The Express.
London, England, 1866-07-17 00:00:00

POOR-LAW MEDICAL OFFICERS.

Last night a meeting of the metropolitan poor-
law medical officers was held in the Council-room of the
Medical Benevolent College, Soho-square, far the penreti-"
of organising an association to promote their claims, and
that of the ilk& poor to more generous consideration at
the hands of the public ; Dr. Rodgers, medical officer of
the Strand Unlit', in the chair. Amongst those present
were Dr. Rodgers_ , Dr. Dudfield, Mr. Regime pa=
Hudson, Mr. Godrieh, Dr. Cotton, Mr. L. M.
Mr. French, he. Dr. Midfield, the hon. secretary, read •
statement of what had been done since the Sart meeting
of the emaciation. An address, setting forth the objects
of the aminiation, bad been forwarded to all the poor-law
medical caws of the metropolitan district, and had been
answered by many of those gentlemen, and se-
veral of them, both union and district medical
officers, had become members of the association.
Dr. Rodgers stated the objects of the association,
which were to procure better treatment of the sick poor and
to rise the scale of salaries of the medical officers. But
though one of these objects was the latter, he hoped
they would sink that in comparison to the former. (Hear,
hear.) They were engaged in the noblest work they could
be engaged in ; they were men of education and devoted I.
their work. (Hear, hear.) What, therefore, they should
ask for was increased mesas of doing their duty to the sick
poor. The amount of their salary which was admitted
by Mr. Funall, the Poor-law Inspector, to be quite
inadequate, they would leave to the appieciation
of the public. The revelations which bad been
made respecting the treatment of the sick poor in work-
houses excited a strong public feeling on this subject.
The poor law medical officers were not responsible far
that treatment; on the contrary, they did what they could
to obtain more liberal treatment of the sick poor. (Hear,
hear.) He thought that one of their objects should be
to get the medicines for the poor at the expense of
the state, or rather of the Poor-law Board. He was glad
to find that this recommendationhad the support of Mr.
Parnell. The objects of the association were to obtain for
the sick poor chargeable to the state the same treatment
awes enjoyed by the sick poor in hospitals and kindred in-
stitutions, to obtain life appointments for all poor lawmedical
officers, and entire, instead of partial, payment of salaries
from the consolidated fund, and thus to secure due recog-
nition of their position as state servants, and greater free-
dom and independence of action; to provide • buts for
consultation and united action in all oases of difficulty arising
out of the nature and in the discharge of their duties ; to
obtain an authoritative decision on all disputed questions
relative to duties and extra medical fees ; to obtain from
the local authorities provision of all medicines and appli-
ances prescribed for the sick poor, and the appointing and
payment of proper dispensers ; to address representations
to the Poor-law Board, and generally to provide
a channel through which all defects in the poor-law
medical service might be brought to light. ThAT:eibects
and rules of the society were discussed and to.
Portions of the report of Mr. H. B. Parnell, L. 8., the
Metropolitan Poor-law Inspector, rrlating to the duties,
&c., of the workhouse medical officers, having been read,
together with his recommendations for the amelioration of
their position, it was unanimously resolved " That this
meeting representing the Poor-law medical officers of the
metrosolitan &Istria, cannot separate without recording
theirdeep sense of gratification inspired by his generous
appreciation of their services." A vote of thanks to the
council of the Royal Medical Benevolent College for the
use of their room terminated the proceedings.

NORTH &sm. ELECTION.—The election to su
ply the vacancy occasioned by the appointment of Mr. C.
Dn Cane as a Lord of the Admiralty, took place yesterday
in a field near Braintree, the high sheriff of the county
presiding as returning officer. Mr. C. G. Round proposed,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Brice wended, the re-election eg
Mr. Du Cane. There was not a very large crowd assembled,
but the population°, Braintree having notoriously liberal
proclivities, both Mr. Reim(' and the gallant colonel were
frequently interrupted, and in a not very complimentary
fashion. No other candidate was, however, proposed, and
the high sheriff accordingly declared Mr. Du Cane duly
elected. Mr. Du Cane returned thanks in a speech of con-
'adorable length, in the course of which he declined to give
any pledge on the subject of reform, and contended that
as the new government had office, as it were, thrust upon
them, they were entitled to a fair and impartial considers-
tion. The hon. gentleman was subjected to considerable
banter and raillery from some of his bearers. The natal
compliment to the returning officer closed the proceedings.
STRIKE AND LOCK-OUT OF IRONWORKERS IN THS
NORTll.—Yesterday morning the ironworks in the north,
including Middlesborough, Darlington, and Stockton,
and the district of Cleveland generally, as well as other
large works in Durham and Northumberland, were closed
with very few exceptions. The ironmasters at their as-
I sociation meeting had determined in consequence of the
depression in the trade to make a general reduction of
wages of 10 per cent. From tabular statements prepared
at the works it appears that by the rise which took piece
within the present year wages were advanced 17} to 20,
and even in some cases 40 per cent. Taking into account
these rises and the present rates, the average profits at
I the various works it is alleged have been reduced
to the extent of 75 per cent. The men state
that the price of manufactured iron in the
Aperient has increased, and that the masters are
I ac contrary to an arrangement come to whereby it was
agreed
that
wages should rise or fall according
to the market value of the manufactured material
It was pretty well understood before that they
would resist the reduction, and this course was confirmed
by telegraphic molasses received on Saturday from the
delegate meeting at Glasgow. By this strike thousands of
men receiving large wages, the ironworkers proper getting
on an average 2/. 10e. to 3/. per week, and even more, will
be thrown out of employment to the great disarrangement
of trade and the impoverishment of themselves and families
and many of the other trades in the district in which
they reside. The masters generally are short of orders,
and it is said can bear the interruption of their trade
better than at any period within several years past.
SWIMMING MATCH. —A swimming match for 251.
a side took place yesterday morning in the Serpentine,
the distance being 1,000 yards, from the eastern end to
Senzington-bridge, the competitors being David Pmaplin
and Henry Coulter. Coulter is the captain of the Serpen-
tine Club, and has won one of Sir M illiam Fraper's gold
I medals (an annual prise), with numerous other prizes, but
he wasbeaten last summer by Henry Garr, champion
' swimmer of England, who is the captainof the London
' Swimming Club. Pamplin has been the winner of several
priors, and last year won the London Swimming Club gold
medal, having beaten, in 1864, several first-rate amateurs
in the Thames for a valuable silver cup. He is consi-
dered the next best swimmer in the London Club
to Henry Garr, and this match derived additional
interest from a strongly entertained belief that
whoever should win would try conclusions with
Gurr. There were many thousands of people on the banks.
, At 7.10 the competitors took up their position,. both being
in splendid condition. Mr. Walters was umpire for Pain-
! plin, Mr. Bullet for Coulter, and Mr. Letey, the bon. sec-
retary of the louden Swimming Club, was sterter and
referee. They took the water at the same moment on the
word " off," Painplin rising first to the surface. They were
liteeslly " nose and nose" to the first boat-Meuse. but be-
tween shies and the Humane Society's Receiving House,
Coulter spurted, and led by a yard. Within a hundred
yards further on Pamplin, the " young-un," was up with
him, and in the same distance was his own length e.-head,
and won a splendid rem by four yards, the time being
18 min. 2} sec. There was a question raised by Coulter's
itemize, but the referee at once decided against him, and
the reporter, who was in the UM boat, fully supports hie
' decision. Coulter was very much more distressed than
his tommyrot, bet after a few minutes and some brandy
the recovered. Mr. Williams of the Humane Society,
was, as usual in such eases, in official attendants in ewe
of need.
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