Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The second annual report of the Southam Dispensary. 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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![3 \\]iO were known by the profession to have distinguished themselves by their successful treatment, or by the superior manner in «hich they may have written on these disorders. But the relief nftorded by onr excellent Hospitals can only be extended to afew; and indeed from the regulations of those charities,—from the distance they are from each other, from their difficulty of access to inexperienced persons, and the distaste of country people, (who associate the idea of these public buildings with others less benevolent,)—se- veral days imist elapse before the necessary assistance can be obtained, even by those who have friends to procure them the proper recommendation. Centripetal Dispensaries, on the other hand, will have the advantage of giving immediate medical relief, and of thus frequently arresting the progress or dimiiiisliing the violence of a serious complaint. 'I’liey will render less frequent the necessity of parochial aid, and in this way at once prevent an increase of expense to the parish,—and do away with the necessity o( dealing uholcsale in the bou ck of the sick poor, as well as keep up in the mind of the poor man that houest, usetui, and laudable spirit of independence, which must generally be broken before tie can snbimt to be allenJed by the parish surgeon, and which is usually fol- loweil by an apathy and iiidolcnce unfavourable to industry, and from which, reliance on parish pay is guaranteed for his family—ami the workhouse for himself in his old age. Besides those circumstances, the attendance of the me- dical officers at the habitations of the independent labourers and mechanics on these liberal terms, will preserve that desirable connection between the differei.t orders of society whicli Is so well calculated to make known the distresses of some, so as to e.\cite and direct the benevolence of otheis-who at present, with the means and disposition, neither know /tow, or when, to be vseful. Ml. SsiiTH, m olToriiig these remarks to the committee hopes to msme a coiitiiinance of their patronage towards an expeiimcnt, w inch should it succeed, will probably become an example that will be generally follow ed tlironghoiit the knigdoii,, and permanently secure to every class of society all the various advantages to be derived from the present state of medical and surgical knowledge,—and which are not at this time brought to bear on tile public so etfectualiv as they might be. ^ To the ironorable the Commons of the Ciiiled kingdom of Oteat Umain and Ireland, i„ Parliament assembled. The Petition of Henry Lillkv Smith, Surgeon, ofSontham, in the County of Warwick, SHEWETH, 1 HAT it is the practice of overseers of the poor in many parishes, to contract by the year for attendance on iheir poor, when sick or hurt, and that this practice is prodiic- tive of ilie_ following evils:— It iiuluces many to apply to a parish for their surgeon, who otherwise would not seek gratuitous relief; and who are thus taught more readily to make application for food and cluiluiig. It causes those, who are paupers, to be inadequately at- tended, as the surgeon finds an assiduous discharge of duty IS followed by an increase of trouble, without any increase of remuiiuneration. It causes many to coiUinue chargeable to a parish during convalescence, in consequence of not coming under tlic notice of the surgeon. It may produce a disposition, (or the suspicion of such a disposition) to use medicine of an inferior ([ualily, often causing the poor to sell their necessaries for supplies of quack medicine, by which lelief appears so cheaply oliered, and is so temptingly recommended.* Where midwifery is included in the contract, it is subversive of proper feeling, by obliging the poor «omen to change, with each change of pnroctiial arrangement, their accouchcr. It is a great impediment lo the extension of vaccination, for as vaccination is not usually included in the contract, the cases accumulate till the parish is alarmed by the intro- duction of the small pox,—when, if | vaccination is resorted to, it is hurried and partial, and has given rise to many of the doubtful and mixed cases, that have so much divided not have seen its commencement or progress ; which must necessarily be the case so long as t!iey are turned over at Easter, or perhaps quarterly, in the midst of their athictioas, to a new contractor, chosen by individuals whose object it IS to gel the work done at the lowest price, and who cannot make any estimate of the skill or education of the candi- dates. It is a continual source of dissention amongst the wor- thiest men of the profession, riieir coniideiice in their art is weakened by it, as they receive no support in difficult cases from each other, and their estimation and character is thus lowered in the eyes of all the district in which they reside. In conclusion, your petitioner further declares, that it is coiisistanl with his belief, as well as in some degree with his actual knowledge, that it the sums paid by parishes ac- cording to their contracts; with such sums us they pay on account of unforeseen cases, not included in them; together wiih the various sums collected from the poor for that me- dical assistance which to themselves appears the most cheap and efficacious, were Judiciously employed in the formation of District Dispensaries, they might be provided without distressing their best feelings m regard to iudepend- ance, at their own homes, or at the Dispensary; which would assure the most speedy and eft'ectual re-esiablish- nieiit of health, combining likewise, when it might be neces- sary, the skill of all the practitioners within the distiict, and promoting tiiiaiiimity amongst the profession, whilst in all probability it would ultimately remove one ihird of the pauper population from the parochial funds. and perplexed the public mind. It is unkind to the poor who are by this pr.actice con- hned to a particular practitioner, who experience has con- vinced them, is unacquainted with their disorder; who may Tmerepore your petitioner prays this Honorable House, that the subject in all its various bearings, may be turthwitli referred to the consideration of a committee of the House. IT. L. S3IITH. (Copy.) Votes and Proceedings of the House of) Commons, Mercurii, 14 die Aprilis, 1824. ) Poor—Petition of Henry Lilley Smith, Surgeon, of Souiham. in the County of \>'arwick, relative to (irovidiiig Medical AUendaiice for tile Poor: referred to select Committee on Labourers’ Wages. • The resorliiig lo wiiler doctors, and to llic delusive promises of iluack mediaiic, is to he excused in every inun wh.. lives by labour • nnd WHO has no choice between gettiutr iu deb! lo the privileged regular surgeons, or going to hi.s parish for one; and if by diaiiee cither of these uncertain mudes of getting relief are succi ssfni, thev have a claim on the gratitude of the individual and his friends, to eiihuiice their vir tucs and increase their reputation. The great consumption of ouack medicine, and employ of water doctors, is by persons in this class of hfe. Remove Die necessity of applying to tlicm, and tlmt unhaimv trade wilt cease, to refloot, tliat this was done without persuasion, threot, or any other indu.’eiiicnt timn tin- common sense of the poor, when the ini'ans were placed, I hope, jiidiciousiv witliiii their rencli; t.e. without sending them lo a vesliy or poor house, bat being allowed lo feel that it was altogether an nflViir of their own choice. We have not from that time had a ease of small pox in this neighhoiirhood that has extended nut of the house into which it lias been brought; whilst it is aud has been more or Jess disturbing tlic repose of the greater part of the country. t During the formation of the Inslitulion, a fatal ca.se of small pox occurred at Marlon, and tlie niortnlily was daily very great at Coventry so much so, that on ilie aiilhoriiy of om- of the directors of the poor of that city,! am iuloriiied the deaths for some lime averaged lii per week The few embers tlmt belonged at thut lime to iheSonlhnm Dispensary' were rcrjiieslod to inviie their neiglibmirs to be vaccinated, and in less than throe nionllis nearly the ciitiic piipiilntion within 6 miles that were susceptible of the sniull pox, came lo be vacrinnted. Tlic miinber who went lalisfactorily llirougli the process was 10-27 ; ond it is Tatifying See Observations on tlie prevailing Pmclice of snpplyine- Medical .^ssistauce lo the .Sick Poor of Parishes; with Suggestions (or the eslab- lijhment of Dispensaries in Agricultuial Districts. Aud also the Pros, pectus of the Dispensary, established at Soutliam in lb23. r. SMlTlTpi^NTEa siiiiTIIAll.](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22344378_0003.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
