, 1874-12-30

In tho at1nuha report OF DR.. l1ENnor1N, tho |
County Physician, he nlakes IN appeal to tho
County Doard IN bohalf Of two clnsacs of un-
fortnnntcs. 1t acemn that there In no ,,ro-
vision in tho County Hospital for cases Of
f|eli9,tm tre'ncns or Of tho voncrcal tyne,
Against both Of tllcso kinds Of casoa tho DOOR,
of tho public hospital nro closed, nrtl tho nm
forfunatoyictims die like br,ltes, from neglect.
The only thing to DO lono with caso Of It,
Nriuna t,tme,y is to alrest Tho person on a
charge Of tisort1er1y; if tho prisoner docs
not dio over night III tho prison, ho
is then sent to tho Bidewell where
the chances nro equal TINT ho will die within
twenty-four hours. Dr.. HESno1N claims
thnt many of the unfortnnntca who died dur
ing the last year in this manner could hnyo
been saved Ind thero been an opportunity
10 give them hospital caro- nnd treatment.
The other class Of cases presents even Il moro
gricvous hardship. Tho hospital doors ero
closed ngainst them, and tho sick, who aro
also poor, arc left to tlio in tho most loat1-
sono manner. Nor III this tho only form in
which society suffers from the denial of med
ical mid to these people. Having 10 money,
and tito lospital doors closed, what aro they
to do in their double alfliction? Social out
casts, suffering for food md clothing, driven
to continue their vicious occupation to BUS
tain life, they become tho breeders Of pesti-
lenco. If the hospital were open to them, they
could Mt loast lind shelter, nnl their danger
na vessels Of contagion may bc limited, if not
wholly restricted.
The public charity is willingly and cheor-
fully taxed to sustain hospitals. When tho
greet Master commended tho caro- of The sick
as ono of tho great charities, He mailo no ex-
ccptions Ho cured tho. leper. Wo' Aayo
hospitals for the blind, deaf and dumb, and
the insane asyln,us for all who aro thus
hopelessly afflicted. We hnvo froe hospitals
for tho caro- and cure Of those who aro aflict-
od with overy form Of disease, savo tho two
wo have named Wo have special hospital
| provided for smallpox patients, md can COM
pei tho removal Of cases to that place to bo
treated. This is in the interest Of the public,
to prevent tho spread Of tho pestilential dis
order. Why should not society protect itsolf
| in like manner, at least to tho extent Of tom
dering mcdienl caro- and treatment to who will
| voluntary seek them, in casea equally destruc-
| tive to health and life?
There ID too much false molcsty in this
| matter. N'o know TINT this disease exists III
! every 1argo city; wo know its contagious
| character and the fatality and rapiiity with
which it destroys health and life. Much Of
the horrors Of this disease might bo prevented
! II tho unfortunate women could find medical
treatmont, instead Of becoming day by day,
from noglcft and despair, fou1cr mud
more pestilontal in their persons DR..
HESnor1v but speals tho Judgment Of
every humane person when liz recon-
1nonds that in tho new County Hospital there
shall DO provision male for the reception
and treatnlont Of cases Of dslifstps trencaas,
and q ward sot apart whore the poor, afflicted
with venoreel complaints, may find medical
troatmont. The exclusion Of these two
classes of cases from public hospital can.
not bo justified. No humane man would OK.
cludo them, evon tllero woro nny apology
for doing so. These people form part Of tho
family Of tho "sick poor, for whom the pub
lie hive provided free public hospital, from
which there Gun bo no justi1iablo exclusion.
It is to be hoped that tho County Commits.
sionera will respond favorably to the recon,-
| n,endations Of DR.. HENnor1N, aud remove
this roproaoh upon the public charity.