Punch: Punch (56.1869)

124-

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[Makch 27, 1869.

AWFUL SUMMUT

That Tummas met as he was a-comin Whoam—“ Ta looked like a Man a Ridin’ 'pon Nawthin ! ”

POVERTY AND PHYSIC.

Thanks to Mr. Torrens, who presented their petitions, above a
hundred Poor-Law Doctors appealed the other day to the Collective
Wisdom of the country, for redress from certain grievances imposed on
them by certain Boards of Poor-Law Guardians, who may not impossibly
be viewed as part of the Collective Polly of the country. Of these
grievances the principal are over-work and underpay, and that there
are certainly some fair grounds for a grumble, the following will
show:—

“ There are parishes in London, and other great towns, where the pay of the
medical officer does not exceed threepence on an average for each individual
case. Can anything be more unfair to him, or unwise for the community ?
How is it possible that he can he expected to devote the time and attention
necessary for checking disease before its disastrous ripening, or dealing with
its symptoms after it has come to maturity, when hundreds are distracting his
attention by their importunities, and when the paramount claims of his own
household hourly call upon him not to neglect the private practice, whereby
alone he can live ? ”

This we quote from the 'Examiner, a journal which is noted for its
.good sound common-sense. As a rule, our Poor-Law Guardians are not
famous for this quality, or they would not expect one Doctor to do the
work of six. Such penny wisdom leads to pound foolishness, of course,
for by allowing poor sick people the sixth part of what they want in
medical attentions, their maladies are likely to be multiplied sixfold.
Thus disease is spread, and parishes are over-burthened with sick
paupers, who might otherwise be healthy, active labourers, and in need
■of no relief.

Por remedy, the Examiner gives the following good advice :—

“ One or other of two things ought to be done. Poor-Law medical officers
ought to be so multiplied as that their work for the parish or the union should
be adequately compensated by a moderate stipend ; or the stipend should be
eo augmented as to justify their being debarred from private practice.”

We can fancy what a braying would be heard in certain board-rooms,
if either of these notions were proposed to be adopted. What he-haws
would arise at the idea of Parish Doctors being paid enough to free them

from the need of private practice, and to enable them (it would be
added) to visit their out-patients in an elegant new carriage, and to
amass a handsome fortune in, say, half-a-dozen years ! Yet, after all, it
may be questioned if this extravagance would not be cheaper than the
present stingy system of screwing down poor Doctors to such a scanty
pittance, that they would soon themselves be paupers did they not
elsewhere earn money by neglecting, somewhat, those committed to
their care.

LITTLE BOY BALLOT.

Little Boy Ballot, come blow me your horn,
Many now love you who laughed you to scorn :
Where’s the small boy who was ordered to keep
Under the hustings, fast asleep ?

Bribing and bullies have waked him now.

And Cabinet Members are patting bis pow,
Bidding him bring out his musical box,

That echoes the notes of the popular vox.

The Government Gymnast.

What ’s the use of complaining that Athletic Exercises occupy three
times more of a schoolboy3s attention than they ought to do ? Mr.
Forster himself has recognised the system, and actually declares this
to be his notion of the use of an Endowed School,

“ We will make Ladders of these Schools.”

QUITE IMPOSSIBLE.

It is stated that Sir John Lawrence, when raised to the Peerage,
will take the title of Eoyle. “ Foyle”. Sir John may be, and deserves
to be. but foiled we can never imagine him to be, under any circum-
stances.