The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-23 00:00:00

found it necessary in consequence of the destitute state
in which he found the poor in that district, to order as a
remedy nutriment to support and sustain their emaciated
frames. The Hon. Gentleman then proceeded to read the
correspondence which had passed between Mr. Reyner
and the Poor-law Commissioners. In his first letter to
the guardians, dated December 3d, 1840, Mr.
Reyner stated that as he had been informed
that it was deemed unreasonable on his part that
he should have given orders for mutton, beef, and beer,
for certain patients in the union, he thought it right to
acquaint the board that he had in no single instance
given any orders of that kind which he had not felt it
his duty to do, and that he considered that a proper
quantity and description of nourishment was of as much
importance in the treatment of his patients as any
other remedy. The board of guardians had after-
wards come to a resolution to the following effect :
that as Mr. Reyner, out of nineteen patients during
the week, which he had attended, had ordered mutton,
beer, and bread to fourteen, and as it appeared he had
ordered relief for two parties who were not in the list,
Mr. Reyner should be required to furnish the guardians
with explanation on the subject. Mr. Reyner stated
in reply, that he considered the diet he had ordered,
necessary to his patients, and so long as he continued
an officer, he would, under the same circumstances,
pursue a similar line of conduct. He had heard that
some of his orders had been refused and others torn
up ; and he, therefore, considered it his duty to state
distinctly to the board, that he would, not take upon
himself the care and responsibility of the patients to
whom his orders were refused, nor risk the danger
which might follow from such refusal, but he would feel
himself bound not to continue in his office under such
disadvantageous and hopeless eircumstances. Next
came the letter addressed to the Poor-law Commis-
sioners, in which Mr. Reyner having enclosed the corre-
spond ence between himself and the guardians, solicited
their answer upon three points. He wished to know
whether he had the authority as a medical officer to
order any description or article of diet for the pauper
patients under his care ; secondly, from whence did that
authority arise; and thirdly, whether the board of
guardians, or the relieving officer, had the authority to
re fuse the diet which he, as a medical officer, deemed
necessary for his patients ; and if so, what would be
they ground for such refusal. The answer of the
' Commissioners was dated the 4th of March. It was
to the following effect :—" The Poor-law Commis-
slant rs acknowledge the receipt of your letter of tho
4th ult., and its enclosures. They have had under
their consideration the inquiries you submitted to
th,ma. with respect to your authority as a medical offi-
cer, so order any description of diet you might think fit
for paupers under your care. The Commissioners in
re ply, desire to inform yen, that a medical officer is
nrt empowered by the order of the Commissioners, or
by his contract with the guardians, to order articles of
di at for pauper patients under his care. Such a
pewter would be equivalent to the power of giving re-
lies, which the law has vested generally in the guardians,
and which it is not competent to a medical officer to exer-
ciee. A medical officer can only recommend or advise
guardians or relieving, officers to give certain articles of diet
to pauper patients, and the guardians or the relieving °M-
eet-a, will exercise their discretion on their own responsibi-
lity', whether or not thy should adopt such recorn-
rei 'lndation or advice." The guardians, then, continued
the. Bon. Gentleman, after having entered into a con-
tract with a medical practiiiover to take care of the
poor, themselves undertook their medical treatment.—
( }tear.) It was doing neither more nor less.
Too medical gentleman might say that nutriment iv es
wanted; and, instead of ilithy drugs, he might recom-
mend wioe, beef, mutter,, jellies, soup, and other ne-
cessaries ; but, as these were costly things, they could
not b. given without the sanction of the guardian?, who
might not meet for a week after. Bat what was to be-
come of the peer in the meantime ? It was a consi.
der AtiOn to 'IA the mind wick disgust and horror ;
sat uy such a law they would pronounce a tentence of
death iig4inst hundreds of ti e:r fi'f,w-couet•
‘Vii,t was the trcit.met cif criaiiti.il ;rink'?
store the docit nts restraimid the: e in that way''—
( Hear, hear.) The iLuse knew full well they were
not restrained. They might order any articles of diet
ti.ey chose ; and in the gaols of this ceentry, where
' men who had violated the law were confined nutriment
of ttvery description was inv•iriably giver: on the uccor.-
t,olleJ prescription nod advice of tie medic if cake,. ;
but when these unhappy poor, who had labouted tur
years to add to the dimity and renown of the country,
were iu a t Ile of destitution, nod in one: of those gaols
which hail hc ea const.-th tvi 11r their convenience, if a
medical Crlietr prescribed a remedy which he deernel
eseeatiol to their very existence, it could not be given
without toe sanction tithe non-medical boarte no wished
to s'ete that fact ; they might 4o w.t.11 it os they p!e
Mr. DARiIY wished to set the lion. e,ntleman
right as to one point. If the Board did not meet
within a certain time, and the medical man said danger
wooll ensue, if the necessary tact was not given an
enter might be ohla'ned from a Magistrate for the pur-
-1 pace of procuring it.
