The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-13 00:00:00

Mr. MILES proceeded to call the attention of the house
to the system of poor law medical relief at present exist-
ing in England and Wales, with a view to its revision, and
also to the large number of persons who annually became
chargeable to the poor rates from no medical relief being
afforded to them in their sickness unless they became
paupers. The imperfect manner in which medical relief
was administered was one of the few blots defacing an
otherwise admirable system. The number of medical offi-
cers was nearer 4,000 than 3,000, and the average number
of patients was 835,000. The only check upon the improper
treatment of patients was the production of the case-
books at the boards of guardians, but it was evident that
the guardians must be incompetent to decide upon ques-
tions of disease or the proper means to be employed for
its alleviation. The expenditure which took place under
the head of " Extra diet" was the cover for abuss,
and so also was the practice of allowing medical officers
to eke out a scanty provision by the supply of medicine.
To remedy these evils, he suggested the appointment
of a medical inspector, who should have power to send a
sub-inspector, also a professional man, to inquire into any
case of alleged improper treatment of paupers. It, was de-
sirable also that in future the boards of guardians should
supply drugs, and then, in cases where it was necessary to
administer expensive medicine, the medical officer would
not be exposed to the temptation of sparing his pocket
at the cost of his duty. Another object he wished to
accomplish was the extension of the system of medical re-
lief to the sick poor. A vast extent of pauperism was
caaused by neglected sickness, the average wages of working
men leaving them without the means of obtaining medical
assistance. The house, perhaps, was aot aware what was
the average amount of the wages of labouring men in this
country. Some able papers on the subject of the labour-
ing population were published by Mr. H. Mayhew, about a
year and a-half ago, and in them the writer estimated the
labouring population at 4,000,000, and the average wages
of a labourer at 10a. per week. Mr. Mayhew further esti-
mated that the whole of this sum was exhausted in pro-
curing clothes, food, firing, and rent. How was it possible
for a man thus circumstanced to provide medical relief for
himself or for his wife and children ? The Registrar-Gene-
ral called public attention last year to the great mortality
among children, particularly in large towns, which he attri-
buted in some degree to the neglect, of their parents. This
was an erroneous conclusion. The poor man bad as strong
an affection for his offspring as the rich man had for his ;
but his wages would not allow of his sending for a medical
man, and the consequence was that his children frequently
perished when the administration of two or three doses
of medicine would perhaps have checked the disease
which ultimately proved fatal. He might be told
that if his views were carried out they would annihilate
friendly societies and sick clubs ; but it was very well
known that when the children of a man who was a
member of a club fell sick be frequently found him-
self unable to pay his arrears, and was consequently ex-
pelled. A surgeon of eminence, who was examined before
the committee of 1844, calculated that at that time a
million and a-half of persons would, one way or other, re-
quire medical relief, taking each case at 2s. 6d. That, he
believed, was exaggerated, and he would therefore take
each case at ls. 6d. which. would cause an expenditure of
261,0001., or only '53,000o!. more than the moderate sum
now paid. In 1851 a Medical Relief Act was passed for
Ireland ; and all he now asked was that they should ex-
tend to the poor in Englund the same general system of
dispensing medical relief' 13
with the convic
which reval led in Ireland.
(Hear, hear.) He would .now sit lown -
tion that during the coming ,
turn his attention to therecess his hon. feiend would
subject, and that they would have
the prospect next semis,
acted injuriously to the tti,n(falatt amelioration of a law which
of the poor, and which like-
wise prevented the due extension of the Poor Law in
England. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. BAINES apologised for his absence during the
earlier part of his hon. friend's speech, and begged to as-
sure him that it only arse* from a miscalculation as to the
time at which the discussion w
hear.) He agreed with his hon.
ellirendeom theat o
noil .(Hear,
subject
more important than the presentcould
the attention of the house. be brought under
An hon. MEMBER hereNnoved that the house be counted,
and the gallery was cleared, when, there being more than
40 members present,
Mr. BAINES resumed.. He would make'a few observa-
tions to show in what manner the medical relief
of
poor had been cared for by the board over which he had
the honour to preside, an6t he hoped to show that many of
the imputations which Isere thrown out against them
were altogether groundless,— that there never was a time
when the duty of providing medical relief for the poor was
so carefully attended to. The hon. gentleman had, first
of all, entered into an examination of the manner in which
the present Poor Law system worked, so far as medical
relief was concerned ; and, in the next place, he had in-
quired whether_
.certain new principles, hitherto unknown
to the law of this corn try, should not be introduced.
These subjects were totally distinct, and to the former of
the two only he would reply. He could assure the house
that any improvements int theft stem of medical relief that
could be shown to be really su would be adopted by the
board, and if he found that he had not the power of adopt-
ing any valuable suggestions that might be made, he would
not hesitate to make application to the Legislature. (Hear,
hear.) Before the Poor Law Act of 1834 there seemed to
be no regular system of medical relief in this country. In
places there were parishes doctors, but they were usually
appointed under a system of jobbing and favouritism, and
no general plan was in existence. 'ln 1834, however, a
different mode was introduced, and since that time the
amount of medical relief given to the poor was, to use the
words of an unexceptionable witness before the committee
of 1844, " infinitteeelywagsreaaptpeori thau before that time."
in 183 i comus*kt
der the subject of relieftoappoint, by that house to consi-
finished their labour b the poor, and that committee
both of which had been acted
ylaing
two specific suggestions,
,upon by his predecessors at
the Poor Law hoard. The
the system of tender, which uPug to e4i(ms
were—first, that
that time had been com-
monly adopted for the towns in Wahl:l)icilsilmedical relief would
be contracted for, should be
I/hat the medical districts should be ab"l,,,:' lan4liesrolnetalliy.;
the committee
'The result of these reconamemilsast,tioetriliFf(
s was, that a general order Was
)'saw Commissioners abolishing the tender Poor then
i ng the districts. (Hear, hear.) Anotherre and
abildg-
of
t hat house, presided over by Lord Ashley, sas°irnnTit"
ss 7 eat deal of evidence was taken of a very conflicting•
r eter, and the committee broke up without coming to
2,12 y resolution or making any recommendation to-th,-)
he ,use, from which he inferred that, whatever opinions
m; fight be entertained as to still existing defects, there was
no special grievance on which the committee could make a
re ;ommendation. (Hear, hear.) But, no doubt, the legi-
tit nate result of that inquiry was to impress on the then
,or Law Commissioners, and on those who succeeded
tb em, the necessity of keeping their attention constantly

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