The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-17 00:00:00

• • THE SICK POOR, the RATEPAYERS, an
• the UNION MEDICAL OFFICERS.
•
gin England and Wales a staff comprising more than 3,000 Pro-
le. sional Gentlemen, acting under the Poor-law Board, administers
relief during penury, disease, and suffering, to nearly three millions
of human beings.
, The demands made upon the time, skill, and health-of these me-
weal officers, who are often called single-handed to succour nature
under the most appalling calamities to which humanity is subject,
are urgent—trequent—perilous.
This class of gentlemen are nominally requited from a fund an-
Pjlally raised for the poor, amounting to nearly eight millions sterling.
Called into active service by the humanity and wisdom of the
4'41'14 they have been considered as paid by 175,0001., averaging
pm ease, as shown by above 800 promiscuous returns, in country
c
:striets, 2s. 7d., and Is. 6 for metropolitan districts, being less
than half the cost of drugs alone in hospitals. One-half of this
• amount is paid by the parishes, the other out of the Consolidated
rand.

ni!")elled by a sense of renewed and continued oppression and mis-
,e, injurious to themselves, sad also to the sick poor and to the
IlltePa, ere, the Poor-laW Medical Officers have often laboured for
e reform of the vicious syetem.
Convinced of the existence of these evils, opposed to justice,
rintnauitY, and science, Lord Ashley (aided by the indefatigable
e,ertions of Mr. Guthrie, then President of the College of Surgeons)
obtained a Parliamentery Inquiry through a Select Committee in
"4. Strong and conclusive as was the evidence thou obtained,
little't lf any, amelioration ensued, no enactment passed the Legisla-
!ire to correct the abuses thus made manifest. Multiplied aggres-
,' 1"R, and miseries needlessly incurred through false economy, found
another organ by which to give utterance to their plaints in the
Convention which was established in October, 1847, over the first
annual meeting of which Lord Ashley presided.
Petitions to Parliament from various classes of society have been
numerous and frequent. Deputations have waited on the Home
h WSecretary„_ of State, and again and again on the Poor-law Board.
1,`,7e deputations have been received with official politeness, and
fore
of sympathy and promises of consideration.
Urein re recent-IY, orders have emanated from the Poor-law Board,
curtaihnent of expenditure, sanctioning deviations from their
ronseltdated order, and suggesting a further reduction of salaries to
t4euabcoM officers, even bringing them down in ono metropolitan union
Conal about Sd. Per case. Such appreciation of the services of profes-
e,,,„— '"en, who are expected to be gentlemen of education, ill be-
,raes a board, one of whose secretaries, Lord Ebrington, receives a
der t. "1,500/. per annum for doing that which occupies but a nio-
: duties.
The of his time, reserved from Parliamentary and other
.
The Poor-law Union Surgeons make this appeal to the public, and
'e Pres mre especially, satised that such a sstem canot log
to nlaintas hiedo when fully broughtfi under public notice, and expescnd
genetal condemnation.
Ey erder of the Committee,
THOMAS HODGKIN, M.D., Chairmay.
4, ITATIoVer. CHARLES F. J. LORD, lion. Secretary.
square, May 14, 1850.

BURNETT and CO., 2, PIAZZA,
ti,oo t COVENT-GARDEN, continue to iell their Well-seasoned
Pag --ebOTIM cut to any size, at 2s. 4d. per square yard.
Cloths,
Cloths In the same proportion. Coachmakers' Broad
84„1"'s, sixty inches wide, at Bs. 6d. per yard. Cassimerc, Doeskins,
e'rer7 description of Woollens.
, ............._

Cj~-D STAR PACKETS.
!ore Cabin and Second Class Railway NINEPENCE Yo

or from London and Gravesend.
&Llama and First Class ditto, ONE SIIILLL.STO.
To or from Blackwall.
fora Cabin.... 6d ..•. . Chief Cabin.... 9d.

------- - -
14'n other Packets call at the Grays, Greenhithe, and Purfloet Piers.
rackets call at the Piers as underlined (weather permitting).
FROM TERRACE PIER, GRAVESEND.

''......„...._.2TZ151C DAYS. I SUNDAYS.
rime rtGOll.-1 , Green- Pur- T. . ' Rosh r- 'Green-: Pur-
`,lnc Grays , IGrays
, 'lithe. fleet "'n''' 1 vine. 'lithe. lileet
........1 •
1
I—..
, t 7 1—""
PI li
1
Vii' 'l'
...... " 12 1
11,.; 3 ,
,-- i
> ....
a 7 [
"7 --- 1
_ -

;,,,?Direct Trains from the Boats marked f
1110:nTitibrituartarlessr from Fhoeunrc.hur ch-etreet Station to all parts of London
4 nRIIIiSWICK WIIA.EF, BLACKWALL, on the arrival of
from the Fenchurch•etreet Station of the Blacksrall
t allw
--...„......._. ay.

...,____________lymex. DAT!. SUNDAYS.
Thte.
**---- rur- Green-
,Gray
Time. I
Prir- Green- Etoshr-
Itt )4. feet hithe.. ville. Ifeet hithe. Gray villa.
H. X
.....,....
.—__.. ....... ,_____ . --.-
10), - ..... • _9
i 2 7 - 10
4 "! 11
4ti--
'414 --- -- _ • ,
6i

nreet—ve IThese are the Limes of the TRAINS leaving Fonchurch-
mug
marked * are run direct, the Packets not being per-
to—fv? stop at Piers or for Boats.
'three TICKETS.—TweIve Months, 41.45. ; Six Months, 21. 155.;
kelttt '"ths, 11. 155.; to be had of the Collectors on board the
a
or Mr. Monk, Terrace Pier, Gravesend.
Y 1, 1850.