Sir H. VERNEY said tie C[l3o St‘t Id by the Hon
l'eleinber for Finsbury was quite new to hint. It tier-
! tainlv would give loin great pain if he thought such
misery- could be caused as had been stated, but he
aloatight,that the provisions of the Bill afforded every
re •- ”snnt cvn:-V
I case that could arise.,
Lord HOWICK, having seen something of the ad-
ministration of the Poor-laws, could distinctly state
that ice had never remembered a case in which a board
of guardians hal hesitated for one single instant, in or-
dering neurishmente, and the most exFensive nourish-
meats, .vine and so on, in cases where they he:iete
them to be necessary.—(Cheers from tie Poor-law
Act supporters.) He begged to tell the Hon. Mem-
ber for Finsbury, that it did not fellow because a "Well
happened- to have received a medical educetioe, or
to be a member of the College of Surgeon's, or some
other learned body, he was not at the same time a per-
son whose object was to exeite dissatisfaction in the
population.—( Hear, hear.) It did not follow that lie
might not be a man who wished to curry a low and
despicable popularity, and to endeavour to create
an outcry for no proper reason—(Cheers)—it did not
follow that he might not be capable of abusing the
trust reposed in him, and availing himself of the autho-
rity he exercised as an officer of the union for the pur-
pose of mischief, and in order to defeat that law which
he ought to assist in administering.—(Hear, hear, hear.)
If a board of guardians had reason to suspect, and
were of opinion, that under the plea of orderieg a proper
medical treatment that officer was setting aside the
system of relief which ought to prevail, they w, re bound
t ) act upon that opinion, and to decline the recom-
meadation of that medical man. He did not mean to
accuse the Hon. Member for Finsbury of wilful mis-
representation ; such an accusation, he knew, would be
altogether unparliamentary.—(Laughter.) He would
accuse no gentleman of anything of the sort, but the
Hon. Gentleman certainly did too readily adopt loose
statements--
Mr WAKLEY—Has any one that I have ever
made been refuted ?—( Hear, hear.)
Lord HO WICK would ask whether they had been
substantiated ? The Hon. Gentleman had stated that
local governments ought to be maintained, and that all
interference with boards ought to be avoided, and yet
his complaint had been against the elected board of
guardians.—(Hear, hear). He trusted that this case,
w; each the Hon. Gentleman had brought forward without
would not have any great weight attached to it
by the House.—(Cheers).
Colonel SIBTHORP asked if there were no Noble
Lords as anxious to seek popularity as this humble and,
ice would say, respectable man, who had been subjected
to, the attack of the Noble Lord ? How was it that
thaee weeks were suffered to elapse before the Corn-
misationers -answered the letter ? If that were feeling
neither the Commissioners nor the Noble Lord had any
feeling whatever, and the sooner the Noble Lord had
resit ned his situation of a Poor-law Guardian the
bett e.r.--(Hear, and laughter.)
Sir ADOLPHUS DALRYMPLE—If he had
listes led with pain to the statement of the Hon. Mem-
ber :for Finsbury, he had listened with still greater pain
to the answer of the Noble Lord. These cases ought
to bo calmly investigated. In places where the new
p 00t-law was not in operation the surgeon had the
pc lever to administer any description of food or nourish-
ttnt he might think fit. The statement of the Hon.
l'Ani amber for Finsbury deserved the most attentive con-
sick i .ation. The answer of the Commissioners did not
antics ate that any inquiry had been made at all before
the eproof was administered—that was wrong. He
trusl ed that these questions
.would beedxeb.ated_.without
vineencill.limthnaotticethoef
the crimony that had that night beer,. exhibited.
Cc
.'l°Mneemi Member °fel; It.,,EinSsbTu
°ryNhadcon complained
ai
- • k Union, he had set-
ex-of tick, guardian of the b'aystric
his it tuition to draw the House to this subject. Agar)
attendance could be, of
was a ble to attend regularly, his
dons visite.' it, being of opinion that unless a guardian
little. service, and he should riot have gone on the occa-
sion: 7 eillUdea to had it not been for an account of a hor-
riblie. case which he had seen in the paper. He found
an ;ier .'estiivation had been ordered. A pauper named
Ma rs h had' been removed in most inclement weather
into, -the union-house, and, alter a few hours, he hatl
die ii. He believed the inferior officers of the house had
do ae all they could for him. The medical man st ited
th at lie had ordered tea, water-gruel, &r. He had
br ,can asked what that &c. meant, and whether he
sv mai not have ordeted something else. Ile said Yes,
should have ordered spiced-wine, out it was contrary
t i the order of the Board of. Gear,! a te. lie (Co!. R.)
ex ph -essed his doubt of this order, and the medical man
aled to the Clifjravin of the Beard of Li oardia,p,
w; said that although there was no written order, yet a
ve. I injunction had been given to him to that
cif which, •
on the application of the medical man, I.e
(t. se Chairman of the Board of Gnrdians) hall endea-
vc ut ed to get reminded, but without r fftmt.— ( Hear,
,a. e) At the same time I.e felt assured that the Douse
ra ii t perceive that the Poor-law Commissioners had
h id nothing whatever to do with the order in question.
4 Hear, hear.) He 1-selea.,:d the 'blame of this unfor-
ate occur:cat e did cot attach to the Poor.law COW.-
# 31(nlef5 ill consequence of aey general order which