THE ROYAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL
B. Maskell, Quarles Harris
1850
The Lancet
of Poplar, said that he entirely approved of the scheme, and had himself carried on what he had designated a " Health Assurance" for a period of fourteen years, and had found it answer well. Mr. Bowkett explained the nature of this society, and handed round some cards of the terms, which appear to be drawn up on a sliding scale. He proposed a resolution, to the effect-" That it is the opinion of this meeting that the establishment of self-supporting dispensaries will prove of advantage to
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... l men and the public." Mr. BENNETT seconded the resolution, and said he thought Mr. Smith's system would do away with a great many evils at present existing amongst clubs, charities, &c. He was himself surgeon to a society, in which were people well able to pay a medical man; yet when they came, he must attend them, though to the injury of others, or give up the whole society, which in self-defence ho could not do, for some one else would take it directly. Mr. LiDDLE thought these dispensaries would be highly injurious, and he therefore begged to propose an amendment, to the effect-" That this meeting is of opinion that the formation of selfsupporting dispensaries will be derogatory to the profession, and of less benefit to the public than the existing charitable dispensaries." Mr. LORD had pleasure in seconding the amendment. He had seen the working of clubs &c., and also of " self-supporting dispensaries," and it was decidedly bad. He was surprised how gentlemen could talk about such a scheme as Mr. Smith's raising the character of the profession. Statistics could be twisted any way, but, according to their own showing, their chief patients were women and children; and a medical man was expected to attend to thrush, croup, measles, scarlatina, hooping-cough, teething, fits, and God knows what besides, and all for a halfpenny, or a whole family, if more than two children, for a penny, a week,-a pretty way to raise his character, indeed. Mr. Smith told them he had also consulted the chemists and druggists, whose interests were also to be greatly advanced by his scheme. He told them he had been to Mr. Morson, to Messrs. Savory and Moore, and also to Mr. Bell, with whom he was not pleased. They also see an enormous council of very eminent men on his prospectus. Now he (Mr. Lord) was of opinion that these were not the people to consult; what could they know of the working of such a system? He believed they never had, and cer. tainly never would be connected with such a thing, and therefore it was useless asking their opinions. He thought the whole thing decidedly prejudicial to the interests of the profession; he should therefore second the amendment. A GENTLEMAN who had formerly assisted in a practice in Salisbury, where there were twenty-two clubs and sixteen parishes to attend, had made some careful calculations respecting Alr. Smith's plan, from which lie proved the remuneration was much too small for the medical man.
doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(02)65110-4
fatcat:zlpduiqnqfddrloa7di3x5izmm