Short statement of the proceedings of a drawing-room meeting : held at 4, St. James' Square, by the kind permission of Earl and Countess Cowper, on Thursday, March 27th, 1884, called for the purpose of considering a proposal to found a Convalescent Hospital and Home of Rest for the poor and working classes of London.

Date:
[1884]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Short statement of the proceedings of a drawing-room meeting : held at 4, St. James' Square, by the kind permission of Earl and Countess Cowper, on Thursday, March 27th, 1884, called for the purpose of considering a proposal to found a Convalescent Hospital and Home of Rest for the poor and working classes of London. 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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    II. Again, it may be said, would it not be better to increase i^) Wliy the accommodation of existing liomes rather than create a new not enlarge one? The chief argument advanced will be the saving of expense ^homef in management. We have therefore to consider what institutions rather than exist offering the machinery at all corresponding to the wants found a of our case, and it is found that there are only four such : The Metropolitan Asylum, at Walton; Mrs. Gladstone's Home, at Woodford; All Saints' Convalescent Home, at Eastbourne; and the Seaford Institution. Now taking them as they stand, with regard to locality, objects, and individual characteristics, in no instance does it appear possible or practicable to carry out such an arrangement. (1) In all cases {Woodford excepted) the dista?tce from Zonc/on would present an insuperable difficulty with regard to the larger proportion of convalescents still needing medical and surgical aid, nor do these instihitions provide for such cases. Further, on the ground of expensive fares they are practically beyond the reach of many. (2) Tv/o of them, the Metropolitan Asylum and the East- bourne Home, have already 300 beds, and to add to them to the extent we propose would, according to general experience, be deemed most undesirable, if not impractical. (3) It is obvious that those who raise the money for the large provision proposed must naturally be responsible for the administrations of the funds, and to hand this responsibility over to the independent control of another body, seems to present most serious difficulties. (4) In carrying out a new scheme, special regulations would be necessary for its effectual working, and the adaption of such regulations to the existing rules and constitutions of long founded institutions would be found next to impossible. Before leaving this subject it may be remarked that precisely the same argument was used against the foundation of a new institution for Hertfordshire. The objection was met by a careful enquiry into the possibilities of such an amalgamation, and it proved to be both impracticable and undesirable. An independent scheme was therefore carried out, and its very inde- pendence created a wider interest and stimulated a generosity which has resulted in the completion of a work upon which a capital sum of nearly 12,000 has been spent, and is now maintained by an annual income of^1,700, inclusive of patients' payments. III. This may be also another objection : Is it not a fact that -pj^g^^j^t at present many hospitals and kindred charities are suffering of funds from a lack of funds, is it wise then to create another claim among cer- upon public benevolence ? tain In answer, it may be accurately represented that, with regard chanties, to four or five of the larger hospitals, reported to be in an impecunious position, their want of funds, is owing in a great