The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-06-09 00:00:00

ON Tlll BEsT MEANS DV KENDE:KIND
CHARITABLE INSTITITWA'N AVAILABLE.
'IIII riga?.
TO THE I'IIIIteDWAIIIIENS AND OVI:RsEEns
THE POOIt IN AND MAU LONDON.

l'rtti the Grutl.lltiitt's Altago-..iffr.l
It las &TUrrili to tne that the laws and relulations of
Elie numerous public its titwions with which this vast me-
tropolis abounds, for the relief of the sick and timitio d
polar, cr.: very defective on the most importantpoint for
which the se institutions were originally founded ; namely,
that except in eases of accident, no person can I.e admits. d
a patient to the hospitals or ilispcnsari, s wit!autt to lett( r of
reVellitrifiltiltritoll from a governor or silbs...-rs;ber.
From the great difficulty daily esp;vi, lead by the poor
in procuring such letters for any particular institution, and
from which the sick individual is desirous of eeitiu,, the
relief of which he strwls in need, it, lias veeitrreil to me
shot this grand defect in all °Uri:W.OV', 11111 tbspew.arkS
niay very easily be remedied without oily e!„ialise to the
pout--a Mere trifle, and that only iu the iiist instance, to'
the! parishes, awl to the charities themselves no aililit;onal
expense whatever will be ineutreil. On the route:try. I
hope to be able to chew that the plan I inn about to submit
fur your consideration will ensure the means of immediate
t chef, will tend in spine degree to leaser the poor's rates of
the nutnerousi parialws in London, and will eventually in-
crease the funds of these charities by an addition to the list
ul betiefitetors anal subseribers, vupposing such to be livers-
tiary. If then these three great objects can in any way be
effected. surely it °will will have been alone ; and Ido
conceive, that individual charity is already exerted to a
sufficient extent, if general Effect could he given to such
efforts, by making the poor better acquainted with their

k ;donate resources.
• 'AI surgeon to the most extensive charity of the kind in
Lotion—the tVestminster thistle! Dispensary, I have bitt
too frelluent opportunities of learning from ihe patients the
great difficulty they experience in obtaining letters for that
Awl tuba . charities, in consequence of their ignorance of
Ilse names and residences of the tiovernors—that such in-
spiry is littended v. ith great fat Ow, lua of time, and ne-
Blvd of the sick, and in some instances the writer has even
known death to have ensued Wore such recmit.tendmory
letter could be procured : whereas, on the other hand, if
the disinter have proved infectious, tarty rennalks, Or re-
nwvai to an hospital, might have atre•Nted the progre,,, of
such disease, anti pos,:ibly born the 111111'N of re%toring
parent to the ntaintruntire of his fau.dy, which in the
event of a protracted sickness, or of his uc.eth, must of ne-
cessity depend uplift the parish.
:The plan I have to submit is shortly Oils. 'feat in the
4-vwstry-room of ewe), parish church throughout the metro-
yob:, or in such other place as may he deemed more pro-
yet, a copy of the Givertiorte and Su bscribe's' 11311104 to
each and every public Institution should be lodged ; that
the lists be sheet lists, corrected yearly, with the view that
the inqu;rcr may fix upon a few names in the immediate
v.kcinity of his own aihNit• ; that the clerk of the parish, or
some fit and responsible person lw minima to attend a cer-
tain nuitilwr of hours every clay, Sundt.), excepted, for the
purpose of giving to the poor the information desired, and'
that intimation of such a regulation and attendance at the
• vestry be stuck upon the church-doors for such time as may
he deemed uctssisary, until this arrangement be generally

