A letter to the members of the society for relieving the widows and orphans of medical men, in London and its vicinity. / By James Ware, Surgeon, F.R.S. Published by Order of the Court of Directors.

  • Ware, James, 1756-1815.
Date:
1810
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A letter to the members of the society for relieving the widows and orphans of medical men, in London and its vicinity. / By James Ware, Surgeon, F.R.S. Published by Order of the Court of Directors. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    It Such examples ought surely to put us on our guard : and we have the authority of Mr. Mor¬ gan, the Actuary to the Equitable Assurance Office, to say, that Cf the increasing funds of a ee society like ours, for the first 20 or 30 years a of its existence, afford no proof of its stabi- (£ Jity. If new members are continually ad- cc mitted as old ones drop off, the number of u widows will not arrive at its maximum in less (C than 70 or 80 years; so that its funds ought e( to increase during the whole of this term in a order to make it secure.” 50 years, finding the burden of the annuities too heavy, and likely to go on increasing, they were obliged to drop the scheme and to stop payment. Dr. Price makes the following remark on the failure of this scheme :—“ It is ** in vain to form such establishments with the expecta- il tion of seeing their fate determined soon by experience. 44 If not more extravagant than any ignorance can well ** make them, they will go on prosperously for 20 or 30 “ years;; and, if at all tolerable, they may support them- ** selves for 40 or 50 years; and at last end in distress 14 and ruin. No experiments, therefore, of this sort 44 should be tried hastily. All inadequate schemes lay 44 the foundation of present relief on future calamity, and 44 afford assistance to a few, by disappointing and oppress- 44 ing m^l^tUudesJ’, Page 106.