Remarks on the Poor Law Amendment Act : with reference to pauper medical attendance, and medical clubs / by Edward Copeman.

  • Edward Copeman
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the Poor Law Amendment Act : with reference to pauper medical attendance, and medical clubs / by Edward Copeman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    In the Norwich district, the patients for the most part live at a shorter distance from the surgeon’s residence, and consequently can be at- tended at less expense; but even under these circumstances, I cannot think that 2^. 2d. a case can remunerate the surgeon for his time and medi- cines. But the table shews that in the Frettenham district, where orders for medical attendance are, with few exceptions, confined to actual paupers, (owing in some degree to the existence of a medi- cal club in the neighbourhood, to which the labouring population resort for medical attendance,) and where therefore the law is strictly adhered to, the salary is perhaps as much as can be expected in these times of economy and retrenchment. In the Buxton district of the Aylsham union, I attend twelve parishes, containing 4726 inhabi- tants; and in the year 1837, the number of cases of sickness and accident was 190; the sum receiv- ed, £76. IO5. Od. or about eight shillings a case. Here the same causes are in operation; namely, the existence of a self-supporting medical club, and the restriction of orders to actual paupers. During the same year, 360 patients were attended as members of the club above referred to, and it is quite clear that if this number were added to those attended under the union, the remuneration per case would be reduced far below what could possibly be considered a just and proper compen- sation for medicines and attendance. I conclude therefore that the principal cause of the remune-
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