The Sun.
London, England, 1848-03-17 00:00:00

of cases where medical relief was refused was extremely
small; and though, under the Noble Lord's resolution,
any woman in the parish might apply, there was a check
neon fraud by the power of attaching wages, and other
;-eatis- A further security was provided by the =Wi-
tte which the medical officer would be required to give
after the first caw. Thus the risk of abuse was ex-
tremely email. It would be hardly possible to apply a
small extra amount of aid so beneficially, under the poor.
law, as in the mode proposed by this resolution. He
hoped that, instead of the motion being met by the pre-
vious question, it might be withdrawn, on an undertak
!lag by the Right Hon. and Learned Chief Commissioner
to introduce its provisions in a new order.
Viscount EBRINGTON said he entirely sympathised
With the motives of the Noble Lord, though he differed
!t‘Pee the results at which he had arrived. It seemed to
aim that much of what the Noble Lord sought to secure
Was already provided for by the orders of the old Com-
missioners; at least in so far as the security against
frauds was concerned. Where a medical officer attended
at
a, his own risk a serious and urgent case, he always found
!Pe guardians ready to approve his conduct. He believed
that the class immediately above pauperismsuffered most
se yerly on the occasions referred to; but the resolution
of the Noble Lord did not supply a fitting remedy, as
People of that class scorned to apply for parochial as-
s'tttneee—(llear.)
Captain PECHELL alluded to the disclosures before
the Andover Committee, and expressed a hope that the
hew Commissioners would make it their business to visit
the different unions, and superintend the administration
of
relief.—(Hear, hear.) He thought it would be an
advantage if the resolution was a little modified, but he
should support it as it stood, believing that money could
not be better applied. He thought the step proposed by
Noble Lord was duo to the poor, and it should have
us,„,Nport.
have' .tf. VERNEY felt satisfied that women ought to
d the power of calling in a medical man in cases of
anger- He was not afraid that persons would have
recourse to medical aid without necessity. He hoped
the Noble Lord would not only press his first resolution
but his second one likewise. Ile thought the present
resolution was the first step in a right direction.
Mr. ADDERLEY thought that this was an attempt
tO
effect a doubtful good by incurring a certain risk. The
object in view could be better attained by the various
!nstitutions which existed in the country—such as lying-
la hospitals and friendly societies.
The House then divided, when there appeared—
Por the motion
Against it
Majority —l3
, Lord ASHLEY then proposed the second resolution,
eet withdrew it on the intimation of Mr. Buller, that
the object of it could be accomplished by an order of the
Poor-law Commissioners, and that he would not fail to
attend to the subject .
Lord ASHLEY then proposed the third resolution. It
was well known that great abuses existed in many
Workhouses—that the wants of the poor in sickness were
hot eilvvays well attended to—that the state of the houses
was often a source of disease, all of which would be re-
iiihored by the appointment of medical inspectors. They
4(1 appointed medical inspectors in other departments,
4,11(1 it could not be of more service in any department
than in connexion with the poor in the workhouses. It
sPPeared from the last report that 'the Whitechapel
Workhouse was in a very bad state. The medical officer
of it died of fever. He felt satisfied that if medical in-
!Teeters had existed for the last five years these abuses
Would not exist. These abuses gave rise to considerable
expense, and his opinion was that the inspectors, by rea-
son of the order and regularity which they would intro-
duce, would be the means of saving the amount of the
salaries which he proposed to allow them.
Mr. BULLER said he felt himself obliged to oppose
the resolution of the Noble Lord, not that he denied
the utility of a staff of medical officers such as the
Noble Lord proposed, but because he believed such a
costly and complicated machinery would not be the best
means of arriving at the end he had in view. The
object of the poor-law board was to superintend the
Whole administration of the poor law, to enforce
uniformity of action as far as possible, and to see that
the provisions of the law were exactly carried out. Now
he believed that the appointment of medical officers,
allele as the Noble Lord proposed, would only hamper
them in carrying out those objects.—(Hear, hear.)
The salaries of the medical inspectors themselves would
cost the country 6,0001. a year, and with the travelling
expenses and the expenses of clerks added, he
did not think the cost could be less than 20,0001. He
did not think the House would grudge that amount, if
tkey believed that these medical inspectors were
likely to prove a real benefit, but he was sure they
would only encumber the operations of the central au-
thority. He would not pledge himself against the ap-
pointment of one medical inspector, because he often
experienced the want of the advice which such an officer
alone could give on subjects connected with the medical
department of the poor-law. But to perform efficiently
the work which the Noble Lord referred to in his reso-
lution would require not one but 620 medical officers.
lie was always of opinion that it was an essential part
of the poor-law that its administration should be left in
the hands of local bodies, the central authority at Somer-
set House, exercising merely a superintending power.
