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‘90 METHODS OF SOCIAL REFORM.
came apparent to the etatesmen of that dnp that the Poor
Laws, as then administered, were doing immense injury by
allowing a distribution of public money in aid of wages, and
encouraging every one to rely upon the public funds for subsistence.
I fear we are in danger of falling into a similar
mistake now by placing upon t,he ratepayers or upon charitable
persons tho wholo cost of the medical service of the
poorer classes. There is really no reason why such a Btate of
things should exist, and many why it should not exist. At
present the rosult of almost all charitable efforts is to make
the poor look upon assistance as a right and natural thing
in every contingency of lifc. If they merely want a little
medicine there is a free dispensary; if they have a bad eye or
mr, there nro nppropriato institutions; if anyone is in weak
health he seeks a free order of admission to D Southport or a
Buxton Hospital ; and when the most natural possible crisis
in a poor woman’s life approaches, she looks forward to the
aid of St. Mary’s Hospital. h’ow, I ask, why should the
poorer clnssos bo thus oncouraged and instructed to look to
the wealthier classes for aid in some of the commonest requirements
of life ? If they were absolutely unable ta provide for
themselves the reason would be D strong and intelligible one,
but I do not believe that the people are really in such a hopeless
state of poverty. On the contrary, the wages of the
greater part of the working-classes, and in these districts
dmost the whole, are probably capable, if wisely expended, of
meeting the ordinary evils and contingencies of life, and were
providence in small matters the rule, the most unhesitating
aid might properly be given in the more unforeseen and
severe accidents and cases of destitution.
But there is little use in bewailing an evil unless some
mode of remedying it can be found. There is not much difEcnlty
in discovering the only remedy applicable to medical
charities. No one can seriously think of abolishing those
charitiee; but why should not the working-clwses be required
to contribute towards institutions mainly established for their
benefit. Self-supporting dispensaries exist in many places