, but is not excessive. If it is true that about one-third of the entire population of London are comprised in the “ poverty classes,” that is are subsisting on weekly earnings of less than 21s. for a family, and that often irregularly paid, out of which pittance from 4s. to 7s. must be paid for rent, it is quite evident such people must be ill-nourished and poorly clad, living from hand to mouth, sometimes suffering, sometimes helped by charitable doles ; and it needs no argument to prove that they cannot make any provision against “hard times,*' and are not in a position to pay for medical treatment. It is most desirable, from the public point of view, that the workers should be afforded every facility for the recovery of health as quickly as possible, and it is impossible for them to receive proper treatment and nursing in their crowded houses. While these remarks refer mainly to the people comprised in Mr. Booth’s “ poverty classes,” I would point out that the working classes,” who make up rather more than one- half of the entire population, also feel very keenly the pinch caused by sickness ; and, indeed, it is from these classes that a very large proportion of the patients of the voluntary hospitals are drawn. Persons earning from 21s. to 50a. per week for a family, while able to pay their way under ordinary circumstances, have not much margin left for making pro¬ vision against a rainy day, and are little able to bear the extra expenses necessitated by illness, especially when it is the bread winner who is thus laid aside, and the weekly wages are not forthcoming. The wage limit of 25s. per week for a family has been generally agreed upon in all attempts which have been made to prevent abuse of our medical charities, persons in receipt of less than that sum being considered fit and proper persons for free treatment. Under this wage limit, therefore, all the 1,292,737 comprised in Mr. Booth’s “ poverty classes ” are eligible for free medical relief, and, in addition, a considerable proportion of the 2,166,503 included in the ** working classes.” I would ask your attention to another important aspect of this question, which is suggested by the foregoing summary of hospital accommodation in London. I refer to the enor¬ mous development which has taken place during the past twenty-five years of the hospitals, infirmaries, and asylums which are supported out of the public funds.