The future of medicine / by Sir James Mackenzie.

  • James Mackenzie
Date:
1919
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The future of medicine / by Sir James Mackenzie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    THE CURE OF CRI PPLES. ^ TO THE EBITOPv OF THE TIMES. —The suggestion that a scheme shall be adopted )r “ nationalizing ” the hospitals, especially those ow existing for the cure of cripples, opens up* a abject of great national importance, and, as one who as for many years taken a practical interest in the fire of cripples, I ahoidd like to give my opinion on it. U must agree as to the necessity of restoring the ippled child to health and enabling him to become I self-supporting citizen. i When I was Lord Mayor, in 1906, I went to Berlin, lud visited there the great municipal institution named Jeter Dr. Virchow, of which any city might well be Iroud. It is a series of hospitals for poor people, maintained by the rates. There they had every ■nown appliance of surgery and medicine, there all 1C best surgeons and doctors of Germany visited and ave their services,’ and there students had an oppor- inity of studying and learning the methods of cune )!• all diseases. After I had seen it I had an inter- iew with the then Kaiser, who asked me my opinion £ to ivhich I thought was the better way, theii-s or : theirs to have a series of hospitals in a great Itw for whose maintenance all were taxed, or ours i) have a nximber of small hospitals supported by ioluntary contributions, and all asking for money me against the other. I say our way is the best, I [though one is at first tempted to form another ^^ne more than I realizes the difficulty of financing oiuntary hospitals, but we must aU recognize their alue and take pride in their accomplishment— uthout them the wholesome stimulus of competition rnuld be at once lost. Individual efi'ort would be eadened. Such means should not be abolished for le empty if entrancing vision of a hide-bound, un- airooressive, imresponsive, soulless official service, ■ talent will remain unrecognized and where ; -uman sympathy will be replaced by regulations, liramed by officials who will never even see the T.atients for whom they are framed. The reproach ^ as often been brought against our country that^ it i i behind others in its State institutions, but we can 1 Wm that we have done more by voluntary efforts « ban any State has been able to accomplish. There Is more elasticity and expedition in an institution ^ upported by voluntary contributions than is possible ** inder the official routine of a State institution. In 1907 I founded the Alton Hospital for Crippled Children, having collected duiing my mayoralty early £70.000 for that purpose, and I have just built seaside branch at Sandy Point, Hayling Island. Ve have always 350 little patients. It is a happy Lock and tae children have a good time, and are Aell and successfully treated. It has been called “ The Happy Hospital.” If the Government decide o adopt nationalization for such hospitals as mine, must needs go with the times, however much I may egret it, especially as I am 77 years of age. The wo hospitals are in good working order, having iiad nore than £100,000 spent on them, with a splendid tall all the members of which work as a labour of 'ore! I am thankful to say that some of the country uunicipalities have started hospitals on our lines, and uany of the medital authorities of the country requently visit our hospitals, and always receive jiv advice and assistance we are able to give them their wish to follow our example. We have 130 iLcres of freehold land, with nearly a mile of seashore. am prepaned to advise my co-trustees (the Bishop if London, Viscoimt Burnham, and Sir W*. H. Dunn) o hand this all over, lock, stock, and barrel, to the fctate if unhappily nationalization is decided on., t can be so handed over free from any encumbrance ^^I have just received the gratifying news that T.R.H. the Prince of Wales will in January next pre- ,ide *at our second festival dinner, to be held at the Mansion House by kind permission of the Right Hon. he Lord Mayor. (Our first was held in May, 1914, v'hen Mr, Arthui Balfour presided.) I am. Sir, yours truly, W. P. THLELOAB, n I Med K20245 / 1
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