The resolution of the Noble Lord would, in truth, take
the authority out of the hands of the guardians and
place it in those of the medical inspectors. The medical
inspector could only make his appearance for a few
hours in the workhouse; and how was it possible for him,
under these circumstances, to be a competent judge of
the general medical treatment of the poor? That must
be left entirely to local opinion. Then to inquire into
the diets presented was much too large a subject for the
medical inspectors. They might be found useful in re-
gulating the general sanitary condition of the workhouses,
and he was prepared to take measures to ensure that
result. The resolution of the Noble Lord appeared to
him to be an excellently-devised plan merely for esta-
blishing an independent medical authority in the country.
--(Hear, hear.) lie assured the Noble Lord that he
Was not indifferent to the objects he proposed, and if he
allowed him to work out the ends in his own way he
aonld promise him that eventually the result he desired
to arrive at would be attained. Unless the Noble Lord
accepted his assurances, he must meet this question as
he had done the last.
Mr. WAKLEY feared that the want of medical aid,
of which the Hon. Gentleman had complained, was likely
to be long felt. He feared he was in a bad way,—(A
laugh.) The fact was, his place ought to have been
filled by a medical man.—(lronical cheering.) Nothing
else would do. The Hon. Gentleman not only admitted
it, but showed it. All his vivacity and logical ability
was gone. Never had any man made a poorer display
than he bad made that night. Ile knew not who the
advisers in the Poor-law Commission Office were, but it
was evident they had a hatred of the medical profession.
Not one of their appointments was filled by a medical
officer. A newspaper editor was appointed a Poor-law
Commissioner the other day, btit not a single medical
man ever got a place.—(Cries of " Oh.") But some
day or the other the medical men would " visit " their
oppressors—(A laugh)—and he hoped they would pay
them out. He much regretted the motion was opposed,
and lie hoped it would be carried.
Mr. HENLEY did not at all approve of the slow
method of effecting these changes which was proposed
to them by the Hon. Gentleman.
Captain PECHELL thought this was a step in the
right direction. He agreed with the Member for
Finsbury, that the medical body were most scandalously
used.
Lord DUDLEY STUART thought a great part of
the evils endured by the poor in this country were
attributable to the inadequate payments to medical
officers.
Atter a few words from Mr. ADDERLEY and Mr. E.
DENNISON,
The House divided, when there appeared—
Ayes.....
Noes
Majority

y
The previous question was according carried.
Lord ASHLEY then moved that from and after the
let of June next, the appointment of medical officers of
unions shall be permanent during good behaviour, they
being removable only by the Poor-law Commissioners,
whose decisions shalt be final. The Noble Lord quoted
the evidence of a numerous body of medical witnesses
and others, to show that the efficiency of the medical
officers of unions would be greatly improved by their
being independent of the boards of guardians, -and of
annual election. The chaplains, the clerks, and other
officers of unions, were permanent officers—why not the
medical attendants ?
Mks P. SCROPE supported the resolution.
Mr. C. BULLER was sorry he could not accede to
the proposition of the Noble Lord. He expressed his
regret that the Hon. Member for Finsbury should so
entirely have misconceived the tenor of any remarks of
his respecting the medical profession. He had the
fullest appreciation of the humanity and honour of that
body. As to the immediate resolution, he considered
that annual election was the most efficient means of
securing due attention to the poor on the part of officers
whose services were remunerated not according to what
they did, at so much a case, but by a fixed salary. The
Commissioner sitting in Somerset House, and acting
through an inspector, could not possibly be so competent
a judge of the fitness of the qualifications of the medical
officer—whether he possessed, not only the necessary
learning and ability, but that kindness of disposition and
that confidence in the parish generally, without which it
would be said you appoint for the poor that medical man
whom no ono else will employ—as the guardians who
were on the spot. The result of the success of this re-
solution would bo that the Commissioner could never
remove a medical officer, however deficient in zeal,
ability, or attention, so long as he refrained from the
commission of any specific offence upon which hold
could be taken. Again, he thought it would be most
unwise to place in his (the chief Commissioner's) hands
---he holding office on a political tenure only—the
power of removing 3,000 medical officers throughout
the country. He concluded by moving the previous
question.
Mr. WAKLEY did not think the Right lion. Gentle-
Man's answer at all conclusive. One object of the Poor•
law Bill was to introduce uniformity of administration.
Well, one-half the appointments were permanent, and
now the Right Hon. Gentleman opposed a proposition to
render the other half permanent, and so to make all
uniform. It was quite impossible for the medical officer
to discharge his duty effectually while he was dependent
on the guardians. If he offended them—if he ordered
snore wine or other things to the poor than concurred
with their views, he was not re•elected.—(Hear, hear.)
How was Mr. Westlake treated—the gentleman who
exposed the abuses of the Andover Union ? He was so
persecuted by the guardians, that he was obliged to re-
!Tit his situation. This would not have been the case
if he had been independent of the board. It had been
the same in the Croydon and other unions. The board
of guardians had great electoral influence, and that was
the reason the whole power W. 141 placed in their hands,
and he believed some of their board had intimated that it