On the mode of selecting and remunerating medical men for professional attendance on the poor of a parish or district: read before the Hunterian Society / [Thomas Hodgkin].

  • Hodgkin, Thomas, 1798-1866.
Date:
1836
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the mode of selecting and remunerating medical men for professional attendance on the poor of a parish or district: read before the Hunterian Society / [Thomas Hodgkin]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    shall lift up his head, and in the sight of great men he shall be in admiration.” The names of many, who have adorned our profession, might be mentioned as a proof that medical men have furnished some of the brightest examples both in science and philanthropy ; and it may without fear of contradiction be asserted of the body at large at the present day, that there is no other set of men, whose gratuitous services and personal sacrifices in the cause of suffering humanity can stand in comparison with theirs. I do not make this statement out of arrogant attachment to our profession, or in disrespect of other professions, but in the conviction of its truth, 1 am jealous that our honour should be unstained. I am aware that there are some members of our profession, who have experienced the evils of the present system, and who fear that the operations of the poor law commissioners will tend to confirm if not to aggravate the evil. If there be any ground for this suspicion, I believe it is to be found in the fact of some medical men having already lent themselves to that pecuniary competition, which I have described and condemned in the commencement of this paper. Its tendencies are seen and felt by ourselves ; but they are unperceived by those who are not of the medical profession, who are therefore deceived by its specious appearance of fairness and by its promise of economy. From personal intercourse with the poor law commission, I am warranted in asserting, that they are anxious to adopt that plan which shall combine the greatest satisfaction to the medical profes¬ sion, with the largest amount of advantage both to the suffering poor, and to the community in general. Let us unite our efforts to devise and execute such a plan, and in so doing, co-operate with their patriotic labours. Vrinted by W. Eadet at the Schools of Industry f IjindJield»