The Sun.
London, England, 1867-11-25 00:00:00

of air, good fc )ad, and wholesome lodging. This is
no uncommon case among the struggling families
of the very pc Axe, but the cholera did at least good
service in call lug attention to some of their most
pressing nee is. Mrs. GLADSTONE established a.
Convalescen'J Home at Snaresbrook, Epping, in,
order to meat such cases, and the result has been is
most instances the complete recovery of ate
sufferers. The Home has been in active operati on
for some months, and has been reserved for m ale
patients only, the Orphanage at Claptou being
reserved for women and children. But so great. is
the need for its assistance, and soo wide is the room
for its influence, that its principal supporters held
the meeting to which we have referred on Thurs-
day last, "for the purpose of considering the ques-
tion of providing additional accommodation for
convalescent; from the east of London." The
charity did not want for able and eloquent advo-
cates of its claims. Air. GLADSTONE was, of course,
the principal speaker, and forcibly argued the case
of the lingering convalescent. " Were they," he
asked, "to say that fresh air, and the sights and
scenes of the country had ceased to renovate health,
were mere matters of fancy and imagination, and
that they could, with a safe conscience, put them by
as things not required to be supplied ? Did not the
citizens of London for themselves value fresh air ?"
The right hon. gentleman went on to refer to the
increasing demand for suburban residences
among the wealthy citizens who were in
the enjoyment of full health. How much
more urgently then must a change of scene be re-
quired by the sick man in the close, unwholesome
dwellings of the poor ? In support of this argu-
ment he quoted a passage from the Lancet on the
subject of convalescent hospitals, in which the
writer declares that in many instances such a change
would suffice to alter the whole course and character
of a disease. " When hospital physicians," says
the Lancet, " have exhausted their means of giving
tone and strength, when meat and wine and
quinine are scarcely seen to further the patient's
progress, then there will remain the best tonic of
the list, a change from brick walls and narrow
streets and city air to open country and green fields.
A little reflection on the unhealthy and monotonous
surroundings of the sick poor, especially in the east
of London, will enable the most unimaginative man
to understand what a powerful instrument of health
a convalescent hospital will be to them." 'Well
might Mr. GLADSTONE say that, after reading the
above passages, that he thought that portion of the
case was complete. He went on to examine the
statistics of the question, and said he had been told
that of the 40,000 patients who pass through the
London hospitals in one year one-tenth should
have access to a convalescent hospital
but at present there are only 200 beds for them all
So strong is the conviction of the need for such es-

tablishments growing that two of our wealthy hos-
pitals, St. George's and St. Bartholomew's, are

about to supply them for themselves ; but as Mr.
GLADSTONE reminded his hearers, these will only

benefit the west and north-west of London, and
it was the east they were called upon to succour.
Two principles are laid down as fundamental rules
of the institution, which are both excellent. The

first provides that it shall be altogether free, and
the advantage of this will be at once perceived
when it is remembered that the sufferer

is able to contribute nothing to the support of his

'amily if a man, and if a woman a child has donbt-

less occasioned them much expense by illness. The

other rule, equally unassailable, is, that there should
be no regard to religious distinctions—that members
of every denomination should be received with

equal readiness and equal favour. Mr. GLADSTONE,
in closing his able address, answered, by anticipa-
tion, an objection which he thought might be raised

on account of the badness of the times. The capita.

of the country, he said, had undergone no diminu-

tion, but the increase which the capitalists made

was less this year than usual. Surely, then, they

should remember that a bad year for the capitalist
was a bad year for the labouring classes too, and the
urgency of the duty was increased of providing for