known.
It may he urged, and with some appearance of truth and
.lustice on a print.(ftrir view of the case,:tbat the I lospitals
isud.Dispensaries themselves are the fittest places for the
poor to apply for the information required ; but the
thorotTli knowleike I possess of the ttttt er in which
thete institutions are constituted, enables Inc to state most
decidedly, that such is not the fact. The superior and in-
terior officers arc, as they ought to bc, tau much engaged
in the duties of their respective offices, for which these
charities were e.rigiteally founded, to have their attention
• diverted to other objects or concerns ; and these officers,
Irmo the highest to the lowest, become, from attachment,
but ton sensible of the superiority of their own institution
utter that of every other of a similar description, PO that if
a par person were to inquire fur the names and address of
*h Governors of any other charity, it is not likely, in such
ease, that the inquirer would be well and kindly received.
aw,•inarpentlent of these arguments, there arc others,
against the admissibility of such a inca.-nre, still more co-
gent.. Which prudence, on the present occasion, bids Die re-
train from adverting to.
It has been already stated that the above reputations, if
adored, would much more effectually answer the ends for
Which these Institutions were originally founded, namely,
the insuring, prompt medical and chirurgical aid to the
pour, and that they would tend very materially to lessen
the poor's-rates—as also increase the funds of the charities
thenrelves. The first is answered by the greater facility
this pier offers to the poor in aseettaiiiing the names and
residence of the Governors or Subscribers. The second,
. by procuring incrre early assistance to the father of a family,
for instance for in that case the disease with which he
may he attacked will be the sooner subtitled, and will also
enable him the sooner to provide for that family, which
during his illness is, in most caws, of-necessity maintained
by the parish. Numberless are the instances of this na-
ture which have fallen under my own observation, and on
this point I have farther to refer you to the concurrent opi-
'lion of the profession, particularly those numbers of it
who are attached to such charities.
Surely, then, it' self-interest do not call out loudly against
. tliffletthies and restrictions Inr the admission of pa-
twits to relief from the numerous charities in London,
/,seeemeitg ie;el; noel 1 am eoist:elent of the fact, that an
spinal like the present need only 1w mentioned to English-
use n, to insure the establishment of some plan, like the one
deacribkl, having for its object, as that has, the anieliora-
inlet of the condition of the poor in sieLties.s.
The plan 1 have ventured to suggest. is that which op-
en:at& to me the best calculated to remedy the evil, for it is
simple, is easy of execution, and will eventually he at-
tended with no expense, and very little trouble. The de-
tail of the plan, and arrangements, 1 shall have to the
Vestries of the dilierent Parishes, with this intimation,
that should ally diffieolty he alerted by individuals, 1 shall
be MOM happy to teller to them the result of toy experience
and• reflection on the subject, either verbally or in writing,
as may be most convenient teethe parties seeking it.
Tisirelly and lastly, to incrense the funds of the charities.
We have only to mention the fact, that as mantes now
mostly subscribing members, who reside at a distance
front the institution to which they contribute, are yearly
withdrawing their monies and support front them, because
they are not aware of the extensive benefits they are con-
ferring, owing to their not being applied to for It tters of
recotelmendation, application being prineipally confined to
such subscribing members as reside nearest to the Institu-
tion. Whereas, if the plait suggested be sAlopted, there is
rot any part of London, or of the suburbs, where subscribers
119 reside, that will not be visited by the nei:;llltouring
for the purpose .0 sieve advern 11 to, and thus the sub-
strtirers will become the more s..itsiltie of tit., charitable
ki.rpost I; fur uhieli they have given away their money.
Itoode4, ream heal circumstances, the sulewribers will
.ssarily b bett,l mein:tinted with die characters of the
eppiicatiti., and which latter circumstance will likewise
Afford to them, or to their wives, the opportunity of occa-
,.ietially contributing to the domestic comforts of the pour
labouring tinder sickness and disease.
The publieity thus given to charitable institutions
would, by dui nonstratiog their umfultiess to the subscribers,
induce many to add their donations ; and others to become
au fewribers v::,t) were before doubtful of the extensive
ht they thereby. rootlet' society. :11111, in addition to
whieli, it would lessen that degradation of spit it which is
attributed to r, et•i% Mg parochial relief ; for, it must be
apparent to rms. men, that when Ow mind has oin br •
1:-..nisd to receiv tilt parochial ruliti, it is nu cosy mutter,
to induct. ,11: it ii/iliV11111:11 In return Llbl/11r
and
; but veal, l:4-1111(.11tell; CO Wll. m this letter is A-
i:, -.sill: tire 1., tier ttetputi,ileol Leith thi. part or to) cototi.tt-
ti..A.ttott that I sit have ally pretension,. to.
The em• el' the itolustriotv Itirk such labourer
41'it• thatilil..llt tl/ t wakenrite flut.lllll, of all own. ltol
slut quiter•re that I hove how only tit r..);tc,t a Fatima
at'tentis. p riisal of LIII, letter, awl of the 0.11 511.4-
gcilPll, to 11111 to WIIOIII IL ca ut h,s,ctl, to in-
,ore its adoption, or the adoption of some other to Itte.wer
the end in view.

A. COPLAND HUTCHISON

A Rope Bridge bag boon made at Calcutta, and is much
praiseiL